So excited to be heading down to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl next week with my family. My daughter is an 18 year old aspiring chef and I saw information about the French Quarter Culinary Tour. We can't take the Tasting Tour because of the schedule. I am wondering if any Fodorites have opinions on this Culinary Tour or any alternate suggestions. We are only in town for 3 days, so a long class is probably not optimal. Thanks!

Friends and I went to the New Orleans School of Cooking. It's basically a demonstration with some humor and history thrown in and you get to eat all the food afterwards. We sat at tables so it was fun to talk with people who shared our table. You will get the recipes. From our visit I learned to make a good roux and a variety of ideas for bread pudding. Overhead someone say their husband had skipped the event because he doesn't cook but she thought he had missed a good show.
I thought the best place to purchase condiments and ingredients was as the open market near Cafe du Monde. Figure on bringing home some things you can't buy at home so allow some room in your suitcases.

This is an absolutely wonderful tour. It is great for foodies and history lovers alike. Going behind the scenes at restaurants like Antoine's was is a special treat. You will come away knowing the difference between Cajun and Creole cooking.

The tasting tour is great, you get several samples along the way so you get plenty of food and a very nice variety. This is a tour to try and take at the beginning of your trip because you will come away with so many ideas for where to dine.

This tour is a must if you are going to New Orleans. The website for this tour is www.noculinarytours.com.

Thanks for the replies-booked the tour for tomororow so will report back!

If you can swing it make time to eat dinner at Commander's Palace. It's THE legendary place to eat in town, is incredibly well thought of and the chefs are fantastic. After dinner they offer a kitchen tour (if you ask) and give you chef hats!
http://www.commanderspalace.com/

The French Market has a lot of good spices and hot sauces & the like for purchase as well which your daughter might like.

Ooooh, thanks for the link!! I've been there several times, but hadn't heard of this tour!

Moneysauce, we ate at Commander's Palace in Vegas- it was the best dining experience I've ever had, but my husband preferred the food at K-Paul's. I was ready to roll around in my food from either.