What ages can attend?

The camp is for ages 9–17; children must meet the minimum age to participate hands-on.

Where is the meeting point?

Meeting point is 524 St. Louis Street New Orleans, LA 70130—arrive 15 minutes early to check in.

Are allergies accommodated?

Yes. Inform staff at booking and on arrival so instructors can adjust recipes and prevent cross-contact.

Can parents stay during class?

Parents can observe from designated gallery areas and join the Q&A at the end for questions and photos.

What do participants take home?

Each child receives a New Orleans School of Cooking apron, recipe pamphlets, and tasting portions from class.

How long is the camp?

The program runs approximately five hours, including hands-on cooking, lunch, and a finishing parade.

Mardi Gras Kids Cooking Camp in the French Quarter - Beignets & Étouffée for Ages 9–17 | Cooking Class | Workshop

Step into the kitchen on St. Louis Street and let young chefs discover Mardi Gras flavors at the Big Easy Kitchen: Mardi Gras Kids Cooking Camp. Located at 524 St. Louis Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter, this five-hour, hands-on program introduces kids ages 9–17 to savory beignets, chicken étouffée, and the stories behind Creole cuisine. The room is a working teaching kitchen with stainless-steel counters, individual workstations, demonstration burners, and the aromas of roux and frying dough that make the Quarter smell like dinner. Instructors guide small groups through knife basics, roux technique, and safe frying while explaining cultural threads that shaped Louisiana food: French, Spanish, West African and Gulf seafood traditions. Key features include the beignet station where kids shape and fry savory versions (crab, chicken, spinach), a simmering étouffée pot that teaches simmer control, and a demonstration counter for technique that families can watch. The setting itself is part of the lesson — the class sits a short walk from the Mississippi River and amid historic brick facades and ironwork common to the neighborhood, giving context to the recipes. The camp balances celebration and instruction. Children wear a New Orleans School of Cooking apron and receive recipe pamphlets to recreate dishes at home; lunch and refreshments are provided. Group size is limited to 16, which keeps attention focused and gives each participant hands-on time. The program also weaves Mardi Gras traditions into the menu and crafts — color meanings (purple for justice, green for faith, gold for power) are explained as part of a simple parade that finishes class, so kids leave smiling and informed. This offering is special because it pairs culinary technique with local culture in a compact urban setting. It’s not just a class; it’s an introduction to the rhythms of New Orleans foodways, taught in a commercial kitchen designed for teaching rather than a sterile demo booth. For families visiting the city, it’s an immersive, kid-friendly way to get beyond beignets at a cafe and into how the city cooks. Practical notes: the camp runs five hours, is suitable for ages 9–17, and emphasizes food safety and allergy accommodations when notified. Meeting point: 524 St. Louis Street New Orleans, LA 70130. Whether you want a memorable family activity between parades and museums or a way for a young cook to learn real technique with local flavor, this Mardi Gras camp delivers a lively, educational slice of New Orleans on a plate. Parents can observe from the gallery, join a brief Q&A at the end, and take home tasting portions to sample together; instructors often suggest local markets and spice shops where families can source authentic ingredients after class. Bookings often fill quickly during Carnival season.

About The New Orleans School of Cooking

The New Orleans School of Cooking is a culinary school in New Orleans, Louisiana that specializes in hands-on and demonstration classes teaching Cajun and Creole cuisine. Located in the heart of the city, the school offers intimate classes where participants learn classic regional recipes from experienced instructors. Classes include hands-on sessions—often limited to a maximum of 10 participants—so students can chop, season, and prepare dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish pie, seafood gumbo, beef grillades, and chocolate or original pralines. Demonstration classes run approximately 2.5 hours and feature step-by-step preparation of regional favorites such as shrimp and artichoke soup, crawfish étouffée, corn and crab bisque, and pecan pie, with recipe cards to take home.

The curriculum covers techniques like blackening and cast-iron cooking, sauce preparation, and classic Creole seasoning. Offerings include themed experiences such as brunch and mixology events, holiday hands-on menus, and specialty classes like blackening 101 and Coolinary dinner and brunch sessions. Classes culminate with participants sharing the meals they prepare, including desserts like bananas foster, bread pudding, and beignets.

The New Orleans School of Cooking serves both locals and visitors seeking an authentic food-focused cultural experience. The school emphasizes hands-on learning, regional recipes, and a small-group setting that promotes personal instruction and a memorable tasting experience. Many demonstration classes last approximately 2.5 hours, and recipe cards give participants the instructions needed to recreate dishes at home, applying learned techniques in their own kitchens. Menus often feature regional staples such as gumbo, jambalaya, etouffee, pralines, and bananas foster and desserts.