Teen cooking classes go beyond the Mommy & Me cooking classes, which are as much about the process as the product. You can find classes in Manhattan for beginner to more advanced cooks; most are one-time classes.

The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE)
50 West 23rd Street
800-522-4610
The ICE offers professional and recreational cooking classes. For teens and tweens, ICE has a rotating classes, including the one-time Teenage Entertaining 101 class for ages 15 to 18. Teens learn how to throw a dinner party and make a complete meal, including appetizers, an entree, side dishes and dessert.

In Homemade Pasta, for ages 11-14, kids learn how to make basic pasta dough, plus ravioli, and tagliatelle. They also make different sauces, including tomato and Alfredo.

The Pizza! Pizza! class is for children ages 9 and up, with an adult. Participants will learn how to make dough and tomato sauce, prepare toppings, and make a chocolate dessert pizza.

One of the most useful classes is the two-day Teen Cooking Techniques, for ages 15-18. Here, teens learn basics, such as knife skills, then more advanced techniques like sautéing, roasting, blanching and emulsifying sauces. The teaching is incorporated into meal preparation each day.

Pizza a Casa
371 Grand Street
212-209-3370
Pizza a Casa specializes in pizza and offers a 4-hour hands-on pizza workshop for ages 13 and up. This class focuses on thin crust artisan pizza with fresh mozzarella and a variety of toppings. Teens learn how to make the dough and learn the technique for stretching. There also is a pasta workshop where you make fresh pasta dough and sauce.

The Jewish Community Center in Manhattan
334 Amsterdam Avenue at 76th Street
646-505-4444
The JCC often offers a four hour global cooking class, Teens Cook The World. Although the class (and the entire community center) is Kosher, you do no have to be Jewish to participate. The class teaches knife skills and different cooking methods, while exploring the flavors of India, Morocco, Italy, Japan, France and Mexico. The course teaches participants how to make crepes, masala spice blends and tacos.

For tweens, the JCC has My Tween and Me Do Brunch, where you both learn how to make sweet or savory crepes, frittatas, cake and smoothies. You literally make your cake and eat it, too.


Miette Culinary Studio
109 MacDougal Street, Suite 2
212-460-9322
Miette offers cooking classes with an emphasis on French technique. The classes, designed for adults, accept children over age 12. The one-time classes include American Classics, Cooking In Less Than Thirty Minutes, Thanksgiving Favorites, and Indian food. Students use seasonal farmers’ market produce and organic ingredients to prepare gourmet meals.