If I learned one heart-warming truth from watching Ratatouille, it’s that anyone (even rodents!) can learn how to cook. But when you’re first earning your chops in the kitchen, everything—even the spice rack, the frying pan, and the lemon squeezer—can feel just as high-stakes as cutting a pineapple with a super-sharp knife. That’s why you need to put on your student cap once more, pretend you’re studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and get busy with online cooking classes that will teach you your cheffing ABC’s.

Below, you’ll learn about eight online cooking classes that will teach you everything from the basics (like how to properly crack an egg) right down to impressive skills like making fettucini from scratch and not burning the garlic five seconds after you put it in the pan. Pretty soon, you just might be one of those people who take their first bite at a restaurant and say, “I could make this better.” But here’s hoping that you stay humble, chef.

7 online cooking classes to try now for healthy, homemade meals tomorrow

1. Well+Good’s Cook With Us YouTube Series, free

If you’ve never cooked with Well+Good before, you’re in for a treat. Not to toot our own horns, but our very own YouTube series, Cook With Us, will teach you how to serve up healthy, delicious meals in 30 minutes or less. A pro chef will walk you through how to make dishes like vegan beef bourguignon and chicken tostadas with plenty of cooking tips and lessons in technique along the way.

Who it’s for: Those who are interested in dipping their toes in multiple cuisines through easy, healthy recipes and have some cooking experience already.

Check out an episode of “Cook With Us” below: 

2. Whole Foods Home Ec 365, free

Whole Foods’s free digital curriculum teaches you a variety of brag-worthy kitchen skills like cleaning your appliances, transforming leftovers and scraps into delicious dinners, and how to swap baking ingredients for every diet.

Who it’s for: This is for folks who are interested in learning from health-focused influencers and chefs like Sophia Roe and Joy Wilson.

3. Home Cooking, free

So this isn’t a “cooking class,” per se—but it still teaches how to nail the trickier, more niche parts of working in the kitchen. Samin Nosrat, the author of Salt Fat Acid Heat, co-hosts this podcast and brings on special guests to talk about everything from no-oven cooking to pierogis to the proper way to use bay leaves.

Who it’s for: Anyone who wants company on their long quarantine walks—and likes to approach cooking with curiosity and awe.

4. Milk Street Cooking School, $25

Milk Street’s online cooking school offers free classes across many topics including knife skills, but you can also sign up for specialty classes. This one’s all about garlic, but with two-plus events a week, you have plenty of opportunities to learn. Milk Street teachers will answer as you move through the curriculum, so you can expect plenty of guidance as you start your kitchen journey.

Who it’s for: Beginners and non-beginners who want to be smarter in the kitchen.

5. Withlocals Mixology of Spices from Dubai Live Online Experience, $26+

If you’re interested in re-creating the flavorful, vibrant dishes of India in your kitchen, this is the course for you. A couple from Dubai will Skype right into your home and teach you how to mix spices yourself. No more spice mixes—we’re doing this from scratch.

Who it’s for: Those who want to level-up the flavor in all of their cooking through spices.

6. Sur La Table’s cooking classes, $29 per person

Sur La Table offers a range of online cooking classes that are 90 minutes long. Each one focuses on a particular dish, with some upcoming classes including Cioppino Seafood Stew, autumn gnocchi, and chicken dumpling soup. Assemble your Zoom squad and suggest taking a cooking class together instead of, you know, playing trivia for the millionth time since March.

Who it’s for: Anyone who wants a fun night virtually cooking with friends. You might just walk away with a signature dish that you can pretend you came up with. (We won’t tell.)

7. MasterClass courses, $180 per year

A MasterClass membership is truly an investment in your future cooking skills. You can learn a wide variety of techniques and cuisines, such as Texas-style barbecue and basic knife skills; classes are typically taught by celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsey and Domnique Ansel. Ramsey’s “Cooking 1” masterclass is an ideal pick for people who still haven’t figured out how knives work (that’s me). This subscription meets you as the chef you are today. (A membership also grants you access to all other MasterClass courses in various topics, including writing, acting, business, and more.)

Who it’s for: A chef at any level with some money to burn. Whether you’re a beginner or an old pro looking to dabble in Middle Eastern cuisine.

No matter what class you choose, remember that tying your apron and turning on your kitchen playlist should be fun. If you’re finding that you don’t love your time at the stove, air fryer, or Instant Pot, it may be time for a new approach. As the indelible Julia Child one said, “You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces—just good food from fresh ingredients.” Good luck, chef.

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