While national platforms like Sur La Table and Classpop are some of the easiest ways to find a Tampa Bay cooking class often taught by private chefs or full-time instructors, the Bay area is home to small business owners and chefs breaking away from the daily minutiae of the restaurant industry to spend one-on-one time with customers. Look below to read about Bay area cooking classes—corporate and local—plus community resources.
15th Street Farm
342 15th St. N, St. PetersburgLearning about where your food comes from is what this urban education farm is all about, hosting a variety of programs from “soil to fork” dinners and tasting tours to nutrition workshops and organic cooking classes. Credit: Photo via 15thstfarm.com
AJ’s Kitchen Drawer
$60 & up. 13936 W Hillsborough Ave., TampaPerhaps one of the only dedicated businesses focused on hands-on cooking classes and demonstration-like presentations in Tampa, AJ’s Kitchen drawer teaches multiple classes for different age levels—from multi-day “cooking camps” for kids and teens to fine-dining style “date night” classes for adults. Its storefront also features a retail section where you can grab kitchen tools and unique accessories. Credit: Photo via ajskitchendrawer/Facebook
Cheeseology
$80 & up. 1527 E 7th Ave., Ybor CityAt this Ybor City shop, cheese-making classes are the main focus. Patrons can learn how to make fresh mozzarella, ricotta cheesecake, burrata, charcuterie boards or homemade pizza at its weekly events. A rotating selection of wine and craft beers are also available for purchase during the classes, or can be enjoyed at Cheeseology’s lounge. It also features a range of locally-sourced products and boutique items in its retail shop. Credit: Photo via cheeseologytampa/Facebook
Class Pop
$55 & up.Locations throughout the greater Tampa areaThis company operates in over 70 cities in the U.S. and Canada, providing a wide range of classes—including ones focused on painting, dancing, candle making and of course, cooking. Learn how to make dishes like pesto gnocchi, sushi, ramen, pizza and more from a variety of Tampa-based private chefs and instructors. Credit: Photo via ClasspopEvents/Facebook
Cozymeal
$69 per person & up. Locations throughout the greater Tampa areaThis nationwide company debuted locally in 2017 and makes finding a local cooking class or private chef experience easy, with a variety of cuisines, specific techniques and dishes to choose from. These classes typically take place in a chef’s home, in your home, or in a rented venue. Credit: Cozymeal
CocuSocial
$59 & upCocuSocial operates in a handful of cities across the country, connecting foodies with local cooking classes and private dinners. These classes are usually hosted at local breweries, event spaces or private residences. Upcoming cooking classes happening in Tampa Bay will teach attendees how to make homemade dumplings, sushi and gnocchi from scratch. Credit: Photo via cocusocial/Facebook
Epicurean Theatre
1207 S Howard Ave., TampaWhile the famed Epicurean Hotel doesn’t have any upcoming cooking classes on its calendar right now, its theatre space and demonstration kitchen is an ideal place to attend a fancy cooking class. The foodie-focused hotel brings chefs from Tampa and beyond to teach their preferred cuisines and methods, in addition to hosting Feeding Tampa Bay’s “Epic Chef” competition series each summer. The next event at the Epicurean Theatre is local chef and culinary instructor Erik Young’s annual “Voodoo Chef Experience”—an indulgent, ticketed dinner that benefits his charitable foundation. The Voodoo Chef Foundation aims to “promote education for students who aspire to have careers in the Foodservice & Hospitality Industry.” Credit: EpicureanHotel / Facebook
For the People Food Plot
4914 E Broadway Ave., TampaAnisa Meija of Nana’s Rooted (fka Nana’s Restaurant & Juice Bar) hosts another free cooking demonstration at Tampa’s For the People Food Plot, described as “a communal space dedicated to promoting food sovereignty in V.M.Ybor by growing food using agroecology, sharing resources and free gardening education.” Meija specializes in fresh, plant-based cooking that her Tampa food truck is known for. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Life Farms
2759 Woodring Dr., ClearwaterThis Clearwater Farm hosts a variety of different food-related workshops, with recent events including classes on mushroom foraging/growing, how to pickle vegetables and wild fermentation. The local community space also organizes educational tasting tours, where guests can explore the grounds and enjoy an array of small farm-to-table bites. Credit: ALEXANDRIA JONES
Meacham Urban Farm
1108 E Scott St., TampaWhile this small, downtown Tampa farm has already hosted all of its events for this year, 2026’s harvest season will bring another rotation of educational events—from its “Meet your Makers” markets and annual Harvest Fest to ticketed farm dinners, Sunday Suppers and different types of food workshops. As well as functioning as a local farm, Meacham also prides itself on being a “a community hub for sustainable living,” focusing on educational workshops, field trips with local schools, and volunteer days. Credit: meachamfarm / Facebook
St. Pete Cooking School
$85 -$125Wendy Wesley is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist that focuses on clean eating and operates one of the only Pinellas-based companies that offers local cooking classes. She hosts hands-on classes in St. Pete or at private residences throughout Tampa Bay, describing them as an “unpretentious, friendly and fun team building exercise.” Credit: Photo via wendywesleynutrition/Facebook
St. Pete Youth Farm
1664 12th St. S, St. PetersburgSt. Pete Youth Farm has been focused on its mission of local food and agricultural education for almost six years now, and has recently expanded its space to include a new outdoor kitchen and event area. The youth-lead, urban farm not only teaches St. Pete residents grow their own food, but acts as a homebase for a variety of educational events, farm dinners and community volunteer days. The farm’s next workshop happens on Wednesday, June 18 where local baker Lars Doebler will teach folks how to bake their own sourdough bread. Credit: Photo via cityofstpete/Flickr
Sur La Table
$99 & up. 711 S Dakota Ave., TampaSeattle-based kitchen supply store Sur La Table offers in-person cooking classes at its Tampa location, plus online courses, baking classes, a kids and teens series for the summer and classes specifically designed for date night. Credit: Screengrab via Google Maps
Sweetwater Organic Farm
5521 Hanley Rd., TampaThis Tampa-based farm teams up with local artisans for different educational events and workshops, covering topics like baking sourdough, making bone broth, canning, pickling, growing herbs and bee keeping. The farm’s next workshop happens on Sunday, June 29, where attendees can learn the basic techniques of cheese production. Credit: Anna Bryson
Tampa Family Health Center
Second Saturdays, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. 4620 N 22nd St.,TampaWellFed Community is teaming up with the Tampa Family Health Center and its community garden this summer for a series of free cooking classes, demonstrations and tastings. Recipes are tested and healthy eating tips are shared at these bi-monthly events, whether folks are interested in nutritious eating or just want a few more cooking tips. Credit: tampa family health center facebook