How Difficult is it to Learn American Cooking?

Are you curious about learning American cooking but worried that it might be too hard? Of course, the difficulty that comes with learning a new skill is somewhat subjective. The challenges of learning American cooking depend on factors likeyour previous kitchen skills, how familiar you are with American cuisine, and your preferred learning style. 

No matter your current schedule or comfort level with American cooking, there are plenty of tools available to help make learning easier than you might think.

What is American Cooking?

America is known as a melting pot made up of immigrants from across the globe, enslaved people, and indigenous populations that have all contributed to the culture and food of the country. American cuisine embodies this diversity by pulling inspiration, ingredients, and cooking techniques from all parts of its population. 

Various regions of the U.S. have their own versions of American cooking which can sometimes make it difficult to define. The south, from Tennessee to Florida, is known for its barbecue but you can find French influence in New Orleans and soul food made by the descendants of enslaved people, like the Gullah Geechee in South Carolina. The culinary style of the West is a vibrant mix of Native American, Latin American, and Mexican while the Midwest is proudly known for being the home of stick-to-your-ribs meat and potatoes, thanks to a large population of European immigrants. 

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Defining American food can be tricky but several main dishes are commonly associated with the nation’s cuisine: cookout food (hot dogs and hamburgers), southern (barbecue, grits, fried green tomatoes), meat and potatoes, and international recipes that have been given an American twist (pizza, pasta, Chinese food).

Benefits of Learning American Cooking?

Mastering American cuisine can be beneficial in many ways. Cooking can help you to slow down, set aside your daily stressors, and focus on learning techniques and recipes. Some studies, like this one cited in Southern Living, have found that taking on small, creative projects like baking or cooking can help you feel more relaxed and happier in your everyday life.

Cooking is often recommended to older adults as a way to remain nimble. Prepping and cooking require the use of your fine motor skills and can improve your hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity through measuring, chopping, and stirring ingredients.

You can make new friends in a cooking class, too. Oftentimes, you will be given opportunities to work with your fellow students while you practice various recipes. Plus, you’ll already have a common interest to start building your friendship! American cuisine is a blend of many culinary styles and attracts people from all backgrounds, so you can meet people from communities different from your own. 

If you currently work in the restaurant industry, learning new recipes and techniques in an American cooking class can be a great way to level up your career. You can study the cultural fusion that is central to American cuisine and then infuse your restaurant’s menu with that unique approach. Someday, you might even find your restaurant listed alongside top contenders like those found on Mash’s The Absolute Best American Restaurants in the U.S.

What Are the Hardest Parts of Learning American Cooking?

Learning to cook a new cuisine always has certain challenges. American dishes are a fusion of so many cultures so they may require you to also learn to cook a variety of other styles as well. These dishes can also vary from region to region (no two places seem to agree on what goes into a potato salad, for example), so having an understanding of these regional differences will be helpful. 

You’ll also need an equipped kitchen with enough space to learn American cooking. While in-person classes would provide this for you, students in online classes are responsible for arranging appropriate prep and cooking space for themselves, as well as purchasing all needed ingredients and supplies. While learning to cook American food has its challenges, it is ultimately something anyone with passion and determination can master in no time.

Previous Kitchen Skills

American cuisine relies on the same fundamental skills as most cooking, so having the basics mastered can make learning go more smoothly. Knowing your way around a saute pan, how to slice and dice vegetables, and how to gauge when meat is properly cooked are all skills that will help you to feel more confident and better prepared for your American cooking class. 

Your Familiarity with American Cuisine

It’s hard to cook a dish when you’ve never had it before. After all, how will you know if it tastes right? American cuisine will use a wide range of spices and herbs so being familiar with common American dishes and the basic ingredients that make them up will be extremely helpful. Not super familiar? Try hitting up your local All-American restaurant for your next fun night out. Or, watch a few episodes of shows like Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives or Taste the Nation. 

Your Preferred Learning Style

Knowing your preferred learning style is paramount to any new educational venture. Do you learn best in a hands-on environment or from watching a demo? Do you thrive in a collaborative classroom where you work with other students or do you prefer to work alone? Are you most comfortable learning from the comfort of your own home and at your own pace? Your answers to these questions will help you pick the best option for you, whether that be in-person or online classes. Finding an environment that you feel comfortable in will help alleviate a lot of frustrations while learning American cooking. 

Key Takeaways

• American cooking is as diverse and vibrant as the country’s citizens. It calls upon the culinary traditions of indigenous people, immigrants from across the globe, and the soulful recipes created by enslaved people. 
• Learning American cooking can improve your mental health, enhance your fine motor skills, help you make friends, and even advance your culinary career.
• While learning to cook American cuisine has its challenges, having existing skills in the kitchen, being familiar with American dishes, and knowing your preferred learning style will all help to make your training easier. 
• If you’re looking for a more intimate learning environment, CourseHorse offers private lessons and private group classes. You can reach out through the website to learn more about all available options, including in-person and online private offerings.