If you are interesting in taking a cooking class in New York City, your biggest problem will probably be deciding on which class to take. Of course you could go to an established culinary school, but the most interesting classes can be found at smaller establishments, like restaurants, caterers or small schools run by chefs.
This type of cooking instruction usually is more interesting and informal. You are not following a curriculum, you are following the expertise and whims of the chef or the school. Some chefs will even provide private cooking lessons in your own home. Of course that is going to be more expensive, but it might be the perfect evening for a couple with some extra money to spend.
Some small cooking schools rent space from a restaurant or hotel so you will be learning in a professional kitchen, not in a school’s kitchen, which could make the experience more realistic.
If you want to learn to cook a certain style of food, these small schools are probably going to work best. You just need to find a school or chef that specializes in the style you want to learn.
Another cooking class experience that is very interesting, is to actually work side-by-side with a chef in the restaurant kitchen, working during a dinner service. This type of training is harder to find, but might be worth the effort it takes to find this type of setup.
Probably the best way to find the cooking class you want to take is by searching the internet. Even the smallest school will have a basic website with information to help you make your decision. If you can’t find any reviews about the classes you could call and ask to speak to past students to see what their experience was like.