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8 interactive virtual cooking classes for team building in 2023
Sometimes, team building activities can feel forced or, worse, monotonous. This means you’ve got to come up with creative ways to get your employees excited about team building and eager to interact with each other, and what’s more exciting and uniting than food?
Virtual cooking classes for team building are a great way to incorporate food into team bonding activities, and you can be sure your teammates will love it because it's a fun and out-of-the-box idea.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of eight engaging online cooking classes, some of which also offer a few cocktail mixing lessons to keep things interesting.
Also check out our articles on team building to problem-solve, activities for leaders or that are free, and the best team building apps.
How do virtual cooking classes help team building?
The best team connections often form outside the office. This is one of the reasons why many on-site teams have such strong relationships - they get to know each other better and bond as a unit in casual spaces unrelated to work.
Remote teams rarely have such opportunities due to the distance barrier, so to achieve a similar effect, you’ll need to organize non-work-related virtual team building activities. Taking virtual cooking classes together is one pretty great option.
Not only are virtual cooking classes fun, but they also help team members connect and interact in a relaxed setting - their own kitchens! As they learn and practice how to prepare new dishes together, they’ll discover new things about each other, bond, and form new memories. And let’s not forget about the end reward - a delicious, homemade meal!
The best virtual team building cooking classes
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of 8 of our best online cooking classes, all of which are:
- Taught by professional chefs
- Ideal for people on all experience levels
- Fun and interactive
- Accommodate multiple team members at a time
1. Home Cooking New York
Price Range: From $650
Best for: People who thrive on simple, easy-to-follow recipes
If you enjoy the chit-chat and spontaneity that makes in-person cooking classes entertaining, Home Cooking New York is a solid option. They offer immersive virtual cooking classes for team building taught by professional chef instructors.
You can choose from an international menu consisting of 17 options, including pizza, Spanish paella and tapas, dumplings, and even desserts like pies, homemade candy, and cookies.
Once you’ve chosen a menu, you’ll be sent an ingredient and equipment list to forward to your team. Alternatively, you can opt to have the ingredients shipped out to your teammates for an added fee.
Classes are typically 90 minutes long, are taught over Zoom or your chosen virtual communication platform, and can be arranged to accommodate as many team members as you like, so no one gets left out.
You’ll also get the chance to ask questions and interact with each other for a more enjoyable experience.
Tip: Incorporate your next cooking class with a virtual chocolate tasting experience.
2. The Chef & The Dish
Price Range: From $450
Best for: Lovers of international cuisines
For over 6 years, The Chef & The Dish has successfully strengthened teams via their virtual team building cooking classes. With professional chefs based all around the world, these classes deliver an exciting experience where people simultaneously learn about new cultures and dishes.
They offer an extensive list of delicious-sounding menu options like the Panang Curry taught by Chef Joy in Thailand or the Chile Relleno taught by Chef Andres in Mexico.
Once you’ve booked your class, you’ll get access to everything you need, including a grocery list, equipment list, chef bio, and kitchen prep video.
Classes can accommodate up to 21 participants and last for 90 minutes.
3. Life At The Table
Price Range: From $50 per person
Best for: People looking for healthier meal options
Life At The Table offers corporate online cooking classes that teach teammates how to prepare healthy yet delicious dinners. Led by professional chefs, these classes are ideal for people of all skill levels.
They ship ingredients to all participants to eliminate any inconvenience. However, if you want to source your own ingredients, they will provide a detailed list of what to purchase.
Life At The Table offers 4 virtual cooking experiences:
- Traditional sessions: All participants cook together in one virtual group led by a professional chef.
- Competition: Participants are divided into smaller teams and receive a mystery basket of ingredients to compete against each other.
- Happy hour: Participants learn to make a cocktail and a small bite.
- Guided sessions: Best suited for people who require more guidance and attention.
Pro-tip: If anyone on your team has dietary restrictions, you can make the chefs aware, and they will adjust the recipes to accommodate their needs.
4. The Pasta Studio by Alessandria Lauria
Price Range: From $250
Best for: Lovers of Italian dishes
If you’ve got pasta lovers on your team, The Pasta Studio is the way to go for authentic pasta-making classes.
These virtual team building cooking classes are taught by a real Italian chef, Alessandria Lauria, who teaches her students how to make fresh pasta and sauce, Sicilian street food, and even Italian Aperitivo.
If you have any out-of-the-box ideas, you can let the chef know ahead of time, and she’ll personalize the class for you and your team. She also sends out a Zoom link and a full ingredient and equipment list to participants.
Sessions are between 90 to 120 minutes long, depending on the recipe, and are recorded live so can team members can refer back to the lesson if needed. You also get access to photos taken during the event.
5. Kitchen On Fire
Price Range: From $550
Best for: People looking for customized experiences
The California-based company Kitchen on Fire offers online team building classes for remote and hybrid companies that cannot participate in their in-person events.
With classes on how to prepare dishes like sweet and savory tarts, fresh Italian pasta, and international seafood, this activity will be a hit amongst your teammates.
They provide 3 cooking event options:
- Virtual interactive cooking event: Lasts 2 hours with a custom menu of 1 to 2 dishes, and participants follow along with cooking instructions from the chef.
- Virtual demo cooking event: Lasts 1 hour with a menu of 1 to 2 dishes, and participants watch and ask questions as the chef demonstrates.
- Virtual interactive happy hour: Lasts 1 hour with a custom menu of 1 cocktail and 1 appetizer, and participants follow along with instructions from the chef.
You’ll receive a shopping list and prep instructions to help get your team ready before the class.
6. Sur La Table
Price Range: From $29 per person
Best for: People looking to execute more technical recipes
Sur La Table, best known for selling quality cookware and giving in-person cooking classes, started offering online sessions at the start of the pandemic and hasn’t looked back since.
It provides fully interactive classes starting at $29 per person, and these sessions are hosted by professional instructors well-versed in the art of cooking.
You can choose from a wide variety of dishes ranging from classic cuisines like eclairs and macarons to more complex, global foods like Thai stir-fried noodles and Middle Eastern kebabs.
Before a class, your team gets access to a shopping list, quick-start instructions, and a password-protected Zoom link.
7. Coqui The Chef
Price Range: From $55 per person
Best for: People who enjoy the merging of food and music
This one is for lovers of Spanish culture and cuisine. Coqui The Chef, led by Tania Lopez, delivers a fun and engaging virtual paella-making class.
You can either pay to have all the ingredients, alongside a bottle of wine and a paella pan shipped to you and your teammates, or pay a reduced price to receive a list of ingredients and equipment to source yourselves.
In addition to the cooking class, you and your team will enjoy a live and entertaining flamenco guitar performance from musicians based in Madrid.
8. Top Chef University
Price Range: $0
Best for: Cheap but effective cooking lessons
If you’re on a tight budget but still want to organize a team building virtual cooking class, Top Chef University is a pretty good option. They have multiple dishes to choose from, all of which come with a pre-recorded instructional video hosted by a Top Chef contestant.
It works via an app available in two versions: the original TCU app that can be downloaded on iPad and Android tablets, and the TCU To-Go app for iPhones.
To arrange this class:
- Ensure all your team members have the app on their devices
- Select one of the menu items
- Take note of the ingredients and equipment needed for the dish and share them with the rest of your team
- Choose a date for the cooking class and set up a video conferencing call
- Encourage everyone to follow along with the video as they interact with each other.
Conclusion
When it comes to virtual team building cooking classes, it really doesn’t matter your level of cooking experience. Because all the classes on our list are taught by professional chefs, you can be sure that you and your team will be walked through every step. The most important thing is to remember to have fun, enjoy a great meal together, and bond as a team.
FAQs
What is a team building virtual cooking class?
A team building virtual cooking class is a cooking class hosted and directed by chefs and team building event companies over virtual conferencing platforms and designed to foster relationships between virtual teammates.
How does a virtual cooking class work?
These classes are held over the internet using platforms like Zoom, while participants in different locations simultaneously prepare a dish and interact with each other.
How much do virtual team building cooking classes cost?
A single virtual team building cooking class can cost anything between one to several hundred dollars, depending on the service you choose, the number of participants, and if you opt to buy your own ingredients or have them delivered to you by the class organizers.
Share fun facts and bond with a team quiz
Have your participants choose from a list of questions they’d like their coworkers to answer about them, before watching as they guess the right answer.
01. Yes
share-fun-facts-and-bond-with-a-team-quiz
Run a guided recognition activity
Have your participants choose from a list of questions they’d like their coworkers to answer about them, before watching as they guess the right answer.
01. Yes
run-a-guided-recognition-activity
Organize a virtual cooking class
Hire a professional chef to help your team cook a delicious lunch or dinner. May be difficult for co-workers with families. To find providers and get tips, read our blog about virtual cooking classes.
02. No
organize-a-virtual-cooking-class
Hire a stand-up comedian
Have your participants choose from a list of questions they’d like their coworkers to answer about them, before watching as they guess the right answer.
02. No
hire-a-stand-up-comedian
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No items found
Table of contents
Sometimes, team building activities can feel forced or, worse, monotonous. This means you’ve got to come up with creative ways to get your employees excited about team building and eager to interact with each other, and what’s more exciting and uniting than food?
Virtual cooking classes for team building are a great way to incorporate food into team bonding activities, and you can be sure your teammates will love it because it's a fun and out-of-the-box idea.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of eight engaging online cooking classes, some of which also offer a few cocktail mixing lessons to keep things interesting.
Also check out our articles on team building to problem-solve, activities for leaders or that are free, and the best team building apps.
How do virtual cooking classes help team building?
The best team connections often form outside the office. This is one of the reasons why many on-site teams have such strong relationships - they get to know each other better and bond as a unit in casual spaces unrelated to work.
Remote teams rarely have such opportunities due to the distance barrier, so to achieve a similar effect, you’ll need to organize non-work-related virtual team building activities. Taking virtual cooking classes together is one pretty great option.
Not only are virtual cooking classes fun, but they also help team members connect and interact in a relaxed setting - their own kitchens! As they learn and practice how to prepare new dishes together, they’ll discover new things about each other, bond, and form new memories. And let’s not forget about the end reward - a delicious, homemade meal!
The best virtual team building cooking classes
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of 8 of our best online cooking classes, all of which are:
- Taught by professional chefs
- Ideal for people on all experience levels
- Fun and interactive
- Accommodate multiple team members at a time
1. Home Cooking New York
Price Range: From $650
Best for: People who thrive on simple, easy-to-follow recipes
If you enjoy the chit-chat and spontaneity that makes in-person cooking classes entertaining, Home Cooking New York is a solid option. They offer immersive virtual cooking classes for team building taught by professional chef instructors.
You can choose from an international menu consisting of 17 options, including pizza, Spanish paella and tapas, dumplings, and even desserts like pies, homemade candy, and cookies.
Once you’ve chosen a menu, you’ll be sent an ingredient and equipment list to forward to your team. Alternatively, you can opt to have the ingredients shipped out to your teammates for an added fee.
Classes are typically 90 minutes long, are taught over Zoom or your chosen virtual communication platform, and can be arranged to accommodate as many team members as you like, so no one gets left out.
You’ll also get the chance to ask questions and interact with each other for a more enjoyable experience.
Tip: Incorporate your next cooking class with a virtual chocolate tasting experience.
2. The Chef & The Dish
Price Range: From $450
Best for: Lovers of international cuisines
For over 6 years, The Chef & The Dish has successfully strengthened teams via their virtual team building cooking classes. With professional chefs based all around the world, these classes deliver an exciting experience where people simultaneously learn about new cultures and dishes.
They offer an extensive list of delicious-sounding menu options like the Panang Curry taught by Chef Joy in Thailand or the Chile Relleno taught by Chef Andres in Mexico.
Once you’ve booked your class, you’ll get access to everything you need, including a grocery list, equipment list, chef bio, and kitchen prep video.
Classes can accommodate up to 21 participants and last for 90 minutes.
3. Life At The Table
Price Range: From $50 per person
Best for: People looking for healthier meal options
Life At The Table offers corporate online cooking classes that teach teammates how to prepare healthy yet delicious dinners. Led by professional chefs, these classes are ideal for people of all skill levels.
They ship ingredients to all participants to eliminate any inconvenience. However, if you want to source your own ingredients, they will provide a detailed list of what to purchase.
Life At The Table offers 4 virtual cooking experiences:
- Traditional sessions: All participants cook together in one virtual group led by a professional chef.
- Competition: Participants are divided into smaller teams and receive a mystery basket of ingredients to compete against each other.
- Happy hour: Participants learn to make a cocktail and a small bite.
- Guided sessions: Best suited for people who require more guidance and attention.
Pro-tip: If anyone on your team has dietary restrictions, you can make the chefs aware, and they will adjust the recipes to accommodate their needs.
4. The Pasta Studio by Alessandria Lauria
Price Range: From $250
Best for: Lovers of Italian dishes
If you’ve got pasta lovers on your team, The Pasta Studio is the way to go for authentic pasta-making classes.
These virtual team building cooking classes are taught by a real Italian chef, Alessandria Lauria, who teaches her students how to make fresh pasta and sauce, Sicilian street food, and even Italian Aperitivo.
If you have any out-of-the-box ideas, you can let the chef know ahead of time, and she’ll personalize the class for you and your team. She also sends out a Zoom link and a full ingredient and equipment list to participants.
Sessions are between 90 to 120 minutes long, depending on the recipe, and are recorded live so can team members can refer back to the lesson if needed. You also get access to photos taken during the event.
5. Kitchen On Fire
Price Range: From $550
Best for: People looking for customized experiences
The California-based company Kitchen on Fire offers online team building classes for remote and hybrid companies that cannot participate in their in-person events.
With classes on how to prepare dishes like sweet and savory tarts, fresh Italian pasta, and international seafood, this activity will be a hit amongst your teammates.
They provide 3 cooking event options:
- Virtual interactive cooking event: Lasts 2 hours with a custom menu of 1 to 2 dishes, and participants follow along with cooking instructions from the chef.
- Virtual demo cooking event: Lasts 1 hour with a menu of 1 to 2 dishes, and participants watch and ask questions as the chef demonstrates.
- Virtual interactive happy hour: Lasts 1 hour with a custom menu of 1 cocktail and 1 appetizer, and participants follow along with instructions from the chef.
You’ll receive a shopping list and prep instructions to help get your team ready before the class.
6. Sur La Table
Price Range: From $29 per person
Best for: People looking to execute more technical recipes
Sur La Table, best known for selling quality cookware and giving in-person cooking classes, started offering online sessions at the start of the pandemic and hasn’t looked back since.
It provides fully interactive classes starting at $29 per person, and these sessions are hosted by professional instructors well-versed in the art of cooking.
You can choose from a wide variety of dishes ranging from classic cuisines like eclairs and macarons to more complex, global foods like Thai stir-fried noodles and Middle Eastern kebabs.
Before a class, your team gets access to a shopping list, quick-start instructions, and a password-protected Zoom link.
7. Coqui The Chef
Price Range: From $55 per person
Best for: People who enjoy the merging of food and music
This one is for lovers of Spanish culture and cuisine. Coqui The Chef, led by Tania Lopez, delivers a fun and engaging virtual paella-making class.
You can either pay to have all the ingredients, alongside a bottle of wine and a paella pan shipped to you and your teammates, or pay a reduced price to receive a list of ingredients and equipment to source yourselves.
In addition to the cooking class, you and your team will enjoy a live and entertaining flamenco guitar performance from musicians based in Madrid.
8. Top Chef University
Price Range: $0
Best for: Cheap but effective cooking lessons
If you’re on a tight budget but still want to organize a team building virtual cooking class, Top Chef University is a pretty good option. They have multiple dishes to choose from, all of which come with a pre-recorded instructional video hosted by a Top Chef contestant.
It works via an app available in two versions: the original TCU app that can be downloaded on iPad and Android tablets, and the TCU To-Go app for iPhones.
To arrange this class:
- Ensure all your team members have the app on their devices
- Select one of the menu items
- Take note of the ingredients and equipment needed for the dish and share them with the rest of your team
- Choose a date for the cooking class and set up a video conferencing call
- Encourage everyone to follow along with the video as they interact with each other.
Conclusion
When it comes to virtual team building cooking classes, it really doesn’t matter your level of cooking experience. Because all the classes on our list are taught by professional chefs, you can be sure that you and your team will be walked through every step. The most important thing is to remember to have fun, enjoy a great meal together, and bond as a team.
FAQs
What is a team building virtual cooking class?
A team building virtual cooking class is a cooking class hosted and directed by chefs and team building event companies over virtual conferencing platforms and designed to foster relationships between virtual teammates.
How does a virtual cooking class work?
These classes are held over the internet using platforms like Zoom, while participants in different locations simultaneously prepare a dish and interact with each other.
How much do virtual team building cooking classes cost?
A single virtual team building cooking class can cost anything between one to several hundred dollars, depending on the service you choose, the number of participants, and if you opt to buy your own ingredients or have them delivered to you by the class organizers.
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