Take a Family Cooking Class in Europe

Everybody, young or old, likes food. When your family travels in Europe, there’s no way to get kids closer to the culture than with a family cooking class. Often these take place in someone’s home, and might even include a meal with a family, so learning to cook a favorite food is only part of the experience for kids.

A farmhouse visit on Italy’s Amalfi coast, for example, begins in the garden, where participants pick vegetables and herbs they will later prepare. After learning to cook four regional dishes, families will enjoy a four-course dinner with wine, followed by a chance to stroll through the lemon and olive groves for views of the Amalfi coast. The experience is suitable for children ages 8 or over.

Parents and children ages 5 and older can learn how to make focaccia, pizza, fresh pasta, two different sauces and gelato, before sitting down to a family dinner to enjoy the products of their work. This hands-on experience appeals to all ages, but is specially designed so children get a chance to try their hand at real cooking. Kids get a Little Chef certificate at the end.

Families visiting Paris can learn to make French specialties such as Croque Monsieur, chocolate tarts or melt-in-the-mouth macarons. Children as young as 6 can take part in classes just for children or designed for parents and children together. A kids-only chocolate class taught by a professional chef uses top-quality Valrhona chocolate to learn the techniques and create customized chocolate bars and other chocolate treats. While kids are learning to make chocolates, parents can take a class in making perfect croissants.