Charlotte has no shortage of places to grab dinner. Making it yourself in a room of strangers is another story.

That's what brought me to Chef Alyssa's Kitchen for a recent bao bun-making class. I signed up expecting to learn a new cooking technique and walked away with new connections and a new favorite activity to spend an evening in South End (with free parking).

The class drew a mix of couples, friends, and solo attendees (like myself), all gathered around workstations stocked with some pre-prepared ingredients. While many of us arrived without knowing anyone else in the room, conversations came naturally as we kneaded dough, chopped ingredients, and laughed through our inevitable mistakes, like using our salad dressing ingredients as a duck marinade.

A person in a blue chef's coat and apron explaining how to steam bao buns. — Chef Alyssa and her team carefully explain each step during a cooking class. | Photo by CLTtoday

Under the guidance of Chef Alyssa and her team, we learned how to prepare the dough for buns, steam them, and stuff them with marinated mushrooms and duck. By the end of the class, the room felt less like a collection of strangers and more like a group celebrating — and savoring — a shared accomplishment.

Pro tip: Bring reusable containers to take any leftovers home.

Whether you're looking for a unique date night, a solo adventure, or a reason to step away from your usual routine, a cooking class offers more than entertainment. It creates opportunities for genuine connection. Classes range from 80 to $95, with the option to purchase previous virtual classes for $15.