The 15 Best Workshops & Classes in New Orleans

1.New Orleans Demonstration Cooking Class with Meal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,000 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $43Our pick

At the New Orleans School of Cooking, a local chef prepares Louisiana classics while explaining roux, spices, food traditions and New Orleans history. You watch rather than cook, then sample the dishes with iced tea, coffee, water and one local beer. The two-hour class includes recipes to take home.

“Good overall time. The food was a little bland but I understand that there could be food restrictions in a huge class. I still learned many new things. I’d recommend the class to someone else.”

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2.New Orleans Hands-On Cooking Class with Meal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,183 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $162

At the New Orleans School of Cooking, you’ll spend about three hours preparing a Louisiana meal in a group of no more than 10, with a chef guiding you through the work. Expect hands-on cooking, local food stories, wine or Abita Amber beer, and a shared meal. You’ll take home an apron and recipes; the chef and menu can vary.

“This was a wonderful blend of culture and cooking! Everything turned out delicious and we learned a lot about local history as well.”

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3.Cajun and Creole Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 730 reviews · 2 hours - 150 minutes · from $40Best value

At the New Orleans School of Cooking, a chef demonstrates Cajun and Creole recipes in a renovated early-1800s molasses warehouse in the French Quarter. You’ll hear food stories and local history, eat the dishes with beer, iced tea, or lemonade, and take home recipes. This is a demonstration, not a hands-on class. Menus and instructors vary by day.

“Booked on a whim as a had a free morning and walked over to the school. Met with very friendly staff, had a wander around the shop and was seated for the demo on time. We were given refreshments and introduced to the cook. She was a wonderful lady who was warm and attentive and cooked the meals and answered questions. The food portions were very big, flavourful and genuinely a great experience. A must do when in NOLA, you get a real sense of the culture here. Spent $$ at their shop buying seasoning to take back home as gifts.”

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4.Hands-on Cajun Roux Cooking Class in New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 356 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $163

At the Mardi Gras School of Cooking, you’ll spend about three hours chopping, building dark and light roux, and preparing gumbo and shrimp étouffée with a local chef. Then sit down to eat your work, with bananas Foster to finish. Classes are limited to 10 people, and wine or soda is included.

“Fantastic Mardi Gras Roux Class! Jason was an awesome chef and instructor — knowledgeable, engaging, and fun. My girlfriend and I had a great time and learned a lot, even as someone who already enjoys cooking. The roux we made turned out excellent, and the whole class had great energy. Highly recommend if you're into Cajun flavors or just want a unique, hands-on experience.”

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5.Hands-on Cajun Traditions Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 132 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $163

At The Mardi Gras School of Cooking, you’ll spend about three hours preparing and eating a three-course Cajun meal: New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp, chicken and andouille jambalaya, and chocolate bread pudding with brandy mocha sauce. Instructors have included chefs Mark, Raymond, Jason, Erika, David, and Preston. Expect hands-on cooking, practical tips, and stories about Louisiana food.

“We had an absolute blast with chef David. We highly recommend this activity! We learned how to make bread pudding, jambalaya (with chicken and sausage), and bbq shrimp. The sauce on the shrimp was amazing. The best part of this activity was talking with chef David. He is super personable and spent time getting to know each person in our family.”

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6.New Orleans Cooking Class and Cocktail Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 109 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $105

Start at the New Orleans School of Cooking at 2 pm for a two-hour chef-led demonstration, generous food samples, recipes and a custom spice packet. Then walk the French Quarter with a local drinks guide, sample three classic cocktails including a Sazerac, and hear the stories behind historic bars and old New Orleans.

“From the moment of entering the building, the aroma swept me away! Chef Eric was fabulous! I learned a ton.”

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7.New Orleans Small-Group Food Walking Tour and Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 47 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $108

Start at 10:30 am on Royal Street for a French Quarter food walk with 6 to 7 tastings, local history, and a cooking demonstration at the New Orleans School of Cooking. Guides have included Jack, Kristi, and Susan; chefs demonstrate dishes such as gumbo, jambalaya, and pralines. Plan on about five and a half hours.

“Jake was extremely knowledgeable, and it was a joy to hear him speak of the city he obviously loves. The food was truly fantastic. The shrimp poboy was the best I have ever had. The cooking demonstration with Cindy was a fantastic lesson in the Cajon vs Creole cooking differences. Also, be prepared to be full by the end of the tour!”

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8.Voodoo Doll Class in New Orleans

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 40 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $99

At Unique NOLA’s two-hour class on Toulouse Street, you’ll make a voodoo doll to take home while learning about New Orleans customs, Voodoo traditions, and how the dolls are made. Snacks are included, and you can bring your own drinks. Choose an all-ages Wednesday session at noon or an adults-only evening class Thursday through Saturday at 8pm.

“Andersen gave an amazing talk before we started about the history of the dolls that was fascinating. Very laid back VERY fun experience!”

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9.Sip History in the Crescent City Cocktail Making Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 32 reviews · from $67

At 2401 St Claude Ave, mixologist Tommy Alchemy leads a two-hour cocktail class in a speakeasy setting. You’ll hear stories about New Orleans drinking culture, watch cocktail demonstrations, enjoy three cocktails and bar snacks, then step behind the bar to make a drink with professional tools. The group is capped at 18.

“Tommy Alchemy was a great host. He was so unpretentious and shared all of his recipes. He is an artist for sure. This was such a fun class to take. I highly recommend it, especially if you want an intimate class that details the history of specific cocktails. The simple syrups were amazing (I even ended up ordering 3 of them). We learned so much and enjoyed the class. He even does industry days for his local bartenders and is working on getting everything certified organic. This is a must do!!!”

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10.Cooking Class & Cocktail Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 16 reviews · 4 hours · from $105

At New Orleans School of Cooking, a chef demonstrates Louisiana dishes while you sample food, coffee, iced tea, and local beer. Then a guide leads a 3-to-4-stop French Quarter cocktail walk, with two drinks included and a final stop at Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub. Past guides named in accounts include Harriet and Bob.

“The cooking class was nice and Harriet was very funny and knowledgeable. She demonstrated 2 dishes (1 soup and 1 entree) and you just watch her cook while asking questions. For drinks we had homemade ice tea and a local beer which was nice. After the class I got picked up by the cocktail tour guide. This was beyond my expectation as I thought we would do bar crawling but Bob gave us a lot info about the city and the different alcohol and cocktails invented here. The bars he took us too were very nice and the final one was a jazz club. I highly recommend this tour if…”

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11.Private New Orleans Cajun Cooking Class with a Local Courtland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · from $64

Join Courtland for a private, three-hour Cajun cooking experience at his New Orleans home. Learn to prepare three dishes, hear about Cajun and Creole food traditions, then share your meal with beer or wine. The menu may include boudin balls, gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée or blackened fish.

“Not knowing exactly what to expect… we were greeted as if we were long lost friends… Courtland delivered an amazing meal while showing us around the property… from fresh grown vegetables and herbs from his garden to the family heirloom cookware he used… every detail was thought out and executed perfectly… I highly recommend this one of a kind experience and will definitely do it again!!!”

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12.Traditions Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 3 hours · from $157

At the Mardi Gras School of Cooking, spend three hours making New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp, chicken and andouille jambalaya, and chocolate bread pudding with brandy mocha sauce. Chefs including Raymond, Erika, and Coach have led friendly, hands-on classes that pair cooking skills with stories about Cajun and Creole food. Wine, beer, soda, and water are included.

“We had such a wonderful time at this cooking class in New Orleans! Our chef Raymond and the small group made the whole experience so much fun. We cooked three delicious Cajun dishes and enjoyed sharing the meal together afterwards. This class was truly one of the highlights of our New Orleans trip. If we come back for another short getaway, we will definitely return. Thank you!!!!”

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13.Food Walking Tour & Cooking Class Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 5h 30m · from $127

Meet inside Roux Royale at 600 Royal Street for a three-hour French Quarter food walk, followed by a two-hour cooking demonstration and lunch. Expect six or seven tastings, from gumbo and jambalaya to pralines, plus recipes and refreshments. Guides named on recent tours include Susan and Nate, with Chef Tom leading a kitchen session; hosts may vary.

“I enjoyed all the information on the people and different kinds of food in this area. Very interesting.”

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14.Hands-on Cajun Roux Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 7 reviews · 3 hours · from $157

In a three-hour class at the Mardi Gras School of Cooking, you’ll prep the Cajun Holy Trinity, make dark roux gumbo and light roux shrimp etouffee, then learn bananas Foster. Instructors including Chef Raymond, Chef Jason, and Mark have led classes, sharing cooking techniques and local food history. Drinks are included, and groups are limited to 10.

“We took a roux class in New Orleans with Chef Jason. He was very informative. The class was fun and easy to follow. He gave great history lessons about New Orleans Creole and Cajun cooking. He kept everyone involved and hands on. He shared jokes and stories that made the experience even better. Chef Jason is very knowledgeable and made learning enjoyable. Highly recommend this class.”

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15.New Orleans Courtyard Cocktails: Happy Hour Mixology Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $115

At 2:30 pm, meet local bartenders at 524 St Louis Street for a 90-minute private happy-hour class. Make a Pimm’s Cup and Sazerac, then watch a seasonal cocktail demonstration. Two local appetizers are included, and the class explores the stories behind New Orleans’ cocktail traditions.

“Fun personable staff. It did feel disorganized and a little hectic - like there wasn't a clear plan on who was handling what and the best way to convey or go about the recipes. Started off pleasant- a pimms cup premade and some light bites - but the informative aspect of it was barely audible over the courtyard AC units. Once at stations, facilitator told us to ignore recipes we were just given and "just listen" to her and got irritable- she was reaching over us and taking things from us like we were kids. The actual cocktail making was about ten minutes and there wasn't a break to drink…”

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