Paris: Cooking Class with Ferrandi at Galeries Lafayette

The best part of this Paris cooking class is that you don’t just watch a chef make French food. You work through a recipe with a professional chef from Ferrandi, then sit down to eat what you’ve made. The menu may include duck breast with vegetables, asparagus and pea risotto, or sea bream with Maxim potatoes.

I like two things in particular: the small group, capped at six, leaves room for individual guidance, and the class focuses on cooking techniques you can use again at home. One practical consideration: drinks aren’t included, and two hours gives you a focused lesson rather than a full cooking course.

Key points to know

• Three French dishes to choose from: Options include duck breast with vegetables, green asparagus and pea risotto, and sea bream with Maxim potatoes.
• A Ferrandi chef leads the class: You’ll learn step by step and can ask about cooking methods as you work.
• Lunch is part of the experience: The class ends with a traditional-style tasting of your creation.
• Just six participants: The small group size should make it easier to follow the chef and get help.
• Plan for two hours: The class is offered in English or French, with start times varying by availability.

A hands-on meal at Galeries Lafayette

This class takes place at Ferrandi’s Kitchen on the third floor of the Lafayette Maison and Gourmet Store at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann. The setting puts a cooking lesson inside one of Paris’s best-known department stores, but the focus is on the kitchen: learning a French recipe and making it yourself.

The session lasts two hours. That’s enough time for a concentrated introduction to a dish, its preparation, and the techniques behind it. It’s not a long course covering a whole menu, so think of it as a practical culinary experience with lunch at the end, rather than an all-day workshop.

You’ll meet a professional chef from Ferrandi, a renowned culinary school, and follow their guidance through the recipe. The instruction is step by step, which makes the class suitable for different skill levels. If you’re new to cooking, you can learn the basics as you go. If you already cook, you can pay closer attention to technique and the chef’s small adjustments.

Choosing your dish

The available recipes give you a useful sense of the class’s French focus. You may be able to make duck breast with vegetables, a risotto with green asparagus and peas, or sea bream fillet with Maxim potatoes. Each offers a different kind of lesson: meat cookery, a creamy rice dish, or fish paired with a classic potato preparation.

The listed options are examples of the dishes you can choose from. Check the available recipe when booking rather than assuming every class prepares all three. The class is short, and its value comes partly from concentrating on one dish in enough detail to understand how it comes together.

For a home cook, that focus is a plus. You can pay attention to the cooking process instead of racing through several recipes. The French reviewer who praised the class particularly valued the chef’s advice on cooking techniques and the chance to make a delicious dish that could be reproduced at home. That’s a good measure of what makes this kind of class useful: you leave with more than a meal, ideally with a method you can repeat.

Learning from the chef

The chef shares experience, know-how, and cooking techniques while you prepare the dish. The exact lesson will depend on the recipe, but the format is designed to explain the work as you go rather than leave you watching a demonstration from the sidelines.

I’d use the small group to ask practical questions. If you’re unsure about a cooking step or want to understand why a technique matters, this is a better setting for speaking up than a crowded class. The group is limited to six, and that’s a meaningful detail at this price: there are fewer people competing for the chef’s attention.

The chef’s personal style can also shape the experience. One participant described the chef as available and friendly, and found the advice on cooking methods especially valuable. No chef name is provided, so you can’t request a particular instructor. Still, the class’s stated format puts professional guidance at its center.

Sitting down to eat your work

The class ends with a tasting of the dish you’ve made, served in a traditional French style. Lunch is included in the price, so the cooking lesson has a satisfying finish: you don’t simply pack up after the last step and head off hungry.

That meal is a practical part of the experience, not an extra attraction. You get to taste the result while the preparation is still fresh in your mind. One participant called it the best meal of their Paris stay, crediting both the care taken with the ingredients and the pleasure of having made it themselves. That’s a personal response, not a guarantee, but it captures the appeal of eating something you’ve prepared with a chef’s guidance.

Drinks are not included. If you’d like something with lunch, budget for that separately. The details provided don’t specify what drinks are available or their cost, so check at the venue if that matters to you.

Is $153 a fair price?

At $153 per person, this is a special-occasion activity rather than a low-cost meal. The price includes the two-hour class and lunch, along with instruction from a Ferrandi chef in a group limited to six. You’re paying for active participation, professional guidance, and the chance to practice a French dish, not simply for food.

The value is strongest if you enjoy cooking or want an activity that connects a Paris meal with a skill you can take home. A restaurant lunch may cost less, but it won’t give you the same hands-on lesson. If you’re mainly looking for a quick bite or a broad survey of French cuisine, this class may not be the best fit. It concentrates on a single recipe and has a fixed two-hour format.

The class has a rating of 4.9 from 15 reviews, and the strongest praise centers on the food, the learning, and the chef’s guidance. That’s encouraging, though a small number of ratings can’t tell you exactly how your own session will go. I’d treat the score as a positive sign and make the decision based on whether cooking is part of the experience you want.

Who should book this class?

This works well for adults who like to cook, curious beginners, and anyone who would rather spend part of a Paris day making a meal than only ordering one. It can also be a good choice for two people with different skill levels, since the class is described as suitable for all levels and proceeds step by step.

It’s less suitable if you want a full-day culinary course, prefer to observe rather than cook, or need drinks included. Children under 12 cannot take part. Teenagers under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, and accompanying people also need an admission ticket. Pets are not allowed.

The activity is taught in English or French. Bring a passport or ID card, and check the available start times before you book. You can cancel up to two days in advance for a full refund, which gives you some flexibility if your Paris plans change.

Should you book it?

Book this class if you want a small, guided introduction to French cooking and like the idea of eating a dish you helped prepare. The strongest reasons are the six-person limit, the practical instruction, and the included lunch. You’ll get more from it if you’re curious about technique and willing to take part, rather than expecting a cooking demonstration followed by a restaurant-style meal.

Skip it if the price feels steep for a two-hour activity, or if you’d rather spend your meal budget on a restaurant. For cooks and food-minded visitors, though, it offers a useful blend of instruction and lunch, with the chance to bring a French recipe home in your head and, with practice, onto your table.

FAQ

How long is the cooking class?

The class lasts two hours.

Where does the class meet?

Meet at Ferrandi’s Kitchen on the third floor of the Lafayette Maison and Gourmet Store at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann.

What dishes might I prepare?

Options include duck breast with vegetables, green asparagus and pea risotto, and sea bream fillet with Maxim potatoes. Check the available recipe when booking.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is included, and the class ends with a tasting of your creation. Drinks are not included.

What languages are spoken?

The instructor teaches in English or French.

Can children take part?

Children under 12 cannot participate. Teenagers under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, and accompanying persons also need an admission ticket.