//Cooking Classes
Elevate your home cooking! Our schedule of classes covers everything from essential techniques to global cuisine. These sessions are fun, informative, and completely hands-on. Stop scrolling through recipes and start cooking. See the cooking classes offered and register today!
Chicago Botanic Garden | Knife Skills
Sharpen your confidence in the kitchen with this hands-on knife skills class. Gain essential cutting techniques and proper knife care as you learn to slice, dice, and julienne a variety of vegetables. Then, put your new skills to use to prepare a delicious pasta dish. Perfect for beginners and home cooks looking to level up their skills.
Chicago Botanic Garden | Ceviche
Explore techniques to make a classic lime-cured Mexican ceviche. Learn how to “cook” the fish with citrus juice—the acid breaks down the proteins, much like heat does, so it becomes firm and opaque. Add fresh vegetables and fragrant herbs and chill for a light and savory dish.
Chicago Botanic Garden | Sauces 101
Build a strong foundation in sauce-making to elevate your home cooking. In this hands-on class, you will create classic sauces while exploring key techniques like making a roux, deglazing and reducing pan sauces, and emulsifying vinaigrettes. Learn how to layer and customize flavors to complement any dish. Featured sauces include béchamel (with a mornay twist), a red wine espagnole-style pan sauce, a citrus vinaigrette, and a chipotle aioli.
Chicago Botanic Garden | Mofongo and Mojo
Learn to make mofongo—fried green plantains mashed with garlic and pork—paired with a zesty garlic mojo sauce and camarones al ajillo (garlic shrimp). Plus, discover tips for emulsifying citrus sauces, cooking shrimp to perfection, and balancing flavors using everyday pantry staples.
Chicago Botanic Garden | Taco Techniques and Salsas
Discover the vibrant flavors of Mexican cuisine in this hands-on class. Learn how to shape and press fresh corn tortillas, then fill them with savory chicken tinga—tender chicken braised in smoky chipotle sauce. Finish your tacos with a trio of bold, freshly chopped salsas: roasted salsa roja, zesty salsa verde, and classic pico de gallo.