10 Best Online Tools for Running a Cooking Class Business

10 Best Online Tools for Running a Cooking Class Business

Running a cooking class business is about more than just great recipes and sharp knives — it's about logistics, customer experience, and making everything from bookings to communication seamless. Whether you're teaching in-person, online, or doing a hybrid setup, the right tech stack can transform your side hustle into a professional operation.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the 10 best online tools for cooking class businesses — from booking software to content platforms — so you can teach cooking online or in person without the stress.

1. Acuity Scheduling

Best for: Streamlined appointment and class bookings

Keyword Boost: cooking class booking software

Acuity makes it simple to offer classes, private sessions, and even package deals with calendar integrations, time zone handling, and automated confirmations.

Why it’s great:

  • Accepts payments at the time of booking
  • Customizable intake forms
  • Works for both live and virtual classes

💡 Tip: Create different booking types for public workshops, private lessons, and corporate events.

2. Zoom

Best for: Teaching cooking classes online in real time

Keyword Boost: teach cooking online

Zoom is still the go-to platform for live virtual classes. Whether you’re guiding a corporate team through sushi rolls or helping a family make ravioli, it offers high-quality video and screen sharing.

Why it’s great:

  • Virtual whiteboard and multiple camera support
  • Breakout rooms for group cooking
  • Easy integration with Eventbrite or booking platforms

🎥 Pro tip: Use an overhead camera for close-ups of your technique.

3. Teachable

Best for: Selling pre-recorded cooking courses

Want to teach cooking without being tied to a live schedule? Teachable lets you create, price, and distribute your cooking course library.

Why it’s great:

  • User-friendly course builder
  • Built-in sales pages and checkout
  • Great for passive income

Examples include: Knife Skills 101, 30-Minute Vegan Meals, or Bread Baking Basics.

4. ConvertKit

Best for: Email marketing and class announcements

Email marketing is essential to keep students in the loop and drive repeat bookings. ConvertKit makes it easy to build an email list, send newsletters, and automate promotions.

Why it’s great:

  • Segment by class interest (e.g., pasta lovers vs. pastry fans)
  • Beautiful landing pages for collecting signups
  • Great automation for drip campaigns

Idea: Use email to announce seasonal workshops or share recipes after class.

5. Canva

Best for: Creating class materials, social media, and branding

You don’t need a graphic designer to look professional. Canva is your all-in-one design studio for menus, recipe cards, Instagram posts, and email headers.

Why it’s great:

  • Templates for just about everything
  • Drag-and-drop friendly
  • Easy to maintain a consistent visual brand

🧾 Create downloadable recipe PDFs for your students post-class!

6. Eventbrite

Best for: Promoting public cooking classes and managing RSVPs

Eventbrite is ideal for hosting ticketed classes, especially when you’re just starting out and don’t have a custom website yet.

Why it’s great:

  • Discoverability on a massive platform
  • Easy to manage multiple class dates
  • Built-in email reminders and reviews

🧑‍🍳 Use it for themed events like Valentine’s Pasta Night or Family Dumpling Day.

7. Stripe or Square

Best for: Taking payments online or in person

Whether you’re accepting payments through your booking software or swiping cards at the event, you’ll need a secure, flexible payment processor.

Why they’re great:

  • Accepts credit/debit cards and digital wallets
  • Integrates with most booking software
  • Mobile card readers for in-person payments

💳 Make checkout smooth — no one wants to Venmo mid-meal.

8. Trello or Notion

Best for: Planning class content and workflows

Running a cooking class business requires more than one recipe. You need a system to plan your marketing, organize your class materials, and track student feedback.

Why they’re great:

  • Visual planning boards for recipes, schedules, and tasks
  • Shareable with your team or co-teachers
  • Great for batching seasonal content

📅 Use Trello to plan your class calendar 3 months out.

9. Instagram + Link in Bio Tools (like Later or Linktree)

Best for: Marketing your cooking classes visually

If you’re not on Instagram, you’re missing a goldmine. People love food content, and your classes are the perfect way to showcase it.

Why it’s great:

  • Behind-the-scenes reels, food photography, and testimonials
  • Linktree/Later helps you consolidate links (class signups, menus, reviews)
  • Works beautifully with Stories for countdowns and Q&As

📸 Pro tip: Always post a short clip of students eating and laughing — it sells the experience.

10. BiteUnite’s White Label Kitchen Program

Best for: Hosting branded cooking classes without owning a kitchen

Running an in-person class but don’t have a physical space? BiteUnite offers a unique white label kitchen rentalsolution where you can host cooking experiences under your own brand in a fully equipped, health-code-compliant setting.

👉 Explore the White Label Kitchen Program

Why it’s great:

  • Ready-to-use space in cities like NYC, San Francisco, and Hong Kong
  • Perfect for entrepreneurs and private chefs
  • Host your branded events without owning a brick-and-mortar

This is ideal for people who want to test the waters before investing in a long-term lease or building their own kitchen space from scratch.

Final Thoughts: Build a Tech-Stack That Supports Your Growth

You don’t need to be a tech wizard to teach cooking online or run in-person classes smoothly. With the right tools, you can spend less time managing logistics and more time doing what you love — sharing your passion for food with the world.

Whether you're hosting virtual workshops from your home kitchen, teaching date-night pasta sessions in person, or building out a full culinary curriculum — these 10 tools will help you:

  • Book students efficiently
  • Deliver polished content
  • Market like a pro
  • Collect payments and feedback
  • Build your culinary brand with confidence

Bonus Tip: Start with 3 Tools

If you're overwhelmed, start with a simple stack:

  • Acuity (for bookings)
  • Zoom or BiteUnite (for virtual or in-person hosting)
  • ConvertKit (for marketing)

Then grow from there as your cooking class empire rises like a perfect soufflé.

Want to Host Cooking Classes in a Real Kitchen?

🔥 Check out BiteUnite’s White Label Kitchen Program
Launch your own branded cooking class without the overhead of building a kitchen.
👉 https://www.biteunite.com/white-label

You bring the flavor. BiteUnite brings the infrastructure.