In this age of remote-first business, colleagues have tried everything to maintain close working relationships despite proximity.
Coworkers in every industry learned that it would take a lot of time and energy to promote a healthy company culture. Collectively, we also discovered even routine can be broken overnight, so you’ve got to add a little spice to your life.
But how?
The brilliant and beloved actor Robin Williams’ character John Keating said:
“Poetry, beauty, romance, love — these are what we stay alive for.”
In other words, make time for your passions. While you may also love music and art, it’s not an accident you stumbled upon the best virtual cooking classes for team building and virtual baking party ideas that groups will love.
These online cooking classes have been carefully curated to help you:
- Learn how to prepare food
- Uncover chef-level techniques
- Go step-by-step through amazing recipes
- Connect with friends, family, coworkers, or employees
Let’s get started and find out what ingredients make up this list of the best virtual cooking classes for team building and virtual baking party ideas!
Have You Heard Of The Employee Retention Credit?
See If You QualifyHow To Throw An Online Cooking Class For Your Team
While there are a number of ways to plan and host an online cooking party for your coworkers, we wanted to break down some key components to make sure nothing is lost during the day of the virtual event.
If you are looking to get things started, try making sure you are covering these 6 steps to help handle the logistics of your virtual cooking party.
Steps:
1. Use a video conferencing platform like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts
2. Book a chef or an expert at your chosen style of cooking
3. Buy or send ingredients to guests
4. Get necessary cooking utensils
5. Send your team aprons and any branded cooking swag
6. Set up a time and send out a notification well in advance
Virtual Cooking Party Ideas For Groups
1. Italian Cooking Class
“Buono! Mama mia!”
The Italian Cooking Class is the virtual cooking class you need in order to teleport your team to the Mediterranean. If you want to feel instantly closer to Rome or to picturesque Positano along the Amalfi Coast, start off by indulging in the unmistakable flavors of Italy!
What you’ll love about this virtual cooking class: While we’ve heard raving reviews about the pizzas, the Italian Cooking Class offers even more with the guidance of a culinary expert. The chef will lead you and your team through an entire recipe and go over all of the preparations and techniques you need to know. You can choose from either the BYO Ingredients kit or the Cooking Starter Kit.
What skills you will learn:
- How to make dough from scratch
- Cooking, chopping, and other cooking 101 techniques
Where to learn more: Master the culinary secrets of a culture that invented Pizza and many of your favorite dishes with the Italian Cooking Class!
2. Dumpling Making Class
“Chinese take-out made at home”
The Dumpling Making Class is perfect for anyone who loves ordering take-out. Dumplings are a staple of Chinese cuisine and now, you can enjoy adding your own special touch. Whether it’s an ordinary day of the workweek or you’re looking to celebrate the Chinese New Year, these symbolic dishes promise as much fun as wealth and longevity!
What you’ll love about this virtual cooking class: This international-themed online cooking class is vegetarian-friendly and includes an address collection form, a BYO option, a dumpling expert, and a Zoom or Teams link.
What skills you will learn:
- Ingredient prep
- Kneading and rolling dough for dumpling wrappers
- Make dumpling filling
- Shape, steam, boil, and fry dumplings
Where to learn more: Check out the Dumpling Making Class to learn how to wrap dumplings like a take-out pro!
3. Virtual Taco Party
“It’s Taco Tuesday!”
The Virtual Taco Party is an online cooking fiesta! This culinary tour through Latin America can host up to 500 people. Starting with the historical and cultural background of everyone’s most beloved Latin dish, a culinary expert will lead participants through the perfect taco recipe, cooking preparations, and the finest techniques on this side of the world wide web. Maybe even start things off with a margarita as part of a mixology icebreaker!
What you’ll love about this virtual cooking class: This vegetarian-friendly cooking class also features gluten-free and vegan options and comes with an address collection form, a culinary expert, a Zoom link, and a custom invitation for participants.
What skills you will learn:
- Kitchen prep
- Taco recipes
Where to learn more: For spicy fun at home, check out the Virtual Taco Party!
4. Caramel Apple Decorating Class
“For crunchy, chewy, caramel goodness”
This melt-in-your-mouth treat is a holiday favorite. Now, the Caramel Apple Decorating Class enables you to virtually meet up with your teammates, coworkers, or employees to learn the art of caramel apple decorating!
What you’ll love about this virtual cooking class: A baking expert will teach your team how to decorate caramel apples as beautifully as your imagination can envision. The Caramel Apple Decorating Class also includes a virtual event gift box packed with sticks, caramel, parchment paper, chocolate drizzle, sprinkles, chopped nuts, and address collection forms to help facilitate maximum participation!
What skills you will learn:
- Caramel apple decorating
- Baking
Where to learn more: Take your apples for a dip with the Caramel Apple Decorating Class!
5. Learn To Cook The Basics
“For basically incredible cooking”
Learn To Cook The Basics is an online cooking class that emphasizes braising, boiling, roasting, simmering, sauteing, and knife skills. With the ability to host up to 200 people virtually, Learn To Cook Basics is the perfect way to keep remote teams and your work-from-home employees bringing the heat!
What you’ll love about this virtual cooking class: Learn To Cook Basics comes fully optimized for maximum participation and fun. Each of these virtual team building classes features custom invitations, educational materials, a Zoom link, and a cooking pro!
What skills you will learn:
- Kitchen prep and cooking skills
- Cooking fundamentals
Where to learn more: Learn kitchen 101 with this virtual cooking class for beginners!
6. Virtual Vegan Cooking Class
“For showing how good plant-based meals can be”
One of the big myths about veganism — and vegetarianism — is that the food can be a let down. However, the Virtual Vegan Cooking Class is designed to dispel that myth and give you and your coworkers all the skills, recipes, and ideas you’ll need to make incredibly delicious vegan cuisine. Plus, you’ll have the help of a vegan chef to guide you through it!
What you’ll love about this virtual cooking class: By the end of the Virtual Vegan Cooking Class, you and your coworkers, employees, or friends and family will know vegan 101 essentials like whipping up plant-based cuisine with ingredients you probably already have at home.
What skills you will learn:
- Health and environmental benefits of a vegan lifestyle
- Protein overview (nuts, seeds, beans), egg, and dairy alternatives
- Making a minimum of one vegan recipe (such as vegan mac & cheese)
Where to learn more: Up your plant power with the Virtual Vegan Cooking Class!
7. Cheese Making Class
“Easy to make the queso that it’s the cheesiest class around”
The Chinese Making Class is an interactive online cooking workshop for leading groups through cheese-making right in their kitchen. Each kit comes with plenty of extra culture so that even if the first batch of cheese doesn’t end in cheesy perfection, they can take another shot at it. Also, the virtual cheese-making class is led by a certified cheese professional who takes your team step-by-step through the tips and tricks of cheese-making with the included kit.
What you’ll love about this virtual cooking class: The Cheese Making Class offers up several options such as the ricotta kit, the chevre kit, or the fromage blanc kit, so your team can easily accommodate their cheesiest preferences! Every class includes an address collection form, cheesemaking kit, custom invites, a Zoom link, and of course, your certified cheese pro.
What skills you will learn:
- How to work with culture
- How to make a variety of cheeses (depending on the option you choose)
Where to learn more: Master cheese making with this virtual Cheese Making Class!
Virtual Baking Party Ideas For Groups
8. Donut Baking Class
“For hole-some goodness”
The Donut Baking Class is the fryer-free virtual baking class your employees or coworkers never knew they needed — until devouring their own O-shaped masterpiece! One of the things that makes this virtual team building event perfect for large groups is that it can accommodate up to 500 people. Participants will receive either a list of ingredients or a donut-making kit as well as a Zoom link, a recipe, and the guidance of a baking expert.
What you’ll love about this virtual baking party idea for groups: You can choose from several cooking experiences and options, ranging from BYO ingredients to the Donut Starter Kit and you can also pick out a donut flavor, including vanilla, chocolate, pumpkin spice, and apple cider.
What skills you will learn:
- Shaping dough
- Decorating and baking donuts
Where to learn more: Master the hole-y art of donut making with the Donut Baking Class.
9. Chocolate Truffle Making Class
“For chocolate lovers”
The Chocolate Truffle Making Class is the virtual baking class designed to instruct you and your fellow participants on chocolate truffle-making techniques. This online baking class comes with an easy-to-follow recipe, step-by-step demonstrations, a Zoom link for the virtual event, custom invitations, and a kit — if you choose that route.
What you’ll love about this virtual baking party idea for groups: A live instructor will take your team through the Chocolate Truffle Making Class one step at a time. Plus, you can choose between the BYO ingredient option or the all-included truffle kit!
What skills you will learn:
- How to make a homemade ganache
- Ganache flavoring using a variety of ingredients
- How to roll and decorate truffles
Where to learn more: Chocolate Truffle Making Class
10. Cookie Baking Class
“Great for elves in trees, even better for you”
The Cookie Baking Class is ideal for anyone who enjoys the flavors and crunch of a perfectly baked cookie. A baking instructor leads this interactive class to help you and your team create homemade cookies from scratch.
What you’ll love about this virtual baking party idea for groups: This virtual baking class comes with a custom invitation, a Zoom link, and a few options and recipes to choose from. This cooking event is an excellent way to celebrate virtual holiday parties.
What skills you will learn:
- Baking cookies
- Following cookie recipes
Where to learn more: Cookie Baking Class
11. Hand Pie Baking Class
“Because if the pie is big enough, everyone eats”
The Hand Pie Baking Class is the pie-baking class your team needs to ensure there’s a big enough pie for everyone to eat! Whether they enjoy pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, or something you’ve never even heard of, the Hand Pie Baking Class will have them ready to make it from scratch right in the comfort of their own kitchen.
What you’ll love about this virtual baking party idea for groups: Just bring a bowl, a whisk, flour, a knife, and enough table space. The chef instructor will take care of the rest for you and your team!
What skills you will learn:
- How to mix, roll, and cut dough
- Stuff dough with cherry and apple filling
- Shape crust and bake
- Glaze pies
Where to learn more: Like a nice slice of pie — pure bliss. Learn how to make your own hand pies here.
12. Chocolate Bar Making Class
“From imagination to plate”
The Chocolate Bar Making Class is the from-imagination to plate chocolate bar making class designed to give you the sweetest snacking experience you can conjure up! You and your coworkers will learn how to bake the chocolate bar of your sweetest dreams.
What you’ll love about this virtual baking party idea for groups: This group virtual baking class includes a chocolate bar mold, several varieties of chocolate, and an assortment of toppings.
What skills you will learn:
- The history of chocolate
- The process from bean to bar
- The taste and how to crack cocoa beans
- Melting, pouring, and decorating chocolate bars
Where to learn more: Become a certified chocolatier with the Chocolate Bar Making Class!
13. Cupcake Decorating Class
“For when you want to put the icing on the cake”
The Cupcake Decorating Class is led by an expert icer who will show you and your coworkers how to decorate a batch of pre-baked cupcakes with fondant. The kit includes more than four freshly baked cupcakes, an assortment of confectionary and crystal sugar mixes, and pastry bags filled with frosting in several colors.
What you’ll love about this virtual baking party idea for groups: Whether you’re planning an office party or virtual birthday party this cupcake experience comes with a cupcake decorating kit, a custom invitation, a Zoom link, and an icing pro so that all you need to do is show up!
What skills you will learn:
- Icing cupcakes
- Decorating cupcakes
Where to learn more: Learn how to decorate cupcakes like a pro with a host-guided class for your team.
14. Hot Chocolate Bomb Making Class
“As if chocolate isn’t already the bomb”
The Hot Chocolate Bomb Making Class can accommodate up to 300 people, while showing them how to temper, mold, and decorate chocolate bombs with toppings. Perfect for a virtual holiday party, once these sweet treats are made you just need to drop the bombs in water or milk and let them dissolve for an explosive deliciousness!
What you’ll love about this virtual baking party idea for groups: The Chocolate Bomb Kit features a sphere mold, cocoa mix, milk chocolate, and toppings like sprinkles or marshmallows. This virtual chocolate-making class comes with an address collection form, a custom invite, a kit, a Zoom link, and a superb chocolatier.
What skills you will learn:
- How to temper and mold chocolate bombs
- How to decorate chocolate bombs
Where to learn more: Fire up Zoom, grab a mug, and make some perfect hot chocolate bombs for a cold night.
People Also Ask These Questions About Virtual Cooking Classes
Q: How do you do a virtual cooking class with your employees?
- There are a few things you’ll need in order to have a successful virtual cooking class with your employees. First, you’ll need a good quality webcam and microphone so that everyone can see and hear each other clearly. Secondly, you’ll need a reliable internet connection. Third, you’ll need some basic kitchen supplies like pots, pans, and utensils. Finally, you’ll need a few recipes that everyone can follow along with.
Q: How much does a virtual cooking class typically cost?
- A virtual cooking class can cost anywhere from less than a hundred dollars to several hundred, largely depending on if you choose a BYO ingredient option and the number of participants.
Q: What are the benefits of hosting a virtual cooking class for your team?
- The benefits of hosting a virtual cooking class for your team include team building, improved employee satisfaction, and increased retention as a result of memory-making and group bonding.
Q: How do you teach a cooking class virtually?
- The best way to teach a cooking class virtually is to provide live instruction through a video conferencing platform like Zoom or Streamyard.
Q: Why is cooking a good team building activity?
- Cooking is a good team building activity because it breaks up the monotony of the routine work week, which results in happier teammates. The happier people are, the kinder they will tend to be to each other. That will also result in better communication and chemistry.
