Cooking Classes in Charleston, South Carolina

Foodies are always on the lookout for exciting new things to do with food. Cooking classes are a great option for anyone from a beginner to an experienced cook. They're a great way to learn new techniques, cuisines, enjoy some great food and make new friends with the same interests.

Charleston, SC has several venues that offer cooking classes. Charleston Cooks! is a combination of a gourmet kitchenware store and a cooking school. It's located in downtown Charleston at 194 East Bay St. Their kitchen is warm, inviting, and state of the art. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and they occasionally have guest chefs from some of the finest restaurants in the area. Every day except Tuesday they offer a Taste of the Lowcountry class in which they teach lowcountry cuisine while you sample the food and sip wine. Some of the other classes include: Essential Knife Skills, Chicken Classics, Spring at the Woodlands (The Woodlands is a 5 star Michelin restaurant), Flavors of Greece, Gullah cuisine, Spring Veggies and Fruit, White Wines of California, Cake Decorating Workshop, Northern Italian-Sienna Style, and many more classes that change with the seasons and the guest chefs.

Whole Foods Market, at 923 Houston Northcutt Blvd, in Mt. Pleasant, SC offers lots delicious classes and a cool recipe contest. The classes are more focused on a single dish and in April they include: Spring fettuccini with Parmigiano Reggiano, Red Beans and Rice with Chorizo, Sloppy Joes served with a side, and Normandy Chicken Pot Pie. There is also a special class with cookbook author Janet Gaffney; Janet Gaffney's Art of Cooking. Another interesting event is the Whole Foods Recipe Roadshow. If your recipe is chosen you get to appear on the TV segment preparing your recipe live, to be aired the next day.

Williams Sonoma, at 281 King St., Charleston, SC, also offers cooking classes. They are demonstrations with recipe cards and tasting for $40. For more information and to register call 843-723-5373.

Also, don't forget that local Farmer's Market's are starting again! The Charleston Farmer's Market in Marion Square opens Saturday April 7^th from 8 AM until 2 PM. Summerville Farmer's Market didn't have a date available yet but it should open in the next week or two, in the First Citizen's Bank parking lot, behind the Town Hall from 8 AM until 2 PM. The Mount Pleasant Farmer's Market opens Tuesday, April 10^th at Moultrie Middle School from 3 PM until dark. The N. Charleston/Hanahan Farmer's Markets open Thursday, April 19^th at Westvaco Park, Remount Rd. and N. Rhett Ave. Operating hours are not yet known.

After you beef up your cooking knowledge and enjoy new tastes and techniques with some of these local Charleston, SC cooking classes, stock up on fresh spring veggies for all the new recipes you learn.

Click on links included for more information and for online enrollment in Charleston Cooks! classes. Bon Appetit!