New Orleans Cooking Class: Learn Gumbo, Jambalaya & Pralines

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.86 (3,171 reviews) 91% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/12

Duration2h

GroupUp to 68

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Watch a chef cook Louisiana classics, then eat what they made

A two-hour cooking demonstration class at the New Orleans School of Cooking in the French Quarter where you watch a chef prepare gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, bread pudding, bananas foster, pralines and other Louisiana specialties. You'll hear the history and techniques behind each dish, then enjoy a generous lunch of all the items made in class, served with beer, iced tea and coffee. Take home the recipes to recreate the dishes yourself.

The Experience

The class happens in a renovated molasses warehouse built in the early 1800s, steps into the heart of the French Quarter. A professional chef leads the demonstration for two hours, keeping the pace entertaining while walking through the spices, techniques and stories that define Louisiana cooking. This is a demonstration class, not hands-on — you watch and listen rather than cook alongside the chef, which means the focus stays on the food and the history without the logistics of a full kitchen class.

The menu rotates through nine dishes: corn and crab bisque, gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp or chicken Creole, crawfish étouffée, bread pudding, bananas foster, pralines and pecan pie. The chef discusses the vegan and gluten-free alternatives (gumbo z'herbes and creole z'herbes) available for an additional $5 at check-in, though these are not demonstrated. After the demonstration ends, you move to the dining area for a generous lunch featuring all the dishes prepared in class, with complimentary beer, iced tea, coffee and water. You'll leave with a printed copy of every recipe demonstrated.

Classes run at 10am or 2pm on various days throughout the week. The space is fully wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are nearby. If you have dietary restrictions beyond the vegan and gluten-free options, call the reservations line after booking to discuss what can be arranged. You can also submit photos of yourself cooking the recipes at home to receive a diploma recognizing your participation.

What’s included

A two-hour cooking demonstration led by a professional chef.
a full meal of all nine dishes prepared in class.
one local beer, iced tea, coffee and water.
printed recipes for every dish demonstrated.
a diploma upon submission of photos cooking the recipes at home.

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearby

Operated by New Orleans School of Cooking

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to understand Louisiana cooking through its signature dishes without spending the day in a kitchen — the demonstration format means you get the stories, techniques and flavors in two hours, then sit down to eat instead of cook.