Cooking classes for beginners in Washington

8 schools · Updated November 2026

No experience needed: friendly, hands-on classes that start with the basics. We found 8 schools in and around Washington for this, with classes from about $99 a person.

1
Sur La Table
Kitchen store with classes · Alexandria, VA
King Street kitchen store with hands-on classes in groups of four, from $49
4.7on Google, 680 reviewsBaking & pastryFrom $49Private groups
2
Sur La Table
Kitchen store with classes · Arlington, VA
Pentagon Row kitchen store with hands-on classes cooked at four-person workstations
4.7on Google, 500 reviewsBaking & pastry · French · Knife skills & basicsFrom $49Private groups
3
FoodFirst Culinary School
Cooking school · Washington
Tiny DC classes of four or five that teach home cooks technique, not just recipes
5.0on Google, 42 reviewsKnife skills & basics · Mediterranean · Sushi & AsianPrivate groups
4
Cookology Culinary School
Cooking school · Arlington, VA
Ballston Quarter school with themed weeknights, kids' classes and team cook-offs
4.6on Google, 178 reviewsPlant-based · Baking & pastry · Knife skills & basicsPrivate groups
5
Chef-Gustavo
Chef’s studio · Washington
Latin American cooking classes in DC, from Peruvian to Argentine grilling
5.0on Google, 25 reviewsFrom $99
6
Toscana Market Cooking Classes
Cooking school · Washington
Italian cooking school in the DC area with two-hour classes and private events
4.4on Google, 67 reviewsItalian & pastaPrivate groups
7
Summer Culinary
Kids’ cooking school · Washington
Week-long DC cooking camp for teens 12 to 17, built around global cuisine
5.0on Google, 2 reviewsKnife skills & basics · Baking & pastryFrom $1,995
8
Just Simply... Cuisine
Cooking school · Washington
Seasonal, hands-on classes in a Woodley Park home kitchen with its own organic garden
5.0on Google, 2 reviews