Cooking well is a challenge for many people. It can be complicated to learn how to make different types of food, especially cuisines you aren’t familiar with, and sometimes those recipe blogs simply don’t give you the guidance you need. If you’re looking to up your cooking game and elevate your skills in the kitchen, MasterClass is a great learning tool for you. There are currently 19 virtual cooking classes available on MasterClass, and we’ll explore whether they’re worth it for the price.
What is MasterClass?
Founded in 2014, MasterClass is an online educational platform that delivers instructional videos and tutorials to members on a variety of specific topics. Each class is taught by experts in their field, like celebrity chefs for the cooking content, so you know you’re learning from the best. Currently, MasterClass has more than 100 classes available over 11 categories like Arts & Entertainment, Business, Wellness, Community & Government, and Food.
What types of virtual cooking classes are on MasterClass?
General cooking techniques
You can learn from celebrity experts like Gordan Ramsay, Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, and Alice Waters about general cooking skills that will turn you into a home chef in no time. General cooking topics include:
- Cooking meat
- Cooking seafood
- Cooking vegetables
- Restaurant cooking
- The art of home cooking
Global cuisines
Since different foods from around the world require some specific skills to make properly, expert chefs in regional/ethnic cuisines teach students tips and tricks to get it right. Some topics include:
- Italian cooking
- Middle eastern cooking
- Mexican cooking
- French pastry fundamentals
- Indian cooking
- Japanese cooking
- Southern cooking
- Texas-style BBQ
Related food and beverage topics
Food education isn’t just about learning to cook, and that’s why MasterClass offers classes on peripheral food topics outside of simply getting comfortable with a stove. Other topics of instruction include:
- Gardening
- Wine appreciation
- Mixology
- Bread baking
How much do virtual cooking lessons cost on MasterClass?
MasterClass does not offer classes on an individual basis and instead charges an annual membership fee. The good news is that MasterClass offers a full refund within 30 days of purchasing your subscription if you’re not satisfied with your learning experience. There are three annual subscription options available to prospective MasterClass members, and all three plans include:
- Access to all MasterClass courses in all categories
- The ability to watch classes on any device
- Bonus content like workbooks
- Access to member community discussions
Premium membership
If you want to have some accountability while taking courses on MasterClass, the Premium membership is a great choice. Since you can watch the same course on several devices simultaneously, it’s ideal for small groups of people who want to take the same class together. When you divide the annual membership, the cost per person is significantly less than the standard individual membership.
- $23 per month, charged annually at $276
- Can watch on up to 6 devices at a time
- Can download classes for viewing offline
Plus membership
If you just want some company while you learn on MasterClass, the Plus membership is great for couples or even a pair of friends who want to take a class together. You can add a second device to watch any class you want.
- $20 per month, charged annually at $240
- Can watch on up to 2 devices at a time
- Can download classes for viewing offline
Standard membership
Perfect for lone members, the Standard MasterClass membership is for individuals who just want to take classes on their own.
- $15 per month, charged annually at $180
- Can only watch on one device at a time
- Must watch classes online and cannot download classes for viewing offline
Is MasterClass worth it?
With over 100 expert-led classes available to subscribers, a MasterClass subscription allows you to access any topic you’d like for just a couple of dollars per class. Given that each class is roughly 2-3 hours long, that’s quite a steal. Few other video learning platforms offer instruction from the best and brightest in their field like MasterClass does.
However, it’s important to make sure you’ll get appropriate use out of MasterClass before committing to an annual membership. If you don’t have a few spare hours per week to dedicate to this online learning tool, it may not be right for you. Additionally, if you’re looking for educational achievements that you can put on your resume, MasterClass is probably not the right tool for your needs. It doesn’t provide certification like other platforms since it’s just for your personal growth.
If you’d like to elevate your skills in the kitchen and learn about a variety of other topics along the way from experts in the field, MasterClass is right up your alley. This platform makes learning new skills simple with engaging and well-made video content that will keep you both entertained and educated on the topic all year long.
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