LEARN TO COOK WITH CONFIDENCE!
IN-PERSON, SMALL-GROUP COOKING COURSES AND CLASSES FOR HOME CHEFS IN WASHINGTON, DC
Photo by FoodFirst Culinary School, on premises
Improve your skills to cook healthy, delicious meals
Cooking Courses for Beginners
Want to cook but don’t know where to start? Tired of spending money on takeout or cooking the same few dishes? Our in-person, 4-class Cooking with Confidence Course is perfect for you. Learn 12 go-to recipes, how to adapt them to what’s in your fridge, and build real kitchen confidence.
Supplement with Cooking with Confidence Level II and Baking with Confidence 4-class courses.
Master Chef Classes
Already have the basics down? Want to expand your cooking horizons? Try our stand-alone Master Chef Classes to explore new cuisines and techniques—like the Italian cacio e pepe and risotto, Asian dumplings, Moroccan traditional cuisine, or sourdough bread.
Each class is a hands-on, 2-hour long skill-building experience in a small group setting.
Private Classes and Events
Interested in private lessons for your specific interests, needs, or availability? We can design a cooking class or course, for your family, group, or just for you.
Planning an event and looking for something special? We can craft a fun, memorable and delicious cooking experience for your guests. Tell us what you like and we will plan a menu, organize supplies, and guide your guests to cook a perfect meal to share!
RESOURCES
Smart Shopping Guide
Smart shopping strategies can easily save you at least 50% on groceries. These include attention to:
where you shop,
the quantities you are buying, and
the management of your groceries at home.
Check out our Smart Shopping Guide for tips and tricks on how to cut costs of your home-cooked meals. The Guide also includes tips for storing food, minimizing waste and ensuring food safety.
Pantry Guide
How often do you think of cooking something, only to realize you are missing a key ingredient?
Keeping essentials on hand will help you reduce last-minute runs to the store and also will help you whip up a meal from the pantry when it’s raining and you don’t feel like going shopping!
See our Pantry Guide for the list of essentials you always want to keep on hand.
Cooking Equipment Guide
Contrary to what culinary shops would like you to believe, you don’t really need a million different pots and pans. All you need is a few reliable ones that fit the style of food you prefer.
See our Cookware Guide for a clear explanation of:
what different cookware materials are best for,
how to get the best results with the pots and pans you already have, and
how to match cookware materials to your culinary preferences.
TESTIMONIALS
Google Maps Review (1/28/2026)
“I took the Introductory course in the summer and an intermediate course in the Fall. About my summer experience I wrote in Yelp: "I'm a 60 year old college professor taking the beginner course and I am already enjoying the results. Before, I could manage to prepare some very basic food. Now I'm a kitchen hero at home." I would like to add that beyond practicing the dishes in class, and being able to make them at home at home, the techniques I have learned allow me now to feel confident to be creative in my kitchen. Taking these courses with Elena, an extraordinary chef and teacher, has added a new and welcome dimension in my life.” (link to the full review with photos)
Google Maps Review (1/14/2026)
“I took the sourdough bread class at First Culinary School and it was an amazing experience. The class helped me clearly identify the mistakes I was making and taught me how to correct them. Thanks to the instructor’s guidance, I was able to improve the texture, flavor, and overall quality of my bread. The class was very informative, hands on, and easy to follow. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their sourdough skills! 🥖🍞🥐” (link to the full review)
Google Maps Review 12/19/2025
“Elena does such a wonderful job! I think the most important thing I learned from her (the list is long) is to be patient while cooking. And I can say that my family instantly noticed the difference. I enjoy my time in the kitchen so much more (even though I've always loved cooking) and you can taste the goodness. In addition, she is great with kids! My son loved his first kids cooking class with her and we will be back for more!” (link to the review)
Google Maps Review 12/21/2025
“Took an Italian cooking class and I loved it!! Since then I've made my own risotto twice and it was so yummy. I really loved the hands on teaching style, and learning about the dishes was so nice. Highly recommend!!!” (link to the review)
Google Maps Review (12/20/2025)
“The Cooking with Confidence class is ABSOLUTELY LIFE CHANGING. I don't usually leave google reviews, but I feel like everyone needs to take this class. I have two little kiddos and I am tired ;-) I was looking for a few easy, go-to recipes that everyone would actually eat. Elena went above and beyond, helping me adapt recipes to accommodate my son, who is a picky eater with food allergies. Several of her recipes are now part of our regular rotation and are really frigging good. My kids are actually eating them, which is just wild. In the past I have had an aversion to cooking and felt like it was a chore, but this class was so fun and enjoyable. It has taken a TON of stress out of meal prep for our family. Elena is also just a wonderful person—she genuinely wants you to love cooking and is bursting with knowledge about food and cooking. Her enthusiasm is contagious. I can't wait to take more classes and get classes as gifts for all the aspiring cooks in my life ;-).” (link to the full review)
Google Maps Review 12/19/2025
“Amazing day learning to cook four Moroccan dishes! I went home and made all four the next night! Elena is a great - organized and welcoming chef. Her instructions are precise and fun! I highly recommend!” (link to the review)
Google Maps Review (12/23/2025)
“My husband took the Cooking with Confidence course over the summer. He is truly confident in the kitchen now in a way that he wasn't previously! He now cooks amazing food from Elena's recipes including bread, European rice dishes, Italian dishes, Indian dishes, and yummy desserts. He is going back to participate in an intermediate course next month. I am so grateful to Elena for making teaching cooking her new calling and for sharing her teaching gifts with our family.” (link to the full review)
See FoodFirst Culinary School on Google Maps for more up-to-date reviews!