An experience gift is something to do rather than something to own: a class, a show, a trip or a meal. Instead of another thing to store, you're giving a memory, and sometimes a new skill to go with it.
Experience Gifts in Denver: Why a Cooking Class Beats Another Sweater
The best experience gifts in Denver are the ones people actually use, and a hands-on cooking class at Cook Street School of Culinary Arts is one of them. A Cook Street gift card works for one-night and series classes at every skill level, so they pick the cuisine, the night and what they want to learn.
Ready to skip the gift-wrap guesswork? Give a Cook Street holiday cooking class gift card this year.
Every December, the same question comes up: what do you get for the person who already has everything? Another sweater ends up in a drawer. Another candle ends up regifted. Another gadget ends up in the back of a cabinet, next to the spiralizer from two Christmases ago.
That's where experience gifts come in. And if you're shopping for someone in Denver, few experiences are as fun, useful or delicious as a night in a real kitchen with a real chef.
An experience gift is something to do rather than something to own: a class, a show, a trip or a meal. Instead of another thing to store, you're giving a memory, and sometimes a new skill to go with it.
Experience gifts work for nearly everyone on your list. They don't come in the wrong size or the wrong color. They don't need batteries. And they're easy to give: the person you're shopping for picks the date that works for them.
That makes experience gifts especially good for the holidays, when calendars are full and nobody wants more clutter. Christmas experience gifts give people something to look forward to in the new year, long after the wrapping paper is gone.
A cooking class is fun on the night and useful for years after. Your friend doesn't just eat a great meal; they learn how to make it, and they take that skill home to their own kitchen.
Here's what makes a hands-on class at Cook Street a gift that doesn't get returned:
Take the Knife Skills class as an example. Students learn how to choose the right knife for the job, keep it sharp, break down a whole chicken and make classic cuts like julienne, brunoise and chiffonade. It sounds simple, but that kind of foundation is what turns a nervous home cook into a confident one. (For the long version, here's why knife skills are the most important class you can take.)
The best class is the one that fits the person. If you're not sure, a gift card lets them choose. If you'd like to steer them toward something, here's a quick guide:
Who you're shopping for
A class to suggest
Why it works
Your partner
- A Culinary Date Night class
- You cook a three-course meal from scratch together, then sit down and enjoy it.
Someone just learning to cook
- Knife Skills or Pasta 101
- They build the foundations every recipe depends on.
The baker
- A bread or pastry class
- Bread, laminated dough and cakes are all easier to learn with a chef beside you.
The adventurous eater
- A global cuisine class
- Thai, sushi, Korean, Mexican or dim sum, without leaving Denver.
The person who has everything
- A gift card in any amount
- They pick the class, the cuisine and the date.
Date night classes are a favorite for couples. We've written about why cooking classes make the best date night destinations, and the same reasons make them a great gift. For bakers, our guide to mastering the art of sourdough gives a taste of what a bread class covers.
You can browse everything on the Cook Street class listings to get ideas before you buy.
For most people, there isn't one. People search for a "cooking class gift certificate" and a "cooking class gift card" to mean the same thing: a gift that pays for a class the recipient picks later.
At Cook Street, it's a gift card. You choose the amount, and it can be used for one-night classes, series classes, online classes or merchandise. Gift cards come in digital or physical form, and you can buy one on the Cook Street gift card page.
A good rule of thumb: look at the class listings, find a class you think they'd love, and cover that. Or set an amount and let them put it toward whatever catches their eye.
Whenever you're ready. Because the person you're giving it to books the class themselves, you don't need to pick a date or coordinate anyone's schedule.
That also makes a cooking class gift card one of the easiest last-minute gifts on your list. [CONFIRM WITH LINDSEY: digital gift cards are emailed instantly at checkout, so you can buy one as late as Christmas Eve and still have it ready by Christmas morning.]
It works just as well outside the holidays, too: birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, a thank-you to a neighbor, or just because.
Cook Street School of Culinary Arts has been Denver's hands-on culinary school since 1999. It's a professional culinary school in the Golden Triangle that also runs hands-on classes for home cooks, taught by chef instructors in a real kitchen.
Classes range from one-night sessions to the multi-day Classic Techniques course, plus wine classes and series classes. Whether your friend lives downtown or drives in from Aurora, Lakewood or Centennial, they'll leave with a full stomach and new skills. You can read more about Cook Street School of Culinary Arts and its history.
This year, skip the sweater. Give someone a night they'll talk about and a skill they'll use for years. Shop Cook Street holiday cooking class gift cards and let them pick the class that makes them hungry.
Look for gifts people do rather than store, like a hands-on cooking class. Cook Street School of Culinary Arts in Denver offers gift cards for one-night and series classes, so the person you give one to picks the cuisine and the date.
Yes. A Cook Street gift card works for one-night and series classes at every skill level. They can choose a hands-on class, a date night for two or a multi-part series.
Yes. Classes are taught by chef instructors who guide students through every step, and there are classes for every skill level. Knife Skills is a good place to start.
Cook Street gift cards come in any amount. Check the class listings, find a class they'd enjoy and cover it, or choose an amount they can put toward the class of their choice.
Cook Street is at 43 W. 9th Ave, Denver, CO 80204, in the Golden Triangle. You can reach the school at (303) 308-9300.
