You’ve probably tried or at least heard about the popular meal subscription boxes - there are dozens of options nowadays! From HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Factor, Home Chef, Sunbasket, Every Plate, Green Chef, Freshly, Fresh Start to Nutrisystem. There are so many options out there for nearly every diet, family size and lifestyle. But, if you’ve given one subscription plan a try, have you found yourself to be frustrated by the amount of packaging to throw away, the ingredient quantity or quality or delivery difficulty.

When we were doing market research on Fēst, one of the consumer markets that we analyzed was meal subscription boxes. We found that:

1. Limited recipe options. Bummer.

Customers are limited to choose from 10-20 different recipes to cook at home, usually the customer cannot select specific recipes to be included, but rather vegetarian or non veg recipes.

2. SO much waste! SO not cool.

There is a significant amount of waste and environmental pollution from the subscriptions - from the air shipment, to the excessive cooling and insulated packaging to ensure the ingredients arrive fresh, to the plastic bags separating every ingredient, to the ingredients that may arrive spoiled. Not to mention any ingredient the customer does not like and therefore does not use.

3. Elementary-level recipes. Lame.

The recipes developed for these subscription programs, are elementary to ensure an easy and quick cook time for the customer. Simple cooking methods and pre-cut ingredients offer an experience with little to no skill acquired.

In comparison to meal subscription boxes, our private virtual and online cooking classes offer:

1. Unlimited options. Bonus: support your local farmers and markets. Mic drop.

Guest gets to shop where he/she prefers to shop. Perhaps online for pantry items and support local farmers or markets for produce, dairy and proteins.

Guest selects the specific recipe he/she would like to make. All recipes can be customized for specific preferences, allergies or dietary restrictions.

2. No waste, just leftovers. Yum.

There is no waste created. If the Guest has leftover ingredients from class, chef can provide suggestions on how to consume or preserve.

3. Challenge & impress yourself. Awesome.

Classes are created to be an educational experience for the guest, to acquire a new skill and learn something new in the kitchen, so that the guest can apply new skills and knowledge to everyday cooking life.

Experience a virtual cooking class with a top expert chef instructor who will guide you through every step of the way. Your instructor will customize your class according to the equipment you have on hand, the ingredients you were able to purchase, your confidence level and what you like to cook and eat. Your instructor will answer any questions throughout your private class, will share tips and tricks, help to troubleshoot and provide feedback.

Check out some of our virtual cooking classes:

Have questions about our cooking classes?

Visit our cooking class FAQ page to get the scoop.

Live Online Cooking Classes

Take your home cooking skills up a notch with online cooking classes from Fēst. Led by our expert chefs, these live, private, hands-on classes walk you through the cooking process step by step. Helpful hints are provided along the way to ensure that you not only end up with a delicious result, but also get the opportunity to improve your cooking expertise. Learn more about how our online classes work and check out our full schedule to sign up for one that suits your tastes.

When you take one of our gourmet cooking classes online, you’ll get an interactive experience that’s unlike most cooking tutorials available online. Our classes aren’t prerecorded or generic. Each class is conducted live with one of our expert chefs, allowing you the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback every step of the way. Because the level of instruction is simple and straightforward, these are the best online cooking classes for beginners. However, experienced home chefs can also get a lot out of these tutorials, especially if they’re looking to expand their skills and try out new cuisines.

Make a Special Meal at Home

Being able to work in your own kitchen allows anyone in your household to participate in these fun, interactive cooking sessions. Sign up to enjoy an online cooking class for kids and adults that lets the whole family try out new recipes together. Get closer to your special someone with a couples’ date night online cooking class that ends with a flavorful, homemade meal. Whether you prefer to fly solo or you plan to make it a group effort, you’ll find that these are the best online cooking classes for home cooks. Check out our full lineup of class options to discover delicious recipes that you can create in the comfort of your own home.