If you’ve been reading my blogs about my recent trip to New Orleans, you know that food figured prominently in many of our experiences there. We eagerly tried many traditional Cajun and Creole dishes and could honestly say there was little we didn’t like about every restaurant we visited. Our final experience in The Big Easy proved especially perfect, for it gave us one final chance to try some of those iconic dishes while also learning how to make them once we returned home.

One evening as we were cruising through the French Quarter, we spotted the New Orleans School of Cooking. We decided it would be worth exploring what the business had to offer, though with just a few days left in our visit, we weren’t sure whether we’d be able to squeeze in a class.

I jumped online as soon as we got back to our suite and learned they offer two types of classes: one a demonstration (and eat!) class and the other a hands-on experience. Our schedule wouldn’t allow time for the hands-on class, where students cook alongside the chef/instructor, but there was room for Harry and me in a demo class our final morning in the city before we headed home on a late-afternoon flight. Signing up online was a breeze, and on the appointed day we left our luggage at the hotel and strolled over to the school, just a few blocks away.

Housed in a 19th century brick building, a former molasses warehouse, the family-owned school (established 1980) features a large “general store” fronting the classroom spaces. Fully stocked with a full range of spices, sauces and mixes which can be used in the recipes taught at the school, it also sells cook- and dinnerware, table linens, all kinds of cooking utensils and gadgets, cookbooks and knickknacks. After a roll call confirmed the presence of those attending the 10 a.m. class, we filed into the classroom (eight round tables of eight facing a demo counter and kitchen with a large mirror suspended overhead to give everyone a clear view of the goings-on).  

For the next two and a half hours, Chef Brandon kept up a running monologue that proved both highly educational and highly entertaining. He sprinkled in a bit of history, family lore and plenty of humor along with tips, recommendations and variations related to the recipes he prepared and shared with us. He made both gumbo and jambalaya,  and we enjoyed a double hit of desserts: pralines (ridiculously simple but awfully good!!) and, in honor of the season, King Cake Bread Pudding. We got generous samples of everything, washed down with either iced tea (not sweet tea, which is not a Louisiana thing), coffee, water or Abita beer (a local brew that goes great with jambalaya!).

We learned a great deal in a short time and came away not only with several items from the store, all the recipes and a ton of pointers from Chef Brandon but also the confidence to make a nice dark roux and tackle the recipes at home. We’ve already made a wonderful batch of jambalaya and are eager to try more of the recipes in the cookbook we got. It was easy to see why TripAdvisor’s 2018 Travelers’ Choice awards named the New Orleans School of Cooking the #2 experience in the United States and #8 in the world. I’d recommend it to anyone visiting New Orleans!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor