I absolutely loved the class at Purple Kale Kitchenworks. It was what I really needed to get myself…read moreback into the kitchen. The class changed my entire perspective on how I view cooking, and I love it! Ronna took the fear out of cooking for me and removed all the blocks I had from getting myself into the kitchen. She pretty much took the stress out of cooking for me, and not only made me feel like a better mom and wife by taking the guilt out of not having home cooked meals on the table every single day, and teaching me creative ways to get meals on the table quickly, she really helped me discover a new creative side to me that I didn't think I was capable of in the kitchen! I will use the tools I learned at Purple Kale Kitchenworks for the rest of my life and will share them with others I know. She taught me things I didn't even think of doing in my kitchen, even after going to culinary school to learn how to cook! I highly recommend her class!

Absolutely amazing! This is my second time using Purple Kale Kitchenworks. The first time I rented…read morethe kitchen I was prepping for an event. This most recent time which was last weekend, I rented the kitchen to host a 20 seater chefs table. Both Ronna & her assistant Kim were beyond helpful. They were both available through email & phone anytime myself or my event planner had questions. Ronna was also super flexible with my timing & arranging for rental drop off & pick ups. The place was cleaned when we arrived and Kim was there to make sure we had everything we needed when we arrived. I highly recommend this space and would definitely book again.

Took a 2.5 hr. evening cooking class here with a friend and we had quite a nice time…read more Before arrival be warned that although the address is 34th street, the entry is on 10th avenue on the other side of the building. Class started in an actual classroom with brief overview of other classes offered, some culinary tidbits about the cuisine of your class (ours was Moroccan), and some info about working in the kitchen. You then move into the kitchen and work in teams of 3-4 to make your menu. The only reason that I gave this 4 stars rather than 5 is because there was little to no instruction in the kitchen. While our teachers were really kind, helpful, and clearly knowledgeable, the meal prep process is really on your own and they are there if you have any questions but not to walk you through it step by step. As someone who is an avid cook, this was not a big problem (other than I was paying for instruction), but some others in the class needed a bit more hands-on help and the teachers did help out in those circumstances. In other cooking classes that I've taken, there was generally more of a teaching and "do this" type of atmosphere. In short, our 4-course meal was delicious and I got some recipes to take home. Nothing that happened in the kitchen classroom, however, was more than I could read from a recipe and do in my own kitchen. That being said, it was a fun atmosphere and I enjoyed doing it with my friend. I even commented that it would be fun to reserve an entire class as a birthday party.

This was a gift from my husband for a date night. We signed up for the Indian class for Fri, 8/12…read more Diego was the instructor along with two assistants. We chatted with Edgar mainly for tweaking ingredients or instructions. Diego is a phenomenal chef and instructor. He made sure to get acquainted with the class that made it a fun and warm environment. Everyone was assigned to a recipe so that everything was cooked by the end of the class. The only down side was the ingredients were placed in one section of the table. It got a bit chaotic when items and ingredients ran out. Also, the recipes were not formatted to fit the number of people in the class. We made the Fattoush salad that had to be adjusted to feed everyone. Same thing happened with the rest of the recipes, as the groups realized they had to cook more to feed everyone. The recipes resembled closely to Moroccan and Middle Eastern than Indian. Hub's family is from India so we are very familiar with Indian food and the culture. This was definitely not Indian food. Regardless, we still had fun with the class. The class provides the ingredients and kitchen to make all the recipes on the menu. For this class, we made Fattoush salad, Parsi Chicken with Apricots and Potato Straws, Manchurian Cauliflower, Grape Raita, and Coconut Rice Pudding. The recipes definitely had adaptations and influences of Middle East, Persia, Hakka Chinese Indian, and Caribbean. We also had dried currents aside from introduction to Sumac and Madeira spices. Note: The person who made the comment, "Def not a raisin!". *Zante currants known as Corinth raisins, or Corinthian raisins or simply currants are dried berries from small, sweet seedless grapes*. It tasted like a raisin b/c essentially it is a dried berry. I would hate to go shopping with them in a market! Overall, everything tasted great esp the salad! ;) My favorite was the Coconut milk rice pudding. Though Hub was not a big fan of it. It turns out the school preps students to work in the hotel & hospitality industry mainly as line cooks. It's a lot of prep work. For someone that don't normally cook or hates cooking, it can become overwhelming. However, the chef and assistants do guide you. They love questions. We planned on returning for another class!

De gus I finally…read moremade my way to De Gustubus and really happy that I did! My friend was doing the cooking demonstration and although I got there a few minutes late the staff and crowd was very welcoming. Chef Ayesha is amazing! She is from Shukette which recently opened in Chelsea, a part of the restaurant group of a few other restaurants including Shuka, Vics and Rosies. Also, to have your food prepared by an incredibly high level talented Chef with quality wine pairings is very lovely experience! Sal Rizzo, the owner is very accommodating and very entertaining as a host. he was the perfect energy for the group with very positive and entertaining comments. The space only fits about 30 people and the alcohol was refilled. While the cost might seem high ($145 with fees) for 90 minutes it went a bit over and they did not rush you out. I had five drinks (One proseseco, two white, and two red) so it was well worth it. Service was top not h. The staff were en pointe and attentive. They were always cleaning up after you're making sure that you got your food at the right time. I was also lucky enough that our chef made us laugh the entire time because she has a fantastic personality. Furthermore, every dish was created to perfection and visually appealing with very different interesting flavor profiles. I've been to several of her restaurants and not let down. I will enjoy returning!

Shame on me for not reviewing DeGustibus sooner. I attended several cooking demos pre-COVID and…read morejust attended one last night (the first in years). The format is wonderful. Excellent award winning working chefs make meals or specialties and talk about the food and ingredients. You watch, you eat. The video screens enable you to see techniques. The chefs answer all your questions and you get the recipes. But wait! There's more!!! There are wines paired with each course and a rep (or if you are lucky, the winemaker) tells you about the wine, the flavors, why it goes with the food etc. what a perfect night. You are always among a friendly, diverse, foodie crowd and it's a blast. I went alone last night and enjoyed crispy caper and eggplant campionata with potato chips, baby lamb chop with a delis glaze and pomegranate, crispy duck with plum compote and goat cheese cheesecake with macerated berries. Chef was Adrienne Cavalo from Miami and the wine was Trivento from Argentina (i am now a Malbec fan). Another time I went and it was Passamore caviars with great dishes and champagnes. The staff is amazing--go on the website and look at the upcoming demos and classes. You will not regret it. It's a foodies dream! And one more thing. It's on the 8th floor of Macy's Herald Sq. Yup--who knew?! It's tucked near the elevators by the exit to Santa's workshop.

Bob May 13, 2016 Sunita's class was exceptionally well…read moreorganized, relaxing and informative. I took a "One Pot Meals" lesson and she thoughtfully took the class through several different recipe ingredient variations and what they would taste like. She also shared a wealth of stories around Indian customs and traditions. GREAT EVENING!

We're originally from the UK, where you get some great Indian food. So far we've struggled to find…read moreanything as nice as back home. So we decided to learn to make a few dishes ourselves. After our wonderful cooking class with Sunita, we will definitely be able to do that. She doesn't cut corners: she takes you through the history and culture of the food, and she describes every spice you're using, inviting you to taste them as you go along. The dishes themselves were fantastic, with a nice kick to them. The highlight of the night was getting to eat the food with Sunita and her husband, who are both lovely, very interesting people. If you're looking to really learn something about Indian cuisine, or if you just want a fun evening with tasty food, I highly recommend this cooking class!

This was an amazing experience! Me and a friend learned to cook several Thai main dishes and…read moreappetizers (including Pad-Thai, Pad-See-Ew, soups and spring rolls) from scratch. The lessons took place in Chef Phensri's own kitchen in Oldbridge, and right away we were made to feel at home. The Pad-Thai was the best I've ever tasted, and I'd actually made it myself! By the end of the class we were bursting with great food and cooking knowledge. I would highly recommend trying the classes. They also do them in Manhattan, and I was told they do events and private cooking parties, as well. P.S. - this review may sound solicited, but it's completely on the level. We had a fantastic time - Sam.

I lived in Thailand for a number of years but unfortunately never had the chance to take classes…read morewhile I was there. I've always wanted to learn how to make authentic thai food, given that I know how it should taste. Online recipes were always unclear and my frustration led me to finding out about Fantastic Thai. I chose to take the all day cooking class (9 hours) at Chef Phensri's house in Old Bridge, NJ. Great cooking class! It was a small class, only 3 of us in all so we learned loads of dishes and everyone had a chance to make most of them. We learned about 10 - 14 different dishes and even took home some laminated copies of other popular recipes. Not to mention, we ate all our food and took home all the leftovers :) Definitely recommend this class if you're dying to learn how to make authentic thai food. Chef Phensri does a great job simplifying it and making it fun. Thanks again and can't wait to come back!

I bought a groupon for my girlfriend for her birthday....she LOVED it. And the cake was great also.read more

I first found Chef Mark Tafoya online when I was looking for a private chef to celebrate my wife's…read morebirthday, and the experience exceeded every expectation. Chef Mark is Yale educated, incredibly knowledgeable, and clearly experienced in a wide range of cuisines, but what really stands out is how easy, thoughtful, and personal he makes the entire process. He can do anything you can think of, French, Italian, Japanese, Indian, and on and on. We told him the type of dinner we were interested in, and he came back with several options for each course. We were able to choose and adjust the menu until it felt exactly right, and then he took care of the rest. He ordered what he needed ahead of time, went to specialty markets the day of the dinner for the freshest and highest-quality ingredients, brought any supplies he needed, worked smoothly in our kitchen, served a beautiful meal, and cleaned up absolutely everything before leaving. The kitchen was sparkling when he was done. Chef Mark is also just a genuinely kind person. He takes real time and effort to design the menu around the specific event and the person being celebrated, which made the dinner feel far more personal than simply hiring someone to cook. He is warm, engaging, and a wonderful host, with great stories and a clear love of Broadway, which added to the intimacy and fun of the night. Final Menu for anyone interested: A tomato and basil tart with shaved Gruyère, baby spinach, walnut and orange salad with raspberry vinaigrette, steak au poivre with brandy cream sauce, and nectarine puff pastry tarts. Each course felt thoughtful, seasonal, and restaurant-quality, but the best part was getting to enjoy it privately at home and not worry about cleaning up after. Chef Mark also left us with leftovers from every course, which was such a great bonus, we got to have the entire meal over again. We enjoyed the experience so much that we later hired him again for our 10th anniversary. For anyone looking for an intimate dinner at home, amazing food, and completely professional service from start to finish, Chef Mark is an easy recommendation.

I must confess, this was a service I didn't know I needed, but now can't live without I have used…read morethis chef service several times for birthday celebrations. Chef MARK comes up with creative menus based on discussions as to what I would look for in a perfect dinner party. My guests have never left the table with anything but extreme compliments for the food and creativity of the menu. Chef always comes prepared and manages to execute flawlessly. He is personable and efficient. ReMARKable Palate Personal Chef Service is now my go to for all my future celebrations..

12th February 2026 Pier 57…read more New York, NY The Foodies were out last night to celebrate Mardi Gras under the fine exquisite hospitality of Alex and Miles Pincus, owners of nautical themed restaurants docked at various Piers in the city, and the landlocked Holywater in Tribeca. Platform by the James Beard Foundation at Pier 57 was the perfect setting for a truly genuine sublime experience. From the beginning of passed Hors d'oeuvres (crab cakes, oysters galore), whilst imbibing potent libations (Sazerac, Hurricanes) set the mood adorned with Mardi Gras beads and a live creole jazz band playing throughout the night! We were seated to a sumptuous 3 course dinner menu of much acclaim: - Barbeque Prawns - Wedge salad - 'Baby Makin' Gumbo' - Platters of NOLA southern fried Chicken Ending with: - Pralines & vanilla ice cream, plus Looking for the baby in our King Cakes! Pray tell, mon chéri, Laissez les bon temps rouler! **tickets for the SOLD OUT event we're in the range of $185 to $250 per member** Wishing y'all a Very Happy Valentine's, President's weekend, followed by a tremendous Mardi Gras (aka "Fat Tuesday") and Lunar New Year on the 17th! We're looking forward to next year's celebration already. Merci beaucoup!

2025 James Beard Nominee for Best Chef in the South is Pinay!…read more In an era shaped by climate change and environmental urgency, the most essential ingredient in today's kitchens may well be ethos--a deep commitment to ecological balance & sustainability. Chef Nicole Cabrera-Mills or Chef Nikki, follows a culinary philosophy rooted in this very ethos. At her restaurant, she champions what Europeans call "zero-kilometer dining"--a seasonal, local approach to cooking that sources ingredients from nearby producers & fisherfolks, thereby reducing carbon footprints and also uplifting similarly eco-conscious local businesses. What makes her restaurant @pechenola in New Orleans uniquely compelling is how Chef Nikki deliciously marries the culinary techniques and traditions of her dual Southern heritage: CDO, Mindanao in the southern Philippines, and the rich, southern French-American culture of New Orleans. An example is her kinilaw in coconut milk--made with fresh tuna from the Gulf and coconuts grown locally in the former French colonial region. Both ingredients are also staples in CDO, grounding the dish in both origin and reinvention. Chef Nikki is the sister of a dear friend & former colleague, Carlos Cabrera--a top NYC HR executive whose work potluck lunches were masterclasses in Mindanaoan cooking. One memorable dish was his indigenized callos--a family Christmas recipe unfamiliar to those of us from the Philippine North. It subtly revealed how varying levels of Spanish colonial influence & socioeconomic factors shaped regional cuisines across the Philippines. Who knew that so much can be learned from work potlucks . And last Friday's dinner by Chef Nikki @platformbyjbf , I learned something new yet again about Filipino cuisine: a rice dish in alavar sauce that was easily my fave dish of the evening. (Google alavar, it's a Mindanao specialty that's both culturally rich and absolutely delicious.) TYSM, Chef @nikkicabreramills ! Your food tells stories. #curious_eater #jamesbeardfoundation #jamesbeardnominee #filipinofoodmovement #bestnewchef #jamesbeardsemifinalist #pechenola Peche Seafood Grill