If you are visiting New Orleans and you are tired of following the yellow brick road of tourism and you really want to dive into the culture here then how about a cooking class. This isn’t like cooking in the cafeteria, this is a cooking extravaganza. You will not only get to learn how fun and easy it is to cook like a cajun or creole chef but you will get to eat and eat and eat for less than the price of an entree. The school is called the New Orleans School of Cooking (524 St. Louis St., 504-525-2665) and it is located in the heart of the French Quarter. This school has been around for 25 years and holds three-hour or two-hour classes daily in a renovated 1830’s -era molasses warehouse, as well as hosting private classes for groups of 25 or more.

It wouldn’t be New Orleans without the food and what customers love about the New Orleans School of Cooking is that you really learn how to cook New Orleans style food. What a wonderful gift to take home with you. You will be able to throw a New Orleans party at your home with an entire cajun/creole spread to impress your guests with. Anne Gormly has, and after a lunchtime class at the New Orleans School of Cooking, the Georgia College and State University vice president was able to whip up a menu of Cajun dishes for a charity event when she returned home.

“We couldn’t find crawfish back home, but everything came out great anyway,” she says. “Everyone is still talking about that meal here.”

If this is your idea of the perfect New Orleans experience then make sure that you book your class today because some returning visitors book a month in advance. Frank Leo, general manager of the New Orleans School of Cooking, says there busiest days are hot or raining days when everyone is looking for a comfortable inside New Orleans experience in the Quarter.

Here is more information from the Hotel Monteleone on the New Orleans School of Cooking.