Cooking Classes in Sonoma County
Residents in Sonoma County can enjoy hands-on, chef-led cooking classes in Petaluma that focus on practical culinary skills, global cuisines, and meaningful community impact.
Whether you’re looking for a lively night out, a unique way to celebrate, or a chance to sharpen your kitchen skills, our classes are designed to be welcoming and approachable for everyone. No fancy chef skills required, just bring your curiosity (and your appetite).
And here’s the best part: Every class you join helps fuel our mission to support local families with nutritious meals and provide job training for people facing barriers to employment. So while you’re learning to dice, sauté, or whip up something delicious, you’re also making a real difference right here in Sonoma County.
Upcoming Cooking Class Schedule
Please check back frequently, as classes are typically posted 1–2 months in advance. In the meantime, we invite you to sign up for our email newsletter, The Deep Dish, to be notified as soon as new classes are released.
Join us for a cooking class with Almir Da Fonseca, award-winning Executive Chef and Culinary CIA instructor , and discover the flavors of Brazil right here in Sonoma County!
This hands-on, collaborative cooking class will last 2.5 hours, with time to enjoy your meal together at the end. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or just starting out, our classes offer a fun, engaging learning environment, while raising funds for Sonoma Family Meal’s free culinary job training and food-security programs.
If you haven’t been to the SFM Kitchen yet, this class is also the perfect chance to visit and experience where the magic takes place and how the work gets done.
WHEN: Thursday October 8th, 2026, 5-7:30pm
WHERE: SFM community kitchen, 1370A Redwood Way, Petaluma
***PLEASE WEAR CLOSED-TOE SHOES TO ALL CLASSES***
If you have a specific food allergy or have any questions about the menu, please contact hannah@sonomafamilymeal.org.
The Menu:
Feijoada Completa — Brazil's national dish
Pão de Queijo — Brazilian cheese bread
Salada de Feijão Verde — black-eyed bean salad
Moqueca de Peixe — fish moqueca
Moqueca de Vegetais — vegetable moqueca
Brazilian rice and sautéed collard greens
Brigadeiro — chocolate fudge balls
ABOUT THE CHEF:
Chef Almir Da Fonseca is a native of Brazil's Southeast Region and an award-winning executive chef with more than four decades in the food service industry. His path began in marine biology before his passion led him to the professional kitchen.
After his apprenticeship, he built a career as an executive chef across restaurant and hotel kitchens before moving into corporate, private, and winery catering. He owned and operated his own restaurant, and continues to run his catering and gastronomy company, Flavor Source Fonte Sabor.
He found equal purpose in culinary education, teaching at the California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu International, and, for nearly two decades (!), The Culinary Institute of America, where he is a devoted professor of culinary arts.
For years he has researched the regional cuisines of his home country, sharing that work in print, at www.chefalmirdafonseca.com, and now in his award-winning book, The Brazil Project.
Monthly Community Cooking Classes
Feed your hunger, fund our mission.
Every month, we open the doors of our community kitchen in Petaluma for unique group cooking classes. These classes are perfect for anyone eager to roll up their sleeves, discover new recipes (often from locally-renowned chefs and restaurants), and connect with others around a shared table.
Hands-on cooking with guidance from experienced chefs, including guest chefs from your favorite local eateries, and SFM CJT alum on occasion
A variety of cuisines to explore, from international dishes to seasonal, locally inspired menus
Shared meals where you can sit down and enjoy the food you’ve created together
Mission-driven learning that supports food security and job training in Sonoma County
Private Cooking Classes with Purpose
Looking for a unique way to celebrate, connect, or collaborate? Our private cooking classes are tailor-made for groups who want to share a memorable culinary experience while making a meaningful impact.
Hosted in our spacious Petaluma community kitchen
Weeknight evening availability
Accommodates up to 16 people comfortably
Led by professional chefs from Sonoma Family Meal
Price starts at $2,000 for 2.5 hours of guided cooking, eating, and connecting
You can choose one of our signature menus or request a cuisine tailored to your group’s preferences. Along the way, you’ll chop, sauté, laugh, and learn, and then enjoy the feast you’ve created together.
Perfect For
Corporate team-building or bonding
Staff appreciation events or parties
Birthday or holiday celebrations
Social clubs, service groups, or friends’ night out
So gather your team, your friends, or your family, and let’s cook up something unforgettable, because every meal shared in our kitchen helps strengthen our community beyond it.
“Sonoma Family Meal cooking classes are fun, educational, and manageable for the home cook! This is a hidden treasure that benefits our town and Sonoma County! There is a wonderful variety to choose from and a great introduction to international cuisine.”
Treat someone special to an unforgettable experience in Sonoma Family Meal’s Petaluma Kitchen - an SFM cooking class gift card is the perfect present for anyone who loves food, fun, and connection. Our collaborative, hands-on 2.5 hr classes are a chance to learn from local professional chefs, explore new flavors, and share a meal around the table, all while supporting our food security and culinary job training programs.
Giftcard delivered to recipient virtually via email. Valid for one person in any upcoming class, subject to availability. Never expires.
The Perfect Gift for Food Lovers!
A Sonoma County cooking class gift card provides a hands-on culinary experience in Petaluma while supporting local food security programs.
Treat someone special to an unforgettable experience in the Sonoma Family Meal Kitchen - an SFM cooking class gift certificate is the perfect present for anyone who loves food, fun, and connection. Our collaborative, hands-on classes are a chance to learn from local professional chefs, explore new flavors, and share a meal around the table, all while supporting our food security and culinary job training programs.
Why Choose Sonoma Family Meal’s Cooking Classes?
Our cooking classes Sonoma County residents trust combine professional instruction, nonprofit impact, and community connection in one experience.
Support a nonprofit social enterprise: Our classes help fund our Culinary Job Training Program, the only tuition-free bilingual culinary training program in Sonoma County.
Provide meals for neighbors in need: Each class contributes to our work preparing thousands of chef-made meals for food-insecure families.
Strengthen the local food system: By working with rescued ingredients and local farmers, we reduce waste and create sustainable community impact.
When you choose Sonoma Family Meal, you’re not just signing up for a class, you’re supporting a cause that brings good food, good people, and real change to the table.
FAQs About Cooking Classes in Sonoma County
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Sonoma Family Meal offers a variety of cooking classes, including hands-on lessons, foundational skills workshops, and globally-inspired cuisine. Past cuisines and classes have included Mexican, Thai, Italian, Seafood, Middle-Eastern, Mediterranean, Haitian, Jordanian, Spanish, Chinese, Healthy Cooking, Fermenting & Pickling, Fried Chicken, Cookie-Baking, Tamale-making, Cooking with Spices, and so much more!
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Yes! Our cooking classes in Sonoma County are purposeful experiences. Participants learn culinary skills while supporting Sonoma Family Meal’s mission to provide meals for food-insecure families and offer tuition-free culinary job training.
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Absolutely. Our classes welcome all skill levels, from first-time home cooks to experienced food lovers. We pride ourselves on creating a warm, supportive environment where everyone can grow their confidence in the kitchen.
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Yes, we offer cooking classes Petaluma groups can reserve for corporate events, birthdays, staff appreciation, and social gatherings in our community kitchen.
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We host Santa Rosa cooking classes attendees in our Petaluma kitchen, serving guests from across Sonoma County and neighboring communities.
When you join our cooking classes Sonoma County community members recommend, you’re doing more than learning new recipes. You’re strengthening local food systems, supporting families in need, and building real culinary confidence in a welcoming Petaluma kitchen. Reserve your Sonoma County cooking class today and experience food with purpose.