The Real Food Academy Miami

The Real Food Academy Miami is a hands-on cooking school at 570 NE 81st St in the Upper East Side, founded in 2008 by Head Chef Maria Cummins. Guests cook real dishes from scratch, then sit down and eat what they made.

Classes run for ages 5 and up, with separate formats for kids and teens, adults, parent-and-child pairs, and corporate teams. Menus on offer include fresh pasta, pizza, sushi, empanadas, and a Peruvian class built around ceviche and lomo saltado.

The kitchen also hosts birthday parties, date nights, private group events, and spring, summer and winter camps, plus after-school and weekend programs. Guests describe a warm, clean, welcoming space with music, patient instructors and plenty of time to socialize while cooking.

The teaching philosophy centers on real, unprocessed ingredients and smarter, healthier eating. Free parking, both a lot and street spaces, plus wheelchair accessible entrance, parking and restrooms make the visit easy.

Tripadvisor lists a 2-3 hour session length for private events. The business identifies as Latino-owned and women-owned.