Greenville Cooking Classes

Greenville has established itself as one of the country’s top culinary destinations, and as that reputation has grown over the years, more and more people come from all around to find out what all the buzz is about. If your passion for food goes beyond the simple enjoyment and more into its study and preparation, then be sure to bring your curious nature with you when you come! From friendly chefs who are ready, willing, and able to share their secrets, to formal learning programs, Greenville will satisfy your appetites for both great food and terrific culinary learning.

No one ever said you can’t get a little education on vacation, and before you scoff at the idea, we’d like to remind you of an ancient parable:

Give someone pimento cheese and they’ll eat for a day; teach them how to make pimento cheese and they’ll eat for a lifetime.

We think we got that right. Anyway, there are plenty of opportunities to learn from some of Greenville’s top culinary minds in a way that makes cooking even the most complicated dishes approachable and repeatable at home.

The Cook’s Station, located at Heritage Green in downtown Greenville, hosts regular cooking classes taught by a variety of instructors, but one notable cooking class instructor is Vince Bienish. Chef Bienish is a chef and food industry veteran of 30 years, but don’t be intimidated—he simplifies everything for you—and in some cases, he doesn’t have to. As it turns out, cooking something like risotto is super easy with the right technique and understanding. Every recipe fits on one page and all the preparation concepts are broken down into understandable steps that you’ll breeze through in your kitchen back at home. And did we mention you can enjoy a class with wine? You couldn’t even do that in college.

The Cook’s Station lists all their upcoming classes on their website; they fill up quickly, so don’t wait to book! The variety of classes is something to behold, too. Maybe your knife skills could use a little coaching, or you have no idea how to cook using cast iron. The Cook’s Station has that covered, but if all you really want to do is make gluttonous amounts of fresh pasta at home, there are plenty of opportunities for that, too. From technical to practical, you can count on The Cook’s Station to take culinary complexities out of the equation. Let’s say you happen to already be a whiz in the kitchen, but you love supper and a show. The Cook’s Station offers multi-course dinners, some with guest chefs, who provide demonstrations while you just sit back, sip your favorite beverage, and reap the delicious results.

If you really want to get serious while you’re here, you can enroll—yes, enroll—in a half-day course at Greenville Technical College and learn from their expert chef teachers. Held in the Truist Culinary & Hospitality Innovation Center (CHI) in Poe West in the Village of West Greenville, you’ll receive pro-level training that’ll turn you into a master of appetizers, the dean of desserts, and everything in between. For something truly Greenville, we can’t say enough about the Pit Master BBQ course, where you’ll learn all about the science behind making slow-cooked, mouth-watering meats.

All this culinary knowledge is going to work up a mighty thirst, so we’d be remiss if we left out where you can learn to make libations that perfectly pair with whatever you’re making. Vault & Vator, Greenville’s super-secret speakeasy, offers cocktail-making classes that will make you a master mixer for your next party or get-together. The craft cocktail masters at Vault & Vator will teach you about how to combine different spirits and mixers to bring beautiful flavors to any glass behind your home bar. Intended for 2-6 people, cocktail classes take place at 4pm daily.

We’re winding down our scholastic trip around Greenville with—what else?—wine. City Scape Winery offers occasional wine-making classes, which include a full tour of the vineyard, a lesson on how to grow your own grapes, and concocting the perfect custom wine. Best of all, the bottle of your personalized blend is yours to keep.

No matter what you’ve always wanted to learn how to make, chances are, Greenville has a classroom waiting for you. For now, it’s the best way to take much more than a taste of our delicious destination home with you.