Cooking school · Santa Monica, CA
Downtown Santa Monica school for hands-on baking, technique classes and date nights
The Gourmandise School has taught in downtown Santa Monica since 2011. It sits on the third floor of Santa Monica Place, at the end of Third Street Promenade, and calls itself the Westside's largest recreational cooking school. Most classes run three hours and are hands-on, and you usually work in a pair with one other student. You get printed recipes in class and a copy by email afterward.
The calendar leans heavily on baking and technique. Expect French macarons, a two-day croissant class, bagels and pretzels, and Technique classes on eggs, chicken and knife skills. Cooking nights include Fresh Pasta with Chef Melanie Barsuk, Thai Favorites with Chef Boby Pradachith, Sushi 101 and Asian Noodle Classics. Chocolatier Ruth Kennison hosts the Santa Monica Chocolate Society, a 90-minute craft chocolate tasting.
Date Night classes are priced per couple, with menus like a French bistro, Korean BBQ or Modern Lebanese. Parent & Child classes run almost every weekend for kids 6 to 12. If you want longer study, the series courses meet weekly for 4, 6 or 10 weeks. You can bring your own beer and wine.
Date night
Evening classes for two, and it’s BYOB
Kids & families
Classes and camps for young cooks
Beginners
No experience needed
Serious cooks
Multi-week courses and boot camps
Written from The Gourmandise School’s own site and class listings, October 2026. How we write these
Read from their own listings and checked weekly. Prices are per person.
$125 per person · 2.5 hours · Hands-on
Next: Tue 3 Nov, 10am · 2 dates
$50 per person · 1.5 hours · Hands-on
Next: Tue 3 Nov, 6pm
$145 per person · 3 hours · Hands-on
Next: Fri 6 Nov, 6pm · 2 dates
$290 per person · 3 hours · Hands-on
Next: Fri 6 Nov, 6:30pm
$125 per person · 3 hours · Hands-on
Next: Sat 7 Nov, 10am
$125 per person · 3 hours · Hands-on
Next: Sat 7 Nov, 10:30am
$125 per person · 3 hours · Hands-on
Next: Sat 7 Nov, 2pm
$310 per person · 3 hours · Hands-on
Next: Sat 7 Nov, 6pm
$225 per person · 2.5 hours · Hands-on
Next: Sun 8 Nov, 10am
$125 per person · 3 hours · Hands-on
Next: Sun 8 Nov, 10:30am
$150 per person · 2.5 hours · Hands-on
Next: Sun 8 Nov, 2pm
$135 per person · 2.5 hours · Hands-on
Next: Tue 10 Nov, 10am · 2 dates
$125 per person · 3 hours · Hands-on
Next: Wed 11 Nov, 6:30pm · 4 dates
$290 per person · 3 hours · Hands-on
Next: Fri 13 Nov, 6pm
$545 per person · 5 hours · Hands-on
Next: Sat 14 Nov, 9:30am · 2 dates
$55 per person · 2 hours · Hands-on
Next: Sat 14 Nov, 10am
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It is on the 3rd floor of the Santa Monica Place shopping center, at the end of Third Street Promenade in downtown Santa Monica, across from the Cayton Children's Museum and The Cheesecake Factory.
Most classes run 3 hours, and kids' classes run 2.5 hours. All classes are hands-on unless stated otherwise, and in most classes you are paired with one other student.
There are no refunds. Cancel at least 48 hours before class and you get a full class credit. After that you can transfer your spot to a guest who meets the age requirement.
Yes. Classes are BYOB for guests over 21, and only beer and wine are allowed.
Yes. You get printed recipes in class, and they are emailed to you afterward.
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