Unusual Cooking Gifts That Aren't Just Another Cookbook

Treat your foodie friends to one of our tasty unique experience gifts in 2024, that they'll savour long after the plate is clean! 

If you've got a keen cook to buy for, you already know the problem: they've got the cookbooks, the gadgets, probably a sourdough starter they've named. What they don't have is an excuse to actually learn something new. From Indian street food and sourdough bread baking to cocktail-and-dinner workshops that turn a Friday night upside down, an experience gift solves that properly – and if they're after something a bit further off the beaten path, here are twelve properly unusual ones to start with, plus three more regional standouts further down.

Top 12 Unusual Cooking Gifts

These twelve go beyond a standard "learn to make pasta" class – each one teaches a technique or cuisine most people never get properly hands-on with.

1. Lactic Fermentation Cooking Class

Fermentation is one of the oldest cooking techniques in the world, but few people have had the chance to master it. A lactic fermentation cooking class introduces participants to the fascinating world of live cultures and probiotics. From crafting tangy kimchi to making homemade sauerkraut and miso, this experience is as educational as it is delicious. Guests will learn about the health benefits of fermented foods and how to create them at home with simple ingredients and equipment. This unusual cooking gift is perfect for health-conscious foodies, fermentation fans, and anyone curious about gut-friendly cuisine.

2. Japanese Cooking Class

For those enchanted by the precision and artistry of Japanese cuisine, a Japanese cooking class is a dream come true. This experience goes far beyond sushi rolling. Participants can learn to prepare iconic dishes like ramen, tempura, and gyoza under the guidance of a professional chef. They’ll discover the cultural significance of umami and master techniques like knife skills and ingredient preparation. Japanese cooking classes cater to all levels of experience and offer an immersive taste of Japan’s culinary heritage. It’s an unforgettable way to experience the magic of Japanese cuisine and a truly unusual cooking gift.

3. Ethiopian Cooking Experience

Bring the vibrant flavours of Ethiopia into the kitchen with an authentic Ethiopian cooking experience. Unlike most Western cuisines, Ethiopian cooking relies on unique ingredients like teff flour for injera (a spongy flatbread) and an array of aromatic spice blends like berbere. Participants will learn to cook hearty, flavour-packed stews called wats and discover how to serve dishes communally, as is tradition in Ethiopian culture. This experience is a sensory adventure, offering insight into Ethiopia’s rich culinary history and its distinctive cooking techniques. It’s an extraordinary gift for anyone eager to broaden their taste horizons.

4. Chocolate and Churros Making on a Boat

For a mix of luxury, fun, and indulgence, few experiences match a chocolate and churros cooking class on a boat. This unusual cooking gift takes the traditional cooking class to the water, creating a scenic and memorable backdrop for a hands-on culinary adventure. Participants will learn to make crispy, golden churros from scratch and dip them in rich, velvety chocolate sauce. The unique setting adds an extra layer of charm, and the decadent treats at the end are a reward worth waiting for. It’s an ideal gift for couples, foodies, and anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind experience.

5. Vegan Indian Cooking Class

Indian cuisine is celebrated for its vibrant flavours, rich spices, and comforting dishes—and it’s perfectly suited to vegan cooking. A vegan Indian cooking class teaches participants how to create plant-based versions of classic dishes like chana masala, aloo gobi, and dal makhani. They’ll learn to make spice blends from scratch and explore the principles of balancing flavours. This experience is perfect for those who want to expand their plant-based cooking repertoire or learn new ways to make vegetables the star of the show. It’s a thoughtful and unusual cooking gift for vegans, vegetarians, and anyone looking to spice up their home-cooked meals.

6. Taste of Philippines Cooking Class

Filipino food still isn't mainstream in the UK, which makes this class a real discovery rather than a rehash of something they've already tried. Chef Mark walks guests through Sinigang, Kinilaw and Ensaladang Mangga — dishes built around the specific sourness that defines much of Filipino cooking, using garlic, onion, soy and vinegar as the backbone of almost everything. The meal is eaten family-style at the end, which is the only proper way to eat Filipino food. A good pick for a foodie who's already worked through the more familiar Southeast Asian cuisines.

7. Jamaican Classics Cooking Class

Run by Tan Rosie Foods — a mother-and-daughter team, Monica and Lee, named after Monica's grandmother "Tan Rosie" — this Birmingham class teaches real Caribbean cooking rooted in family recipes from Grenada and Carriacou. It's personal rather than generic: recipe cards, membership perks and leftovers to take home all come with the class, but the real value is learning dishes that come from an actual family kitchen rather than a general "Caribbean cuisine" overview.

8. Nigerian Street Food Cooking Class, Lope Ariyo Cookery School

Founded by Lopè Ariyo — author of the cookbook Hibiscus and an Observer Rising Star in Food — this London school opened its doors in February 2026 and had already taught over 100 students within months. Classes cover West African street food, breakfasts, jollof, soups and stews, taught properly rather than as a novelty. Worth booking for someone who wants to learn from an actual published food writer, not just a keen home cook running classes on the side.

9. Lebanon and Middle Eastern Cooking Class

This half-day London class moves through the flavours of Syria, Lebanon and the Maghreb — saffron, rosewater, cardamom, cinnamon, fig — while teaching the mezze concept of eating, which is as much about how Middle Eastern communities share food as it is about any single dish. A step beyond the Lebanese food most people already know from high-street restaurants.

10. Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Workshop

Most "chocolate making" classes start from melted chocolate that's already been through the hard part. This Notting Hill workshop starts from actual cocoa beans — sorting, roasting and grinding them into a real bar, with tastings at every stage along the way. A proper gift for someone who thinks they already know how chocolate is made and would be surprised to find out how much of the process they're missing.

11. Sri Lankan Classics Cooking Class

Bristol's Sri Lankan cooking class covers a handful of curries and accompaniments built on coconut milk, caramelised onion and fragrant spice, finishing with watalappan — a silky, cardamom-spiced coconut flan most guests won't have come across before. One of South Asia's most under-represented cuisines on the UK cooking-class circuit, which makes it a properly unusual pick rather than a familiar one with a new label.

12. Four Course Tasting Dinner with Nikka Whisky Pairing

For the foodie whose real interest is drink as much as food, this London experience pairs four courses with Nikka whiskies rather than the usual wine flight. It's less a cooking class than a guided tasting dinner, which makes it a good outlier on this list for anyone who'd rather sit back and be shown something than cook it themselves — a legitimate variation on "experience gift" that doesn't require the recipient to do any of the work.

Why an Experience Beats Another Kitchen Gadget

Kitchenware and gift boxes get used a few times and then live in a drawer. An experience gift doesn't have that problem — it hands over a skill they'll actually keep using, plus a properly fun few hours getting there. Each of the classes above drops the recipient into a culinary world they might never have got round to trying on their own, which is really the whole point: less "here's a thing," more "here's a door into something new." If you're stuck between a cookbook and an experience for your food-loving favourite, the experience wins — it's the gift that actually gets used.

Why Opt for Experience Gifts Over Material Gifts?

Celebrations become a culinary journey when you choose experience presents over traditional gifts, which is why our cooking classes and tasting workshops are all you’ll need for your food-loving favourite this year. Not only do these encounters equip participants with skills that last a lifetime, but they also allow your budding chef to indulge in their passion for gastronomy – so embrace the joy of giving and leave a lasting impression this year!

Delicious Delights: A Taste of Edinburgh

Ready to steam up some serious fun? Edinburgh is calling all foodies for a truly irresistible adventure! Gift your favourite person the chance to master the fluffy delight of bao buns at this hands-on workshop, where they'll discover the simple joy of shaping, filling, and steaming their own perfect, pillowy parcels. Expert instructors will guide them through the process, ensuring a delicious and fun experience, allowing them to not only feast on incredible savoury buns but also to take pride in crafting a beautiful, authentic street food favourite.

Let Them Make Colourful Fresh Pasta in Yorkshire

Sheffield, a city buzzing with creativity, offers a great experience for pasta enthusiasts. Gift your foodie friends the chance to make colourful fresh pasta from scratch at this hands-on pasta making workshop, where they'll discover the joy of crafting vibrant pasta using the best ingredients. Expert instructors will guide them through the process, ensuring a delightful and educational experience, allowing them to not only relish delicious pasta but also to take pride in creating it.

Shake Things Up with a Cuban Cocktail Masterclass and Meal in Birmingham

Birmingham, a city known for its diverse cultural offerings, sets the stage for a unique gift experience — a Cuban cocktail masterclass and meal. Transport your foodie friends to the lively streets of Havana as they learn the art of crafting authentic Cuban cocktails; from Mojitos to Daiquiris, this hands-on class promises a spirited adventure! Following the mixology session, they'll get to indulge in a delightful meal infused with South American and Caribbean flavours, finishing with a full stomach and plenty of fresh skills.

Incorporate these unusual gift experiences for foodies into your gifting repertoire this year, and watch your loved ones beam! From fermenting classes and West African cooking in London to Sri Lankan curries in Bristol, colourful pasta-making in Sheffield, and a Cuban cocktail masterclass in Birmingham, these encounters are more than just presents — they're a celebration of passion, flavour, and shared moments.

Unusual cooking gifts – your verdict

Don't just take our word for it – listen to the happy customers who've already traded predictable presents for culinary excitement! From mastering authentic global flavours to crafting perfect pastries, our cooking workshops are consistently rated five stars for fun, flavour, and skill-building. Get ready to see why gifting a foodie experience is always a winner!

"This was a gift from my son as I love Indian food. The teacher was fantastic, very knowledgeable and gave us the technical understanding behind the cooking processes we were using. The layout was great with everything you needed ready to hand. Great value for money, brilliant and fun atmosphere and very, very pleased with my first authentic Indian food. Definitely recommend" - Richard Green, Indian Cooking Class

Amazingly knowledgeable teacher, fun 3 hours and definitely converted to the taste and benefits of Kombucha! Carey Conway, Kombucha making class

It was so interesting and I learned this new art of how to make mochi. Additionally, I also got the whole historical context how mochi even came about.I enjoyed my class and would recommend it to everyone. Elisa Pisi, Mochi making class

Have a friend who prefers to spend their time in the elements? Discover our unique experience days to make nature lovers bloom.