Discover the Best Seafood Classes Online
When you hear the word “seafood,” what comes to mind? Perhaps your mind goes to classic Southern shrimp and grits, or maybe even a succulent buttered lobster tail. Or you might think of an expensive date night at a fancy restaurant. Whatever it is, seafood tends to make the mouth water. But even if you’ve always thought there was just something “a little fishy” about seafood, the good news is that there’s such a huge variety that you’re bound to find something delicious if you just dive deeper into the world of seafood. Even better, it’s incredibly easy to get started making your own seafood at home and enjoying all the nutritional and other benefits making seafood has to offer.
Why You Should Learn Seafood Online
While some might associate cooking with stressful prep and failed dishes, plenty of research suggests that cooking is linked to lower stress and increased overall health. It’s a great way to help people feel productive and have something tangible (and tasty) to show for it. Plus, it’s a hobby that can be easily shared with others, whether that means you’re cooking for friends, partners, and family, or actually cooking with someone else in the kitchen. Either way, the opportunity to strengthen relationships through cooking is very real, and food offers a conversation topic that nearly everyone will be interested in. You’re likely to be the hero of any meal where you serve a delicious seafood dish like herb-crusted baked salmon or shrimp scampi.
For those who are more serious about cooking and envision themselves in a professional kitchen, there are just as many great reasons to learn how to make excellent seafood. Plenty of chefs specialize in seafood, including sushi chefs. Regardless of your culinary interests, learning how to make great seafood won’t hurt your job prospects and may even open plenty of doors that were previously closed in the food industry. Taking a class could be just what’s needed to make that leap from cooking as a hobby to cooking as a career.
Virtual Seafood Classes
If you live in a less-populated area or even a place where seafood is less of a staple in the local diet, it may prove tricky to find in-person classes in your area. Luckily, there’s an incredible array of online seafood classes available at CourseHorse that allow anyone to sharpen their seafood skills. For some, this might even be preferable; after all, there’s no lengthy commute involved. Whatever class you sign up for, you can attend from anywhere that’s convenient so long as you’ve got a stable internet connection and a device with microphone and camera capabilities.
That said, virtual classes generally require participants to supply their own materials instead of providing everything for them like an in-person class generally would. However, most online seafood classes make this manageable by providing comprehensive course materials lists before class sessions.
For those craving great Mediterranean seafood dishes, the How to Make a Great Paella Class has you covered. Anyone aged sixteen or older can learn how to make one of Spain’s most famous seafood dishes in this ninety-minute course, and they’ll also learn a quick, tasty recipe for smoked paprika roasted vegetables as well. One perk is that the recipe list is available right away, so you’ll know exactly what groceries to buy and prepare with plenty of time before the course begins.
Maybe you’d rather pair that craving for Mediterranean seafood with some carbs. If that’s the case, the Shrimp Scampi from Scratch Class from Teaching Table teaches participants not only how to make the perfect garlicky and buttery shrimp but also how to pair it with handmade linguine with pasta dough from scratch. Cooks of all levels are welcome in this class, and all participants will walk away with clearer ideas of how to start pairing seafood with complementary ingredients.
Many people’s minds automatically go to sushi when they think of seafood. If you’ve always been curious about the process of sushi making or just want to enjoy the convenience of making sushi at home, this Virtual Handmade Sushi Class could do the trick. The course promises to cover all the fundamentals of making sushi from different ways of rolling to the proper way of seasoning sushi rice.
The Virtual Lobster Rolls Class from Chopping Block Lincoln Square is perfect for anyone who wants to spend more time learning to cook lobster and how to pick good shellfish when shopping for ingredients. In addition to learning how to make a great lobster roll, participants will also spend time cooking clam chowder and making lemon-herb butter from scratch. Participants are welcome to cook along with the chef-instructor or simply watch the class as a demonstration.
For all the lobster lovers who want something hot and melty in a lobster dish, Chopping Block Lincoln Square also teaches this Virtual Dinner on the Grill: Grilled Lobster Thermidor Class. While the instructor will be cooking on an outdoor gas grill, don’t worry if you don’t have an outdoor grill of your own. Any recipes shared in the course can be prepared indoors using a stovetop grill pan, and the chef will offer advice on any difference in approach that might entail.
Private Online Group Seafood Classes
If you’ve been looking for team-building opportunities for a business or organization you’re involved with, then there are plenty of private online group seafood classes for businesses that can be delivered virtually with CourseHorse.
One option includes this Virtual Sushi Making Workshop, a hands-on virtual class that teaches all the basics of making sushi at home. Course content includes ensuring participants are comfortable with basic knife cuts, understanding how to pick the right fish, making your own sushi rice, and rolling everything together. One huge perk of this group class is that CourseHorse will send a lot of the necessary supplies directly to each participant in a starter kit. These kits include a bamboo rolling mat, reusable chopsticks, a gift card to buy preferred fillings, and all ingredients necessary for making the actual rolls.
With that said, participants will still need to source their own basic kitchen supplies in preparation for the class. These items include a medium saucepan with a lid, clean kitchen towels, your own plate and bowl, a chef’s knife and cutting board, and a spoon and rubber spatula.
If you’re skeptical, CourseHorse gives the option of seeing a 20-minute demonstration of the longer class before you decide to commit for the larger group. CourseHorse also makes things easy if you need to cancel, reschedule, or update headcounts for your event. Cancellations are free with up to a two-week notice, and events can easily be rescheduled with more than a 48-hour notice. Also, while Zoom is listed as the recommended platform, CourseHorse will accommodate requests to use platforms like Microsoft Teams or Google Meets if preferred.
You’re also welcome to reach out to CourseHorse with any requests related to this event or questions about similar events. Simply reach out using their online contact form and you’ll hear back from them within a few days.
Online vs. In-Person Seafood Classes
Both online and in-person seafood classes come with their perks and drawbacks. In-person classes can often heighten the sense of camaraderie among participants, as it can feel easier to chat with each other at any stage. Instructors may also feel more available to answer questions as you go and provide additional demonstrations on difficult steps.
However, in-person classes simply aren’t always an option for people, especially for those who live in areas where such classes aren’t an option for seafood enthusiasts. Sure, you can learn using cookbooks or asynchronous tutorials, but this can leave people frustrated when they’re left in the dark searching for answers to questions on their own.
Online classes offer something of a happy medium. You don’t need to worry about things like availability or long commutes, and you still get the benefit of a live, expert instructor to answer questions and help you through the process, no matter the type of seafood you’re learning to make.
Can I Learn Seafood for Free Online?
While online tutorials and videos certainly provide an easy place to start for most online learners, you may find that such resources will only take you so far. Formal instruction from an expert will not only offer an expanded repertoire of seafood knowledge but will also help most people to improve faster and retain their skills more firmly.