Baking and Cooking Classes in Paris: Le Foodist

It’s hard to avoid looking like a tourist while racing to explore Paris. My wife and I had a week in the City of Lights, and one of our favorite adventures immersed us in the French culture. We learned how to make delicious macarons at Le Foodist, which offers baking and cooking classes in Paris.

From the moment we walked in the door, we were greeted with an energy unmatched by anyone else in Paris. Fred, the owner, was energetic and witty – he was hilarious and had the entire room laughing. Anne was sweet and eager to help us learn the art for French baking.

So if you want to do something besides touring the Louvre and gawking at Versailles, sign up for a class with Le Foodist – you won’t regret it. Here’s what our experience was like, and from other reviews I’ve read online, Le Foodist provides one of the best baking and cooking classes in Paris .

Hands-on Training with Excellent Teachers

The macaron baking class started with one very important step – washing our hands. From there, Chef Anne divided us up into three groups. There was a family of four (two adults and two kids), a young woman who had just graduated high school, and my wife and I. Since I knew I would be taking photos in addition to baking, we had the young woman join our group.

Anne then walked each group through making the fillings for the macarons. We were assigned lemon, while the other groups mixed up chocolate ganache and vanilla cream fillings.

Once the fillings were complete, Anne placed them in the fridge and walked us through how to make the cookie shells, including techniques for stirring the meringue that ensures a proper mixture.

Throughout the class, Anne was observing and offering advice on how to make the french pastry. Now the challenge comes in remembering the steps as we return home and follow the recipe they sent so we can achieve perfection in our macarons.

Laugh and Learn the Art of Baking

As you can see from the photo above, we were all having a lot of fun. Anne was energetic with the class and kept us laughing and smiling with witty jokes and fun in the kitchen. We knew the meringue was perfect when you could hold it upside down over your head and not have it splat out. But she cautioned to not hold it for too long or it just might.

While focusing on stirring the paste, Anne had to remind me to breathe. I guess I was a little more focused on stirring than I needed to be. It was a funny, yet important reminder.

We also sought clarification on how to say macaron. Americans tend to call them macaroons. But macaroons are a coconut-type dessert dipped in chocolate. Macarons (with only one ‘o’) is this little french pastry. The accent the French have when they say macaron makes it sound like macaroon, but please be sure and pronounce it correctly, okay? 😉

Everyone is Welcome: Families, Couples, Kids and Individuals

We had a family from Virginia in our class. As we sat around the table enjoying our macarons, they said they were a little nervous when they first registered for the class. They weren’t sure the chef instructor would be able to have kids included in the actual process. But Anne did a fantastic job of including them.

The kids participated in every aspect of the baking process – from piping the batter onto the pan to assembling the finished product. They even took a turn at dropping the pan onto the counter to get out the air bubbles. It’s a legit part of making macarons.

So if you’re wondering whether or not a class at Le Foodist will work for your family, just note that both Fred and Anne were great with the kids.

The young woman who was there from Hawaii also had a great time – and her mom sat in the background watching her daughter create a work of delicious art.

Sign up Online for Your Baking and Cooking Classes in Paris at Le Foodist

Le Foodist offers several types of baking and cooking classes in Paris, each at different times throughout the week and weekend. Our macaron class was on a Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Here’s a rundown of some of the classes they offer:

• Macarons (both a beginner and advanced class)
• Croissants
• Parisian baguette and french bread
• French tarts
• Classic french desserts
• Profiteroles and chocolate eclairs
• A market visit and cooking class
• Cooking class and lunch
• Wine tasting
• Food tours through the Latin Quarter

Our macaron baking class was one of our highlights from the trip. We were able to engage with French chefs, learn how to whip up a delicious dessert, make some friends in the kitchen and immerse ourselves in the culture. In short, we felt less like a tourist and more like a Parisian.

The Details

Address: 59 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris, France. If walking, it’s about 7 minutes from Notre Dame, 3 minutes from Le Panthéon, and 30 seconds from the Cardinal Lemoine metro stop.

Cost: Le Foodist offers several cooking class options starting at about $100 per person. This includes macarons, eclairs/creme puffs, breads, and more.

Hours: Classes are scheduled at various times throughout the day. Check their website and find the baking and cooking classes in Paris that interest you and work with your itinerary.

Phone: +33 6 71 70 95 22

Website: https://www.lefoodist.com/

Disclosure: I received two complimentary registrations for the macaron baking class in Paris for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

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