Discover the Best Cooking Team Building Activities Near Me
Cooking and baking workshops make excellent team-building activities. While they might not seem like an obvious choice for team building, cooking and baking activities can be a relaxing way for team members to bond. Unlike many team-building games, cooking and baking team-building activities are non-competitive, yet they give everyone a shared experience to bond over.
Typically, your team will gather virtually or in-person and participate in cooking or baking a particular food. This could be anything from pizza to sushi to pretzels to cookies. Some cooking and baking activities are paired with drinks like empanadas and margaritas. Adding a food preparation element could make your happy hour more fun.
Benefits of Cooking & Baking Team Building Activities
Cooking and baking team-building activities are a relaxing, non-competitive format for teams to get to know each other better. They’ll have time to chat while joining in the shared experience of learning how to cook or bake something. There will also be an opportunity to discuss the flavors when done. This can be a great icebreaker since your team will have a common goal and experience to discuss.
In addition to team-building benefits, cooking and baking activities can also have psychological benefits for individuals. According to the Huffington Post, cooking and baking “is a productive form of self-expression and communication.” Baking has been shown in studies to reduce stress and build confidence. Just think of how many people started baking during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both are critical parts of a successful team.
CourseHorse is a website listing courses, workshops, events, and team-building activities. They offer a large variety of cooking and baking team activities. Many of these are available virtually, and ingredients are shipped to participants before the event. This ensures that everyone on your team has the necessary materials without going on a stressful shopping trip.
Top Cooking & Baking Team Building Activities
Virtual Pasta Making (Materials Included)
This two-hour Virtual Pasta Making class will have your team make a delicious pasta dish, including the pasta, from scratch. They will be led by a professional chef to knead the dough and then shape pappardelle pasta by hand. All ingredients will be shipped to participants, including olive oil, flour, garlic, pine nuts, tomatoes, and a gift card for perishable ingredients, such as butter, cheese, and herbs. Participants will also need some basic cooking items from their homes, such as a rolling pin and a large pot.
Virtual Cinnamon Rolls Workshop (Materials Included)
A professional chef will guide your team in this Virtual Cinnamon Rolls Workshop. In this 90-minute class, you’ll start by making your own yeasted dough and then fill, roll, slice, and bake it. The class finishes by icing their rolls with a tangy cream cheese sauce and then enjoying the rolls together. All ingredients will be shipped to participants, including instant yeast, sugars, flour, and a gift card for butter, eggs, and cream cheese. A gluten-free option is available upon request.
Virtual Sushi Making Workshop (Materials Included)
Learn to make delicious sushi at home in this Virtual Sushi Making Workshop. A professional chef will walk your team through the basics of making sushi. Some of the topics covered include sushi rice, fish selection, crunch rolls, and basic sushi knife techniques. Materials will be shipped to participants, including a bamboo rolling mat, reusable chopsticks, wasabi, pickled ginger, and a gift card for fish and vegetables.
Virtual Knife Skills Workshop
Your team will learn to use their knives like a professional chef in this Virtual Knife Skills Workshop. Many former participants call this the most life-changing cooking class they’ve ever taken. They’ll be taught how to slice, dice, and julienne using safe but fun techniques. Participants will need their own knife, cutting board, and vegetables.
Virtual Ice Cream Making Workshop (Materials Included)
Your whole team will scream for ice cream in this Virtual Ice Cream Making Workshop. This beginner-friendly class teaches your group how to make two flavors of homemade ice cream: a traditional sweet cream and a Ginger Ice Cream. Ingredients will be mailed to participants, including syrup and toppings, such as Milkbar’s cookie crumbles.
Virtual Pizza from Scratch (Materials Included)
In this 1.5-hour Virtual Pizza from Scratch workshop, a professional chef will guide your group through making a delicious pizza from scratch. You will make your own pizza dough, add the toppings of your choice, and bake the pizza to golden perfection. All ingredients are shipped to participants, including yeast, flour, olive oil, and a gift card for each person to choose their own meats, cheeses, and toppings. A gluten-free option is available upon request.
Virtual Steak Workshop
There’s nothing like a perfectly seasoned and grilled steak: your team will learn how to do that and more in this Virtual Steak Workshop. Each participant will receive a guide for selecting the cut and will grill it with guidance from a professional chef. There will also be lessons on the different cuts of meat and cooking techniques. The chef will also instruct your group on creating a fresh chimichurri sauce to pair with it.
Virtual Charcuterie Board Party
Build a beautiful spread worthy of the Gram in the Virtual Charcuterie Board Party. This 1.5-hour workshop includes instructions for making some of the most popular charcuterie board favorites, including salami roses, pickles, and homemade, gourmet mustard. Participants will receive a detailed ingredient list before the party.
Virtual Gnocchi Making (Materials Included)
There is nothing like homemade gnocchi. Your group will learn how to make fluffy, light potato gnocchi from scratch in Virtual Gnocchi Making. A professional chef will guide your group through the whole process: from start to tasting. All ingredients will be shipped to participants beforehand, including russet potatoes, Parmigiano Reggiano, San Marzano tomatoes, and Caputo Italian flour. Participants will need some basic cooking tools.
Virtual Hot Sauce from Scratch (Materials Included)
Spice up your team-building activity with Virtual Hot Sauce from Scratch. Each participant will learn how to make their own hot sauce from scratch so they can take advantage of this healthy, fun way to flavor anything they cook. They’ll learn how to choose peppers, identify the different types of hot sauces, and understand ingredients and flavor balance, ensuring great texture and density. A Hot Sauce Kit will be shipped to all participants, including three types of peppers, gloves, jars and squeeze bottles, a funnel, and an artisanal spice blend.
Virtual Choco Eclair & Cream Puffs (Materials Included)
Indulge your team’s sweet tooth and learn how to make classic French pastries in Virtual Choco Eclair & Cream Puffs. This 1.5-hour class is led by a professional pastry chef and will guide your team through every step of making cream-filled pastries. All materials will be shipped to participants, including flour, sugar, melting chocolate, and a gift card for milk, eggs, and butter.
Virtual Empanadas and Margaritas
Combine baking with mixing the perfect margarita in Virtual Empanadas and Margaritas. This 2-hour event is led by a professional chef who will instruct your team in making their own savory empanadas and then mixing a refreshing margarita. Participants will receive a detailed ingredient list beforehand. You can also book an all-inclusive version of this event in which participants will receive all needed materials via mail.
Virtual Dumpling Making
In this two-hour Virtual Dumpling Making, a professional chef guides your group through making two different kinds of dumplings from scratch: pork & celery and mushroom-veggie. You’ll begin with the easy two-ingredient dough that gets shaped into dumplings and then filled with deliciousness. Participants can choose whether they want to boil, fry, or steam their dumplings. And then whip up a classic vinegar-soy dipping sauce.
Virtual Guacamole and Margaritas Workshop (Materials Included)
This 45-minute Virtual Guacamole and Margaritas Workshop is perfect for a company happy hour, social event, or team-building activity. A professional chef will guide your group through making a fresh, delicious bowl of guacamole and mixing up a perfect margarita. All participants will receive all necessary materials in the mail, including a Hawthorne strainer, jigger, and a gift card for avocados,
Virtual Homemade Churros Workshop (Materials Included)
A professional chef guides your group in this Virtual Homemade Churros Workshop. You’ll make the dough, fry it, and then create a chocolate dipping sauce. You’ll get instructions on how to store them and make more later. All ingredients are shipped to participants, including flour, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon, and a gift card for butter, oil, eggs, and cream.
Other Food & Drink Team Building Activities
Cooking and baking team-building activities are a great way to let your team express their creativity while enjoying a common goal that is relaxing and not competitive. Food and drink team-building activities are even more relaxing since your group will be tasting something instead of making something. This could be anything from spirits, wine, cheese, coffee, or chocolate.
Food and drink tastings could be a great addition to your office happy hour to add a little structure. Or, they could be used as an icebreaker activity to give your team something to talk about other than work since everyone can discuss what they’re tasting.
Virtual American Whiskey Tasting (Materials Included)
In this Virtual American Whiskey Tasting, a whiskey professional takes your group on a guided tour of America’s favorite spirit. In addition to tasting five different types of American whiskey and bourbon, participants will learn about the history of whiskey in America and techniques for a more knowledgeable tasting experience. All materials are shipped to participants, including five 3cl bottles of premium American whiskeys and bourbons.
Virtual Coffee Tasting (Materials Included)
Virtual Coffee Tasting is a sober but exciting team-building event. Your team will taste and evaluate several different types of coffee. Participants will learn about the cupping method of coffee evaluation and use it to judge the three specialty coffees shipped to them before the event.
Virtual Hot Sauce from Scratch (Materials Included)
Spice up your next team-building activity with Virtual Hot Sauce from Scratch. Hot Sauce is a healthy and exciting way to make any meal, dish, or happy hour even better. In this workshop, your group will learn about choosing peppers, identifying hot sauce ingredients, and perfecting hot sauce texture, all while learning to make their own sauce from scratch. All ingredients will be shipped to participants, including three types of dried peppers, gloves, and jars.