If you’ve seen the movie Julie and Julia, your mouth is already watering for a visit to Paris. Julia Child learned to cook at the Cordon Bleu, where the classes were in French and the atmosphere less than friendly. But today you can take one-day and even half-day cooking classes, conducted in English, often in home kitchens, just as Julia taught.

These are some of the companies and individuals that I recommend.

Many of the classes in English are taught by Expats (American expatriates living in Paris), but some are also taught by English-speaking French cooks. Every one of these cooking classes has a slightly different focus.

Promenades Gourmandes
Paule Caillat’s classes are hands-on, where you first shop in a local market, then prepare a typically French meal with a comprehensive cheese tasting  and plenty of wine. The classes are held in her architecturally-designed kitchen centered on the Lacanche range.  And that’s just the half-day class. Full-day classes also include a walking tour of several food specialty stores. The classes are small, often just for your own group if there are several of you, so they feel very personal. Prices range from €260 per person, less for parties of two or more.

Eye Prefer Paris
Paris has a rich diversity of ethnic cultures, and Eye Prefer Paris cooking classes give you an introduction to the cooking influenced by countries like Morocco, Algeria, Vietnam and Laos. Classes are taught by Richard Nahem, formerly a catering chef in New York, and Charlotte Puckette, author of The Ethnic Paris Cookbook. Classes begin with a market visit and are conducted in Charlotte’s professional kitchen in the 7th Arrondissement, near the Eiffel Tower. Maximum class size is six people. Price is €185 per person for a half-day class.

Parigourmand
Myriam-Claire Escario teaches from her professional home kitchen.  Myriam’s apartment is in an old courtyard building in the 9th district and she has a charming inner-courtyard terrace where you have your meals afterwards.  She teaches traditional French cooking and pastry classes.  The class also begins with a market tour. This site is in French but the classes are taught in English.  Prices start at  € 75 per person.

Cook’n with Class
Cook’n with Class offers Pastry, Baking, Macaron and traditional French cooking classes. The morning class begins with a trip to the market and evening classes include a cheese tasting. Owner and Chef instructor, Eric Fraudeau, who trained in the kitchens of Joel Robuchon and Alain Ducasse and his team of international Chefs, Pino Ficara and Bernadette Laserna, will delight you with their passion for cooking. Prices: € 160 per person for morning or evening classes; €100 per person for pastry, baking or macaron classes.

Marguerite’s Elegant Home Cooking
Muriel-Marguerite Foucher leads hands-on classes for up to nine people in her home kitchen on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays. She publishes the menus for each class on her website, so you can see what you’ll be learning in her exposed-beamed, skylighted kitchen under the eaves. The classes are congenial and lots of fun for groups; in fact, she also arranges team-building cooking workshops and classes for special events like family gatherings or wedding showers. Marguerite’s home kitchen is in Surenses, near the Bois de Boulogne. Morning classes begin with a market visit and end with lunch. In the evenings, there’s a cheese tasting to go with dinner. Price per person is €120.

Le Cordon Bleu
Actually, you can take classes at Le Cordon Bleu. The list of classes is a bit hard to find on their website; start by selecting the Paris campus and look for “Short Courses.” The €45 euro cost to see the kitchens (in the 15th Arrondissement, near Montparnasse) and taste the food is well worth the effort.

École de Cuisine Alain Ducasse
Alain Ducasse, famous chef of such Paris high-end restaurants as Jules Verne in the Eiffel Tower, now offers half-day and full-day classes at his École de Cuisine in the 16th Arrondissement. If your French is really good, there’s a wide variety of classes – but don’t expect Ducasse to be your instructor. Classes are taught by Ducasse-trained chefs. Prices: €165 for a half-day morning or evening class, or €280 for a full day.

L’atelier des Chefs
Classes are hands-on and held in French. It’s actually quite easy to follow along and many of the Chefs speak some English. Some classes are even offered during the lunch hour – making this a quick, inexpensive and easy way to learn a little French cooking. As little at €17 per 1/2 hour class.