Whether you’re fed up with reheating raviolis from Trader Joe’s and calling it a meal or you’re looking to transform your kitchen into a full-tilt culinary arena that would impress the likes of Bobby Flay, there’s a cooking class out there in Los Angeles that will change your game. Indeed, these classes cover a lot of ground – weekend sushi-making, date night classes for two, casual forays into uncharted territories of cuisine, and even classes that discourage measurement tools in any form – all of which equates to you having no more excuses for staying out of the kitchen. The following suggestions represent our picks if you’re ready to discover great cooking classes in Woodland Hills!

Hipcooks Woodland Hills provides hands-on cooking classes for the novice and seasoned chef alike…a place where measuring instruments are banned, tasting is encouraged and your inner cook is invited to play. The best part about participating in Hipcooks’ classes is that every course ends with a dinner party. If you’ve been dreaming about learning to cook healthy food for your family, fun dishes for your closest friends or knife skills that would impress a samurai, Hipcooks shows you how to be as cool in the kitchen as you are everywhere else around the City of Angels. The cooking school is located at 5305 Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

Sur La Table Cooking Classes are offered by a culinary name you probably know very well. Sur La Table is a go-to staple for cooking aficionados and professionals, and has been for many years, with those in-the-know about all things culinary routinely recommending the store for any and all supplies. The Sur La Table location in Woodland Hills on Topanga Canyon Boulevard offers a plethora of cooking classes in the back of the retail store at The Village, with class sizes varying depending on demand; head chef Lynn Warnesky leads a set of classes at this location including “date night” courses – a great experience for you and your significant other when you want to learn how to cook a meal in a very relaxed atmosphere. The best part? You get to eat what you make! Sur La Table in the Woodland Hills area is located at 6316 Topanga Canyon Boulevard Suite 1150 in Los Angeles.

Lemon and Herb  offers intimate cooking lessons in the comfort of your own home, all of which have been designed to enhance your skills in the kitchen while teaching new recipes. Lessons are created and taught by Anessa Pike, a graduate of The Culinary School at The Art Institute of Santa Monica, who has owned a catering business, worked for fine dining venues throughout the west Los Angeles area and who was an associated students special events catering manager at UCLA. Anessa goes out of her way to share her knowledge and skillset with each student by teaching the secrets to healthy and delicious meals he or she can make at home. Lemon and Herb is located at 6464 Ellenview Avenue in West Hills.

BLVD Kitchen  aims to be the heart of its own Sherman Oaks neighborhood and a place for Los Angeles cooks of all kinds to gather and share ideas – try one of BLVD’s hands-on cooking classes or come in and cook with your family, friends and neighbors for Community Sunday Supper. Got an idea or a group? Let BLVD Kitchen create a cooking event just for you. Intimate, tasty, hands-on cooking classes here are a great way to learn new skills and meet new people, with July classes that include Beginning Skills II: Stovetop, Beat the Heat with Healthy Eats, Family Fridays: Teriyaki Night! and Tummy Thyme Baby Food Workshop. BLVD Kitchen is located at 13545 Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles.

The Academy of Culinary Education  offers a foray into an exciting culinary learning experience in a stimulating, intimate environment, with seasoned chef and talented educator Cecilia De Castro at the forefront and her distinguished industry instructors along for the ride. Students are attracted to ACE not only because they wish to pursue a career in the food industry, but because they’re also looking for a dramatic career change. No experience is necessary to attend classes, and no application is required – just a passion for food. Further, ACE devotes approximately 80-percent of its classes to hands-on cooking and personal attention from chef Cecilia and her experienced staff – whether you wish to pursue a professional career or cook recreationally, you will learn techniques on both commercial and residential equipment. The ACE is located at 21932 Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles.

A cooking class isn’t just about cooking – it’s about comradery. Not only do you get to spend time with your friends and swap fledgling culinary stories, you are also learning how to make some amazing foods…with the added bonus of getting to taste your creation, which is, hands down, the best thing about cooking classes in Woodland Hills!