Radical Cooks absolutely exceeded my expectations! The class was fun, creative, and surprisingly…read moreeasy to follow -- even for recipes I'd never tried before. One of the highlights was learning how to make mini cheesecakes using walnuts and tofu. I never imagined something so simple and wholesome could taste that good. They came out creamy, perfectly sweet, and honestly better than most dairy versions I've had. The instructor was so sweet, warm, patient, and really knowledgeable. They explained the why behind each technique, which made the whole experience feel empowering instead of intimidating. I walked out feeling inspired and excited to try more plant-based dishes at home. If you're looking for a class that's approachable, delicious, and actually teaches you skills you'll use, Radical Cooks is the place. Highly recommend! I'm not even vegan/vegetarian and I loved it!!

I reached out to Rad cooks for a potential team building activity with a company that I was event…read moreplanning with. While we did not end up booking, the owner Nina was very attentive and flexible on putting a bespoke cooking class together for our group. Additionally her quoted pricing was lower than many of the other cooking classes offered in LA. I would 100% recommend Nina and Rad chefs!

This year our company contacted LA Food Works and did a team building event. LA Food Works…read morespecializes in group cooking classes and the entire event lasted about 3~4 hours. Rose is the event organizer and everyone met at her house at 10 AM. After a warm reception and a quick introduction, we quickly split into different teams and I was assigned to the Creamy White Bean and Fennel Casserole station. The staff was very helpful and I just simply followed staff's instructions. Everyone pretty much finished the cooking by 12 PM and we were able to enjoy fruits of our labor! *** Menu *** * Roasted Beef Tenderloin and Chicken Stuffed with Mixed Herb Pesto * Arugula Salad with Candied Pine Nuts and Parmesan Dressing * Roasted Broccoli with Pumpkin Seeds, Pecorino and Gremolata * Creamy White Bean and Fennel Casserole * Lemon Souffle Cake with Macerated Mixed Berries Personally I liked arugula salad the best and my least favorite dish was lemon souffle cake (too sweet). Rose even emailed a digital copy of the recipe to everyone the following week! Overall it was a great team building experience and we also did a murder mystery right after our lunch (different company - not related to LA Food Works).

Our organization recently attended an event in this beautiful location. The ambiance was inviting,…read morethe staff was responsive and helpful, and the food was delicious! I highly recommend this team-building opportunity.

I am from New York and met Tommaso on a trip to Tuscany a few years ago! His infectious personality…read moreand cooking talents is what specifically convinced me to return to Tuscany for a special birthday with my friends last year. Tomasso came to our Villa and created the most magical night. From amazing food, poetry reading and of course blessing the Tuscan steak!! I cannot recommend him more!!!

From the owner: Tuscany at Home, offer clients a truly immersive Tuscan dining experience from the comfort of…read moretheir own homes. Guests watch Tommaso as he prepares food in a traditional Tuscan grill setting, exchanging anecdotes by the fire and sipping sun-kissed wine from the hills of Chianti.

Lena is a wonderful chef and master of the craft. My daughter wanted to have a cooking party at our…read morehouse for her 12th birthday. Lena not only planned the menu, but she came over in advance to get a layout of the space, and brought over items that my kitchen did not have as well as came with beautifully printed menus. The girls had an excellent time, made great food! Lena was organized and as professional as a chef in a real restaurant. It was such a sweet personal and memorable experience for all the kids that attended. I cannot recommend her enough!

I recently took one of HyefeastLA's cooking classes, and it was honestly one of the best…read moreexperiences I've had. She's an amazing home cook and explains everything in a way that actually makes sense. I never felt rushed or confused, and she made the whole class fun and easy to follow. Her recipes were the highlight. They were super flavorful and surprisingly simple to make once she broke everything down. I've made a couple of the dishes at home since the class, and they turned out great, which never happens for me normally. If you're thinking about taking one of her classes, do it. She's talented, patient, and you walk away feeling like you actually learned something useful. Highly recommend.

This was such a great learning experience and fun afternoon. I've been Vegan for 2 years and I…read morelearned a lot of new tips & techniques. Heather and Jenny are such great teachers. The Masterminds behind Thug Kitchen where guest chefs that day so it made the experience even that much more fun & f'n educational. We learned how to prepare 3 different dishes and this delicious dessert! I also found out where I could purchase hard to find items at local stores for cheaper than I ever thought, I learned how to properly squeeze the water out of my tofu, types of knives to buy types, different types of herbs to use to create specific flavors & all about lemongrass. I learned so much in just one class, it was crazy. Thank you!

These ladies came all the way to Virginia to teach a class for PETA. They were absolutely…read morehilarious. I was learning the entire time. Not only were they teaching cooking techniques, but they are armed with facts about foods and nutrition. Best of all, the food was delicious. They demonstrated how to make vegan black bean sliders with cashew cheese and chili. They also love to support local and family run businesses! Everyone was raving about how amazing the presentation was afterwards!

I bought a lesson as a gift for my wife for Christmas. She just used it last night and it was so…read moreworth it. Carrie was great communicating everything needed from the market and showed up on time. The meal she made together with my wife was incredible and she even helped us clean up. I couldn't recommend Carrie more for anyone looking to get some cooking experience. My mouth is still watering over her chimichurri sauce!

I can't say enough about Carrie. She is a knowledgeable, caring educator; an experienced, practical…read morenutritionist; a fun, delightful person; and a damn good cook. Her guidance is clear and easy to follow, her recipes are simple and elegant, and she understands what people need (Fussy three year old? Resistant-to-change spouse? Carrie's got you). I wholeheartedly recommend Two Hearts to anyone interested in tweaking their diet, incorporating healthier choices or cooking techniques into their repertoire, or improving their health and energy.

Happened upon this hidden oasis today at the Eagle Rock Block Party. Hubby and I didn't know what…read moreto expect. Was it a restaurant, a store? From what we read on the Eagle Rock event we just knew they were serving drinks an appetizers. Since we were hungry and done shopping we made this our final pit stop. We had trouble finding the place, hidden and off set from the road we discovered we walked by it twice. Luckily the Yelp table was out front and I reasoned we must be near the restaurant. We just sort of showed up expecting to stay 15 minutes and ended up staying 3 hours! We were immediately greeted by a lady who got us drinks and welcomed by a chef, whom we learned was an owner. The atmosphere was very zen and chill. The private area looked exactly how I would want my backyard kitchen to look. With a big wood fire oven, a big bar with bar stools and a lot of friendly people to talk to. It took us a while to figure out what this place was, but after tasting sample after sample of delicious food we discovered it was a test kitchen. The owner/ chef sells ovens, bbqs, caters, teaches classes and is just a round about cool, chill guy, who shows his passion for cooking in his big smile. We were lucky to try (for free) eagle rock brew beer, ice tea, and a ton of wood fire food such as sausages, asparagus, all kinds of pizza slices, mozzarella bread, and the tastiest pulled pork sandwich! The food was heavenly. We meet a ton of great people sitting on the bar stools. Hubby and I have always wanted to build a wildfire oven in our backyard and here we stumble upon a place where that is there specialty. When we get around to it we will definitely be calling this place up as their hospitality during the block party was awesome!

While you may not be on the hunt for a wood-fired oven for your quaint Silver Lake studio, you most…read morecertainly are always on the prowl for unique, interesting places to keep in mind for those times when someone (or you) needs a suggestion for a place to host their special occasion. And Wildwood, my dear seeker of all things cool, is just that place. They specialize in custom-built wood fired ovens for the ballahs out there with disposable incomes to spend on items that increase property value instead of luxury soaps or clothes or protecting endangered species. They also have a very small selection of grilling accessories that are, as of this review, currently on sale (pizza stones, portable grills for camping, panini grillers, etc.). But, what really makes this place a 5-starer is the swank patio setup they have, complete with outdoor fireplace, bar, grill, and seating. They host private events from time to time and bang out some pretty stellar eats (I had a pulled pork sandwich and flatbread on my particular visit). It's a great way to spend a gorgeous fall day - just chillin' and grillin'. You can also contact them to host your private event which would pretty much make you the most remarkable and genius host ever. I don't know the costs involved or what's included, but I am pretty sure that whatever it does cost, it's totally worth it in the "that was the best get together I've ever been to." comments from guests.

This was my first (and probably only) experience with the Ecole de Cuisine cooking school. I…read morelearned of the school by way of an offer though Travelzoo for a discounted one-day cooking school. I purchased certificates for myself and my wife (one each) at a discounted rate of $65 each. Regular price is listed at $130 per person. I understand there is another facility where they conduct classes, but the one-day "consumer classes" for home cooks are held at 201 E. Colorado Blvd in Glendale, so my review is specific to that location. Class Registration: Their website listed several classes available when I purchased the certificate. Class registration, however, is handled exclusively by email. When my wife and I emailed to register we learned that the site hadn't been updated to reflect that many of the classes were already full. The person responding to the emails was a tad rude and unaccommodating, and couldn't tell us what classes would be offered in the future, nor when they would be announced. We ended up enrolling in the Tamale class. Not our first or second choice, but we both love Mexican food and were looking forward to a day of instruction in making tamales. Location and Facilities: The location at 201 E. Colorado in Glendale is a community Rec Center. Parking was easy, as was locating the class. The classroom was a vacant banquet hall with an adjacent kitchen. There was a strange smell in the building when we arrived. I can't say the cooking class had anything to do with it, but it was a little off-putting. My wife and I have attended great cooking classes before including one held in a converted Bangkok apartment, so I understand that location isn't the most important factor. There were four student stations set up, each with a butane burner. This was designed to accommodate over a dozen students, so the class area was a little crowded, to say the least. Class Instruction The course began at 2:30 PM and was over by 5:30 PM. Instruction was by Susan Park. Farid Zadi assisted and spent most of his time in the kitchen, out of view. The class began with instruction in how to prepare masa (basically mixing it with water), pressing it into tortillas and frying them. The students prepared the masa by kneading it with their hands. Fortunately one of the people at my station brought food prep gloves because the instructors didn't provide them. I kept looking at the hairy hands of one of the students at the adjacent table as he picked sticky dough from beneath his fingernails, thinking there was no way I would eat anything prepared in such a manner. We topped the tortillas with pre-prepared toppings. The class continued with another round of mixing masa, then folding it into prepared corn husks, again with pre-prepared fillings. We then waited while they steamed the tamales. Nearly the full third hour of the class consisted of the students waiting while the tamales steamed and the staff cleaned up. My wife and I made 7 tamales together. When they were finished steaming, we decided to try one and take the rest to go. Our tamales were undercooked and inedible, as were those of several other students in the class. The instructor told me it would take another 30 minutes or so to finish cooking them, and that we were better re-cooking them at home. She offered to throw away the inedible tamales for us if we didn't prefer to re-cook them ourselves. Overall Impressions: Despite the issues with location, sanitation, and insufficient equipment, the class was poorly organized, short on instruction, and lacking in customer service. Since all the proteins were pre-prepared, the only tangible hands-on instruction was in the mixing and hand-kneading of masa, water, and lard. If you've ever taught your kids to make play-dough at home, you (and your kids) have acquired almost all of the skills imparted in this class. Overall, my wife and I tried to make the best of the class, but we couldn't help feeling disappointed. Ultimately, we paid $65 each for two hours of instruction in the mixing of 2-3 ingredients, and received 7 inedible tamales. As of the writing of this review, I can't tell you whether they tasted good, as I have yet to re-steam them. Sadly, at the bargain price of $65 per person, this class was still about $60 overpriced.