In the summer of 2019, I stepped out of my comfort zone and into a 90-day immersive online cooking course with the Forks Over Knives Cooking Class.

While I was a little nervous—since I’m not the primary cook in the house (and for good reason!)—I knew I needed to improve my core culinary skills so that Larissa wasn’t stuck with all the cooking.

After all, it’s so easy to get into a cooking rut, making the same recipes over and over (especially when your cooking techniques are limited). Not only is the lack of variety boring, it means that we rely more on processed foods which we don’t want to do.

Although neither Larissa nor I follow a strict whole-food, plant-based diet, we firmly believe that animal-based and processed food diets contribute to many chronic diseases and a range of health conditions these days. We also think a balanced plant-focused diet can help reverse these conditions, so I was even more motivated to start the course.

Time to POWER UP my cooking game!

Here’s my review and key takeaways from the Rouxbe Forks Over Knives Cooking Class.

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The course is set up in nine units and covers everything from the basics of cooking to advanced techniques.

The course emphasizes a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle that meets all nutrient needs except B12. It teaches students to see food as a full package of nutrients.

We did a “kitchen reset” and learned about the importance of having quality equipment, like reliable knives. I ended up investing in the Top Chef 9-Piece Knife Set, which is perfect for practicing different knife cuts. The importance of taking care of knives was another valuable lesson that helped me appreciate how good tools can enhance cooking.

• Set includes: 8" chef knife, 8" bread knife, 7" santoku knife, 4.5" utility knife, 3" paring knife, shears, sharpening rod, and knife block
• Durable: Made from ice-tempered 4116 high carbon german stainless steel for an exceptional degree of corrosion resistance and peak edge retention
• Professional grade: 15-degree edge sharpness for precision cutting and hand finished with Japanese ultra-fine polishing wheel
• Balanced: Full tang construction for balance, durability, and ease of use

The concept of mise en place—prepping everything ahead of time—was a huge game-changer. It helped me stay organized andreduced the risk of cross-contamination. This skill-based lesson is a must for confident cooks.

After taking this course, Larissa and I devoted an entire podcast episode to the concept of mise en place because it was a HUGE takeaway for me. Listen to it here.

At first, I was skeptical about oil-free cooking, but I learned that with constant movement and high heat, it’s totally doable! A good quality pan, like the Emeril Lagasse Stainless Steel Fry Pan, also made a difference.

This was the concept that I was probably the most skeptical about, but now I believe that cooking without oil is possible!

Plant-based foods don’t have to be bland. I discovered how umami-rich ingredients can add depth to plant-based dishes.

Plant-based sources of umami include:

The course taught me how to bring out exciting flavor profiles and balance sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami for delicious meals.

Here are a few other cool things you get when you take the course:

I’d definitely take this online cooking course again. It’s well-structured, with hours of step-by-step instructions instruction from world-renowned chefs.

If you’re considering an online cooking school to master plant-based cooking techniques, I highly recommend it. Whether you’re looking to boost your culinary skills or want to explore delicious plant-based dishes, this course covers it all—from vegan recipes to time-saving batch cooking strategies.

If you’re ready to up your plant-based cooking game, check out the Forks Over Knives Cooking Courses through Rouxbe Cooking School. It could be the perfect gift for yourself or someone else!

• Learn to master knife skills
• Cooking without oil and creating healthy stocks/ sauces
• Time-Saving cooking strategies
• Virtual Q&A's and instructor support

Not ready to jump into the full course just yet?  Try a monthly membership for only $9.99/ month to see if Rouxbe online courses are right for you!

You can also try their smaller less expensive course to start with, Culinary Rx. Read my review of that course here.

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Listen here to hear us discuss my top takeaways or read on for a quick summary:

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