Adult cooking classes in Columbia, MO
Three ways to actually get better in the kitchen. Drop in for a single skill night, book a date night for two, or commit to the 6-week beginner series. Every class is hands-on and taught by Chef Ashley at Como Cooks Kitchen.
★★★★★
"Chef Ashley helped me to beat my anxiety in the kitchen and taught me the basic skills in a fun way. Her courses feel more like a fun night out than a class."
-Shay Ochoa
Everyday Cooking Club
Real cooking, real skills, one night at a time. Every session teaches a real skill hidden inside a dish you'll want to make again. Drop in solo, bring a friend, or grab a small group.
★★★★★
"We had a wonderful time with Chef Ashley! The class was engaging, well-organized, and a lot of fun. Chef Ashley’s expertise and enthusiasm made for a great experience. We can’t wait to sign up for another class soon!"
-Zach Silvers
What Students Learn During The Everyday Cooking Club
Cooking
Knife skills
Sauce making
Bread baking
Pasta from scratch
Stir-fry technique
Each class teaches one or two of these skills inside the dish you make. The specific focus changes by night. Beginner friendly!
Scroll down to browse upcoming nights and see what's coming up.
Baking & dessert
Baking Basics
Pizza dough
Buttercream piping
Simple + Tasty Desserts
Fruit and chocolate work
This is hands-on class the whole way through, not a demo you watch. Most nights teach two skills inside two dishes, so you might roll pasta and build a sauce, or shape pizza dough and pipe buttercream. Some nights go deeper on one skill with a fast bonus skill for dessert. I walk the room the whole time, so you're never stuck waiting or guessing.
You get to taste what you made and what you don't finish goes home with you, and the recipe card lands in your inbox so you can make it again on your own. Book one night, book three, or book all of them. The choice is yours!
2026 Schedule
Saturday, August 15, 2026
4:00 to 6:00 PM
Skills focus: Pizza dough from scratch + buttercream piping basics
What you'll make: Personal pizza, decorated cupcakes for dessert
Sunday, September 27, 2026
2:00 to 4:00 PM
Skills focus: Basic knife skills + stir-fry technique
What you'll make: Your choice of chicken or veggie stir-fry, chocolate drizzled fruit on a stick
Sunday, October 18, 2026
2:00 to 4:00 PM
Skills focus: Eggless pasta from scratch + sauce making + cookie crimping
What you'll make: Hand-rolled cavatelli with tomato ricotta sauce, apple pie cookies for dessert
Everyday Cooking Club FAQs
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No. Every lesson except the Surprise Basket Challenge is built to work for complete beginners. Chef Ashley teaches the technique as you go, so you don't need any background to walk in. Pick any night that sounds good and start there.
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Yes, and a lot of people do. You'll be cooking alongside other adults who showed up the same way. Bring someone if you want, or come solo.
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Contact Chef Ashley before you book and she'll let you know what's possible. The shared kitchen has cross-contamination risk no matter what she can do menu-wise. Some restrictions work and some don't depending on the menu, so you must contact her before signing up.
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Cooks in the Making is a structured six-week series that builds skills in order, week by week. The Everyday Cooking Club is the ongoing skill buffet. Drop in for one night, or come to every one. Some skills overlap between the two so graduates can practice what they learned, and other nights teach new techniques entirely.
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Just like theater shows, cooking classes must go on. Cancel at least 7 days in advance and you'll get a full credit toward another class. Inside 7 days, the seat is non-refundable. If severe weather makes driving unsafe, Chef Ashley will notify you and issue a credit for a future class. No cash refunds, only class credits, unless a class has to be cancelled on her end (which is rare).
Ready To Book?
Spots fill quickly, so be sure to grab yours today!
Cooking Date Night
Real food. Real skills. No experience required. Class designed specifically for couples to cook and learn together!
★★★★★
"Didn’t know what to expect as it was a gift. My wife and I had a great time! It was a lot of fun, would definitely recommend it!!"
-Michael Weis
What’s Included in a Cooking Date Night
Step-by-step hands-on instruction A full meal prepared with your partner
All cooking equipment & utensils needed Aprons, bottled water & processing fees
All ingredients needed Digital copies of all recipes
Spend the evening cooking dinner together in a commercial kitchen with three other couples and Chef Ashley walking you through every step. You'll learn a real skills you can use in your everyday cooking, eat a full meal, laugh more than you expected, and take home leftovers and the recipes while she handles the cleanup. No extra costs ever, what you see is what you pay. And no one will try to sell you a blender!!
2026 Schedule
LOVE AT FIRST BITE
Friday, February 13, 2026
5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
On the menu:
Italian Meatballs with Creamy Mushroom Veloute
Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Asparagus
Creme Brulee
Learn how to build a creamy mushroom pan sauce, shape tender meatballs, roast vegetables right, and torch a classic creme brulee.
PASTA & PUFFS
Saturday, February 14, 2026
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
On the menu:
Hand-Rolled Cavatelli Pasta in Tomato Ricotta Sauce
Caprese Salad
Cream Puffs
Learn how to hand-roll cavatelli pasta from scratch, build a balanced ricotta tomato sauce, and prepare and pipe a choux pastry for cream puffs.
CREATIVE COOKING CHALLENGE
Saturday, April 11, 2026
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
On the menu:
Surprise Basket Challenge
Cupcake Decorating
Learn how to cook with what you have. Chef Ashley walks you through balancing flavors and building a meal from a mystery basket. Cupcake decorating with buttercream icing included.
MEXICAN FLAVORS
Friday, June 26, 2026
5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
On the menu:
Taco Braids
Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
Fried Ice Cream
Learn how to roll and shape taco braids, char and dress elote the traditional way, and finish by learning how to fry ice cream.
ITALIAN FLAVORS
Friday, September 18, 2026
5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
On the menu:
Pizza Calzones
Caesar Salad with Housemade Croutons
Heart-Shaped Cake with Buttercream Icing
Learn how to make pizza dough from scratch, fold and seal calzones, build a Caesar dressing with housemade croutons, and decorate a layer cake with buttercream.
SURF N TURF
Friday, October 16, 2026
5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
On the menu:
Steak with Buttery Shrimp
Roasted Potatoes
Strawberry Shortcake
Learn how to sear steak properly, cook shrimp without overdoing it, roast potatoes for crisp edges, and layer a fresh strawberry shortcake using your freshly made drop biscuit and whipped cream.
Cooking Date Night FAQs
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None at all. Chef Ashley teaches the techniques as you go.
That is why the classes are kept small! -
Four couples maximum per session, so the room stays small and Chef Ashley can walk each pair through every step.
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Contact Chef Ashley before you book and she'll let you know what's possible. The shared kitchen has cross-contamination risk no matter what she can do menu-wise, so reach out before signing up.
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Yes. A lot of Date Night bookings are gifts!
You can book a specific date, or grab a gift certificate and let them pick the night that works for them.
Use your own email at checkout if it's a surprise. -
Inside Como Cooks at 14 Business Loop 70 E in Columbia, Missouri, next to Boost Mobile and across from Love Coffee. Look for the Como Cooks sign. Parking is in the lot directly next to the building.
Ready To Book?
The Cooking Date Night has limited seating and it is first come, first serve, so grab your ticket today!
Cooks in the Making
Go from kitchen novice to a confident home cook in six weeks.
★★★★★
"Chef Ashley helped me to beat my anxiety in the kitchen and taught me the basic skills in a fun way. Her courses feel more like a fun night out than a class. And, I left full each evening!"
-Shay Ochoa
What to Expect From This Series
Hands-on learning
Practical experience in every class, so you leave with skills you can use immediately
Individual attention
Small class sizes mean Chef Ashley can work with each student through every step
Kitchen Confidence
Overcome kitchen apprehension and build the confidence to cook from scratch
This six-week, hands-on series in Columbia, Missouri builds real skills in order, one class at a time, so your more confidence cooking from scratch versus using a recipe. Every class brings a different menu and a different set of skills to build. Each week you get pre-reading ahead of class and optional homework to lock in what you learned. Everything for class is provided. Just show up, cook, and go home with dinner.
The 6-Week Curriculum
Skills
Knife handling, sharpening vs honing, and basic cuts (dice, mince, julienne)
Mise en place: staying organized and efficient
Kitchen safety, timing, and hygiene
Basic cooking terminology and cooking grains
Menu
Culinary Foundations
Skills
Making fettuccine from scratch with a pasta roller
Cooking pasta to al dente and salting water properly
Making alfredo sauce using reduction
Preparing a roux-based mushroom veloute sauce
Menu
Pasta & Sauce Making
Skills
Creating compound butters
Sauteing aromatics (onions, garlic, mirepoix) to build a flavor base
Using fresh and dry herbs and spices to enhance dishes
Preparing tender, flavorful meatballs
Menu
Flavor Enhancement 101
Skills
Fundamental egg techniques, including the one-handed crack
Seasoning and flavoring by making homemade sausage patties
The steps for biscuit making with the perfect flaky texture
Using the roux technique to prepare the gravy
Menu
Breakfast Bonanza
Skills
Dough handling for shaping savory baked goods
Working with different components from start to finish
The role of leavening agents in texture
Precise measuring and baking ratios for consistent results
Menu
Baking 101
Skills
Applying techniques learned in a collaborative, imaginative setting
Plating and presentation for artistic detail
Experimenting with flavor profiles and ingredient combinations
Bonus: a brief piping tutorial for decorating precision
Menu
Creative Cooking Challenge
Series Details
When: Tuesdays 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, 6 Weeks, Starting September 22, 2026
Where: Como Cooks Kitchen
Who: Adults Ages 18+
Cost: $450 per person, all-inclusive—Sign-up by August 18, 2026 using the code “early50” for $50 off while seating lasts
Cooks in the Making FAQs
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No. The series is designed for adult beginners. It starts at the foundations (knife skills, mise en place) and builds from there, so walking in with zero background is who I had in mind.
That said, I do get a lot of students in this class that have some experience already and they all learn new skills as well! -
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Item description
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Unfortunately, no. The shared menus across six weeks make gluten-free and dairy-free unworkable for this series.
Other dietary restrictions may be possible. Contact Chef Ashley before registering. -
Cooks in the Making is the structured six-week path that builds in order. Everyday Cooking Club is the ongoing drop-in skill buffet. A lot of people finish this series and keep going with the Club.
Seats are limited, so be sure to grab yours today!
Ready To Book?
