Culinary Rx Online Cooking School
Pros
- Go at your own pace
- Lifetime Access
- Low price point
- Abundance of delicious recipes
- Online community
Cons
- Grading was a bit slow at times
I recently completed Rouxbe’s Culinary Rx online cooking course. Even though I completed their Forks Over Knives course in 2018, I wanted to see if this course (which is quite a bit less expensive) would be worth the price which, as of May 2021, was $49.
The review above is a quick synopsis of the pros and cons.
You can listen to our review here for more details or read on for a summary of what we discuss.
An “Online” Cooking Course?
The
The feedback I received on my graded homework was very detailed and I could tell someone actually took the time to review my work.
I found the feedback I received when taking the Culinary Rx course to be of the same quality but found that the lag time during grading was greater. The feedback was still valuable but it did take a bit longer for my work to be graded.
So don’t let the fact that this course is online scare you away. It totally works!
Starting the Course
Once you buy the course, you can start anytime you like. You can take the course at your own pace and don’t have to worry about losing access to course materials. You have lifetime access!
This online instructional cooking and nutrition course, taught by leading chef educators and medical professionals, empowers students through their transition to a more health-supportive diet and lifestyle. Completing the course provides individuals with the tools, resources, and culinary confidence to take control of their lives through food and cooking.
Some Course Highlights
- Self-paced online learning
- Videos that help demonstrate the techniques
- Knowledge quizzes
- Practice activities
- Access to live Q&A events
Cancellation Policy
When you sign up for Culinary Rx, 25% is immediately non-refundable. After 7 days, none of the tuition is refundable, but
Course Objectives
The objectives of Culinary Rx are not only to teach you about cooking techniques but also to help you understand the key principles of a whole-foods plant-based lifestyle.
Personally, I like understanding key principles because it helps reinforce my why. In other words, why do I want to eat healthier? Keeping my values and purpose at the forefront helps ensure that I’ll stick with my goal.
Culinary Rx Course Layout
The course layout is very easy to follow and straightforward. There are 7 units that contain over 90 tasks and 75+ recipes to help you apply your new cooking skills.
The units are as follows:
Unit 1 – Orientation and Course Overview
This unit covers the course structure and how the assessment works. It also helps to set expectations for what you can expect when taking the course.
You’ll also receive a “Plant-Based 101” that teaches you how to create healthy habits.
Unit 2 – Let’s Start Cooking
From setting up your kitchen for success to understanding meal planning, this section will help you get started the right way.
Both the Forks Over Knives course and this course emphasize the importance of having your kitchen organized so that you will be able to easily access the tools and ingredients you need for your fabulous dishes.
As someone who already considers themselves organized, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I learned from this unit.
This unit also contains some tips for stocking your pantry with cooking essentials.
Unit 3 – Plant-Based Kitchen Essentials
This unit focuses on learning the ins and outs of using a chef’s knife, mastering knife cuts, and using a bench scraper. Confession, I had NO IDEA what a bench scraper was used for until I watched their video.
This unit also discusses various stocks used for plant-based cooking as well as batch-cooking techniques.
- Multi-purpose scraper/chopper tool for working with dough, chopping, and measuring
- Broad, rectangular-shaped, stainless-steel blade with square edge
- 1-inch measurement marks along blade edge for creating perfectly even portions
- Comfortably contoured, nonslip handle; dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup
- Backed by an Amazon Basics limited one-year warranty
Unit 4 – Basic Cooking Techniques Part 1
Let’s get cooking! Part 1 of Basic Cooking Techniques discusses salads, dressings, and various ways to cook your veggies such as steaming, sweating, sauteing, and roasting.
No more soggy steamed veggies at my house!
Unit 5 – Basic Cooking Techniques Part 2
The second part of Basic Cooking Techniques discusses cooking rice and whole grains. Full disclosure, this still isn’t my strong suit, but I have a great resource now for a refresher.
Unit 6 – Course Assessment
This unit is more of a closeout unit where you take your final assessment. Don’t worry, with every quiz including the final, you have plenty of practice opportunities available to you, so no need to stress!
Unit 7 – Plant-Based Nutrition Guide
This last unit sends you on your way with a good number of resources, such as:
- Understanding your food choices
- Nutrients your body needs (the micronutrients and macronutrients)
- Help with reading labels
- Help with going out to eat
- Books, websites, and other references
Upon completion of the course, you get this awesome certificate for being AWESOME! But completing this course isn’t just about bragging rights. 
How is Culinary Rx Different from The Forks Over Knives Cooking Course?
Hands down, the Forks Over Knives Cooking Course is much more comprehensive than Culinary Rx. That also explains the much higher price for Forks Over Knives.
If you’ve taken the Forks Over Knives Course, you’re not going to learn much more in Culinary Rx. Therefore, I would advise someone who has already taken the more advanced course to invest their money in one of
Would I Take It Again?
I definitely would take this course again but, per my previous comments, it would’ve been more beneficial as an entry into a more advanced cooking course. What’s really great about Culinary Rx is that you get the basics of a more advanced course like Forks Over Knives without the bigger price tag.
Culinary Rx would also make a great gift for the aspiring plant-based chef in your life!
Another option is Rouxbe’s Monthly Membership Plan, which is very affordable and also makes a great gift. It even comes with a 7-day free trial so you can check it out before you buy it.
- Have the world's leading online culinary school at your fingertips with unlimited access to membership courses, all lessons, and hundreds of recipes.
- Receive chef support from renowned chef educators and hands-on assessments to practice your newly developed technique. With over 590,000 students worldwide we are teaching the world to cook – the right way!
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Also Mentioned In This Episode
With three times the protein, double the fiber, and 30% fewer net carbs, Banza Chickpea Rice is a tasty and nutritious alternative to rice, quinoa, and cauliflower rice.
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