As most of us are currently stuck travelling from our armchairs, the world is adapting to virtual life. We’re all finding solutions to staying alert and active, and learning something new is a great way to do that. So why not sharpen your cooking skills with these virtual food tours that will help you learn about other cultures from the comfort of your kitchen.
Though it’s a stressful time for the restaurant industry, chefs and restaurants are providing virtual cooking tutorials, turning their kitchens into virtual classrooms for your benefit, showing you how to replicate their top dishes in your own home. Here are some of the top virtual food tour experiences and online cooking classes you can take, with nothing but your smartphone.
Also Read: 11 Amazing TV Shows To Binge On While Under Self Quarantine
Here Are Some Virtual Food Tours To Sharpen Your Culinary Skills
Master Some Classic Italian Dishes From Tuscany
Though you can’t jet off to Tuscany right now, you can get a small taste of this stunning Italian region. Tuscany Now & More has various resident Italian chefs live-streaming how to whip up classic Italian dishes. They even share a list of ingredients beforehand so you can cook alongside the tutorial!
Borough Market’s Cookery Demonstrations Will Make Your Mouth Water
Though London’s oldest food market, Borough Market, has had to shut shop, its official Instagram channel has both chefs and home cooks live streaming tutorials with fresh and exciting ingredients in this virtual food tour experience. Tutorials include baking sessions with Juliet Sear, Beca Lyne-Pirkis’ egg workshop, and a ‘what to do with your meat’ lesson with the Borough Market butchers.
Follow Antoni Porowski’s ‘Quar Eye’ For Some Healthy Options
‘Queer Eye’s’ Antoni Porowski recently started a series of mini-lessons called ‘Quar Eye: Cooking Lessons in Quarantine’ on his Instagram page. He puts together dishes with fun names like “The Keep Calm-lette”, “Chicken Soup for the Soul(cially) Distanced”, “Farro Away from Others Bowl” using healthy staple ingredients that you likely already have.
#Recipesforthepeople From Chef José Andrés Features Some Super Easy Dishes
Chef José Andrés may be quite busy with his community kitchen, but he still manages to post regular videos of himself and his family in their home kitchen making easy dishes. His online cooking classes include dishes like fried rice and eggs, set to uplifting playlists (which, spoiler alert, often include songs from ‘Hamilton’).
Master Chef Massimo Bottura’s #Kitchenquarantine Will Answer All Your Cooking Questions
Massimo Bottura, the master chef behind the Michelin-starred restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, has been streaming live episodes of #kitchenquarantine on Instagram where he shares refresher tips, Q&A sessions, and demos of fun dishes you can cook at home. So far these have included everything from mac and cheese and Japanese soups to hummus and burgers.
Christina Tosi’s #Bakersclub Breaks Down Popular Desserts For Everyone With A Sweet-tooth
Christina Tosi, the founder of the immensely popular American bakery chain Milk Bar, launched an Instagram Live series where she breaks down the bakery’s most iconic sweet treats, such as gooey butter cake, brownies, blondies, and chocolate chip cookies. She shares the shopping list, a playlist, and the recipe in advance, so all you have to do on this virtual food experience is open your Instagram and start cooking.
Try Cooking Zero-waste With Nadiya Hussain
Nadiya Hussain won ‘The Great British Bake Off’ in 2015. Now she posts daily Instagram Stories showing everyone who wants to learn a few culinary skills while cooped up indoors, how to cook sustainably. Her focus is zero waste, so you’ll find her utilising things like banana peels and mango skins, which is perfect for the current situation (where we should be trying to make as much use of what’s available).
Which Of These Online Cooking Classes Will You Be Taking To Sharpen Your Cooking Skills?
There are hundreds of channels, chefs, and influencers have found a way to engage with social-distancing viewers. We’ve shown you some of the top online cooking classes you can watch. From step-by-step tutorials and precise recipes to comfort food and casual table talk, these virtual food tours got everything covered. All we can say is: Thank God we have the internet.