Private Cooking Classes in Columbia, MO
Book a private cooking class in Columbia, MO for your group, your team building, your birthday, your girl scout troop or just the two of you. Pick a menu, pick a date, and cook together in a real kitchen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“100% recommend Chef Ashley and Back2Basics Cooking! She worked with me to put on a surprise birthday party for my daughter's 30th birthday. We had guests from ages 8 to almost 60 and all skill levels in the kitchen. She made everyone comfortable and made the party so much fun for everyone! Chef Ashley collaborated with me to develop the menu and was very accessible when I had questions. Just really a great experience! I think everyone learned something and I know everyone had fun!”
-Ellen H
Private Groups-Adults or Adults & Children Mix
Find your group, pick a menu, and check availability for your date! This option works great for team-building, friend/family groups, and birthdays.
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“Highly recommend bringing your team here for an outing! Chef Ashley was so hospitable and kind.”
-Sofia Perez, Veterans United Home Loans
The hardest part of any group event is the planning, not the day itself. Once you pick a menu and a date, I take it from there: every ingredient, the setup, the teaching, and the cleanup. You walk in, cook, eat, and leave. No prep, no shopping, no dishes.
Everyone cooks, hands on, the whole time. I walk the room, teach the techniques, and keep it moving so the food comes out together at the end. Then you sit down and eat what you made. Most classes run two to two and a half hours depending on the menu and group size. Take home any leftovers for later plus everyone will get digital copies of all recipes so that you can prepare them again and again!
Pick Your Menu
Twelve menus, sized for groups of 5-24 students ranging between $35-$80/student. The visual below gives you the quick scroll. Tap any menu item below to open the full details.
Every menu is taught with real techniques your group can actually use at home long after the class is over!
How It Works
It really is this simple:
Browse: Explore the menus below and find the right fit for your group.
Choose: Pick your menu and your preferred date.
Book: Submit the inquiry form to get started.
If one person is covering the whole group:
Confirm your date and sign a contract
Pay the retainer to hold your spot
Settle the remaining balance 7 days before your class
If everyone is paying separately:
Let me know at booking and I will set up a private link for your group
One person must complete the registration and payment process first to consider the date held
All remaining attendees need to be signed up and payments settled 7 days before your class
All attendees are required to fill out a liability waiver prior to the class.
I’ll take care of everything else.
Ready to Book Your Group? Fill out the form!
Skill Building Menus
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Ready to book?
Fill out the form below!
Do not see exactly what you want? Message me.
A Note on Kids
Children are welcome in all of our private group classes! Children may attend, but it is important to consider their attention span and the class length. You know your child best. Some 5 years olds do fine through a 2 hour class while some 7 year olds don't. If you are unsure if your child should attend, please contact Chef Ashley and she can help guide you. Everyone who attends counts toward the headcount regardless of age.
Scroll down to check out the kid only private class options!
Private Groups-Kids Only
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“100% recommend Chef Ashley and Back2Basics Cooking! She worked with me to put on a surprise birthday party for my daughter's 30th birthday. We had guests from ages 8 to almost 60 and all skill levels in the kitchen. She made everyone comfortable and made the party so much fun for everyone! Chef Ashley collaborated with me to develop the menu and was very accessible when I had questions. Just really a great experience! I think everyone learned something and I know everyone had fun!”
-Ellen H
An 85-minute cooking class for our budding chefs ages 7 to 12. One parent may stay to observe or you may drop your child off.
What Kids Learn During A Private Group Class
Measuring with cups and spoons Working clean and being safe in the kitchen
Mixing, stirring, and kneading dough Trying new foods without pressure
Safe knife skills using kid-safe tools Many recipes they can make without help
Class starts with hand-washing and aprons. Then I walk every kid through one full recipe, hands-on, start to finish. Parents stay in the room and help as needed, but I encourage the littles to do as much as they can on their own. At the end, every kid usually tries what we make with a few exceptions, but they always take home what they made plus I email the recipe card to do it again at home. The whole thing is 45 minutes, which is right at the edge of a three-year-old's attention span, and that's intentional.
Kids Only Private Group Packages
Mini Chefs Package
Ages: Mostly Ages 3-6
One parent stays per kid (this is real cooking with small humans, and an extra set of hands per kid keeps it moving).
Pick one main:
Cheesy Ranch Chicken Bombs
Mini Pizzas
Pigs in a Blanket
Pick one dessert:
Cupcake Decorating
Mini Fruit Pizzas
Chocolate Fruit Kebabs
Class Length: 1 Hour
Price:$325 All-inclusive
Junior Chefs Package
Ages: Mostly Ages 7-17
For groups with kids under 13, one parent per group is required to stay. For groups of all 13+, parents are welcome to stay but not required. Pick one main AND one dessert, OR pick two desserts
Mains:
Mini Pizzas
Lasagna Roll-Ups
Cheesy Ranch Chicken Bombs
Taco Cups
Baked Chicken Bites
Desserts:
Cupcake Decorating
Sugar Cookie Decorating
Mini Fruit Pizzas
Apple Pie Cookies
S'mores Mini Cakes
Fruity Pinwheels
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Class Length: 2 Hours
Price:$450 Base Price. Plus $30 Per Extra Child up to 2 More Children, All-inclusive
Mixed Ages?
Here's how to pick:
Pick the package that fits most of the kids, then think about the outliers.
If the group is mostly 7 and up with one or two younger kids, Package 2 usually works as long as the younger ones have the attention span for two hours.
A 5-year-old at a Package 2 class with older siblings or cousins can be a great fit if the kid can hang. Some 5-year-olds can, some can't.
If the group is mostly 3 to 6 with one older kid mixed in, Package 1 is the better fit. The older kid will do fine in a shorter class with younger kids around.
Chef Ashley adjusts the teaching for the junior chefs package to the age of the kids in the room. A 7-year-old's girl scout troop and a 14-year-old friend group get the same menu options but different instruction. A wide age range in one group is fine. That's normal.
Ready to book?
Fill out the form below.
Lessons For Two
A private session for a pair. You get to be the only class in the kitchen, my full attention, and a menu picked around what the two of you actually want to learn. Couples, an adult and a kid, two friends. Whoever the pair is, this one is built for you!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“100% recommend Chef Ashley and Back 2 Basics Cooking! She worked with me to put on a surprise birthday party for my daughter's 30th birthday. We had guests from ages 8 to almost 60 and all skill levels in the kitchen. She made everyone comfortable and made the party so much fun for everyone! Chef Ashley collaborated with me to develop the menu and was very accessible when I had questions. Just really a great experience! I think everyone learned something and I know everyone had fun!”
-Ellen H
Couples Two Friends/ Family
One Parent/ One Child (Young or Adult) Grandparent/Aunt/Uncle & A Child
Pairs That Attend This Class
This is the most personal class I teach. No other students and no waiting your turn. Pick from one of seven menu choices and It makes a strong gift too, since it is the pair's time and nobody else's. You will eat what you prepare (with the exception of cake decorating) and take home any leftovers and a new skill or two. Digital copies of all recipe packets and guides are emailed straight to your inbox so you can access them anytime you need to!
Class Information & Menus
Menu 1: From Scratch Pasta Night
Perfect for pasta lovers and anyone who wants to learn a foundational kitchen skill.
What you will make: Hand-rolled fettuccine with your choice of lemon garlic or alfredo sauce, or hand-rolled cavatelli with tomato ricotta sauce, served with a side salad and your choice of tarte tatin or cream puffs for dessert.
Dietary options: Dairy-free available for the fettuccine with lemon garlic sauce and tarte tatin for an additional $6 per ticket. Please select the add-on when booking.
Skills you will gain: Fresh pasta dough preparation, kneading, hand-rolling and shaping pasta, one-handed egg cracking, knife skills, sauce building, and plating.
Menu 2: Sushi Party
Perfect for adventurous eaters and anyone who has always wanted to roll their own sushi.
What you will make: Chicken teriyaki, your choice of spicy tuna or spicy shrimp roll, your choice of California roll or Philly roll, and a build-your-own roll with pre-made mochi ice cream included. A take-home recipe is included so you can try it yourself at home!
Dietary options: Gluten-free available at no extra charge. Please select the add-on when booking.
Skills you will gain: Sushi rice preparation (discussed in detail but prepared before class), rolling and shaping techniques, knife skills, ingredient preparation, and plating.
Menu 3: Pizza Night
Perfect for anyone who loves comfort food and wants to learn to prepare it from scratch.
What you will make: Your choice of personal pizzas, pizza pretzels, or calzones, served with a caesar salad and your choice of chocolate fruit kebabs, s'mores cake, or cupcake decorating with a mini piping lesson for dessert.
Dietary options: Gluten-free available for an additional $15 per ticket. Please select the add-on when booking.
Skills you will gain: Dough making, kneading and shaping, knife skills, sauce and topping layering, and basic piping.
Menu 4: Taco Night
Perfect for bold flavors and anyone who loves Mexican-inspired food.
What you will make: Taco braids with from-scratch dough with your choice of beef or vegan meat, fresh elote (available seasonally) or Mexican street corn salad, and your choice of fried ice cream or churros for dessert.
Dietary options: Vegetarian available using vegan meat. Please note this menu is not fully vegan.
Skills you will gain: Dough making, kneading and braiding, seasoning and browning meat, one-handed egg cracking, choux making, knife skills, and plating and presentation.
Menu 5: Asian Night
Perfect for anyone who loves takeout and wants to learn how to recreate it at home.
What you will make: Your choice of fried rice (your choice of chicken, shrimp, or tofu) , chicken stir-fry, or baked sweet and sour chicken along side eggrolls with your choice of ground pork, ground chicken, or vegetarian filling, and strawberry cream cheese wontons.
Dietary options: Vegetarian available. Please note this menu is not fully vegan.
Skills you will gain: Sauting or pan-frying, fried rice method, one-handed egg cracking, egg roll wrapping and folding, wonton folding, and knife skills.
Menu 6: Indian Night
Perfect for anyone who loves bold spices and wants to master a dish that feels impressive but is surprisingly approachable at home.
What you will make: Quick butter chicken, naan from scratch, and a mango lassi.
Dietary options: Please reach out to discuss accommodations for this menu.
Skills you will gain: Sauce building and spice layering, naan dough making, kneading and shaping, stovetop flatbread technique, blending and drink preparation.
Menu 7: Buttercream Adventures
Perfect for anyone who loves decorating and wants to level up their skills.
Choose your experience before booking:
Option A:Cake Decorating 101 — Each person will decorate their own three-layer buttercream cake from start to finish, learning to level and stack layers, apply a crumb coat, and finish with a smooth final coat before decorating their own way.
This option focuses primarily on achieving a beautifully smooth and finished cake with a brief introduction to basic piping. Your finished cake goes home with you.
Option B:Buttercream Piping 101 — Each person will learn the fundamentals of buttercream piping from bag assembly and pressure control to borders, leaves, roses, and beyond. You will warm up with exercises, work through core techniques, and finish by decorating your own cupcakes to take home.
This option goes much deeper into piping and is perfect for anyone who wants to seriously develop their decorating skills.
Dietary options: Gluten-free available for an additional $10 per ticket. Please select the add-on when booking.
Skills you will gain: Varies by option — see descriptions above.
Dietary Restrictions Note:
While gluten-free, dairy-free, and other ingredients will be use when requested and every care will be taken, this is a shared commercial kitchen where all other ingredients may be used and I also host classes with various ingredients. Cross-contamination cannot be fully ruled out.
Guests with severe food allergies should be fully aware of this risk before deciding if they will be booking.
Please reach out with any further questions!
Class Length:
2 Hours
Price:
$330 All-inclusive
Find the kitchen
Back 2 Basics Cooking
14 Business Loop 70 E
Columbia, MO 65203
Located inside: Como Cooks
Note: There is no signage for Back 2 Basics Cooking. Look for the Como Cooks sign. We are next to Boost Moblie and across the street from Love Coffee.
