Chef Cruz was very communicative and committed to providing a wonderful experience for my husbands…read more75th birthday. His helper Cathy was superb in helping setting the mood with simple party decor and service. The food was excellent and Chef Cruz was budget conscious as well as providing the best quality ingredients. If we are ever back here we would definitely hire Chef Cruz again!

We haven't had our event yet but he is very easy to work with and we look forward to seeing him in…read moreaction. He was willing to work within our budget and time parameters which is a big deal.

To say this team only provides an exceptional food experience would be selling them short. More…read moreaccurately they deliver an experience that would leave any world class Butler, Maitre d, Server or Chef in awe. They say the difference between average and exceptional is in the details. These guys take it to a whole new level. Our group of 9 wanted for nothing over the entire weekend. Cocktails. check. Wine. check. Appetizers and Hors d'ouevres. check. Amazing dinners. check. Attentive service including clean up. check. Even an extra run to the store because someone needs more tequila and snacks! All done without asking. Carmel Private Chef is the real deal. We'll be using them again.

The best service ever. I would highly recommend them. They go above and beyond and help bring your…read moreevent to life by creating a highly curated and tailored culinary experience. They brought in food from local farms, wine from their favorite wineries and went above and beyond in every detail.

My husband and I really enjoyed our Thai is Fun experience. Goi is a great teacher and the two…read moredishes she made for us were absolutely delicious. We also learned a lot about Thai cuisine. Give this a try.. you won't be disappointed

we just had a wonderful class on Thai cooking with Thai Is Fun chef extraordinaire Goi Yujaroen…read more The class was very informative and enjoyable, and we were able to successfully recreate the two dishes she demonstrated for us (Tom Yum soup and Stir Fry chicken and basil). I recommend her classes 110%!!!

This past Sunday, we attended a cooking class with Mangiare Monterey. Sarah and Reggie, our hosts…read morefor the evening, were inspired by a class they attended on a recent trip to Spain. They were looking for something similar in the Monterey area and because it did not seem to exist, decided to create their own based on Sarah's Italian family recipes. The classes are done in the Comanche Cellars tasting room at 412 Alvarado St in Monterey. As we arrived, we were offered a glass of Comanche's Pet Gnat, a sparkling rose of Pinot Noir. For this class, the focus was on sauces. The cooking stations were set up with each couple preparing a different sauce; a meat sauce, spicy sauce and vegetable sauce (each tomato based). We had a small charcuterie to snack on as we cooked as well. I loved that all the prep had been done - no chopping vegetables. Everything was ready to go so after introductions we jumped right in with Sarah guiding the group through the process. Nicole, Comanche's resident sommelier, was on hand to offer pours of different wines which would pair with our foods. After we had prepared the sauces, we were treated to a family style meal which featured a homemade focaccia with a delicious ricotta, a fresh salad and of course pasta with the opportunity to try each of the three sauces. Which sauce was the best, I can't say. Although if I had to choose, I was somewhat partial to the vegetable. We were offered more splashes of wine while we ate. We finished it all off with some key lime cookies and a bit of Sarah's family's homemade Limoncello. It was such an enjoyable evening and something really different we had not had an opportunity to experience before. I think this would be so much fun for a special date night or just an opportunity to get together with a friend for a fun evening out. The next class will be held on February 23. For tickets and more info: https://www.mangiaremonterey.com/ Check them out on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mangiare_monterey?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

I attended their cooking experience and it was such a great time. Loved the sauces that were made…read moreand the homemade pasta was delicious. The wine pairings were also a hit! Perfect pairings! The recipes were accessible and didn't take a lot of time so I look forward to making it home. I highly recommend attending!

100% the best caterer experienced!…read more Not only was the food amazing, Paella, Salad, Asparagus, the service was over the top! Highly recommend if you're looking for a caterer that's passionate about food and service. Chef Bruce Finch knows how to make delicious food especially using different levels of flavors layering in herbs, spices etc. that he makes from scratch! His brownies are to die for! Really!! Oh and his rum soaked pineapples plated with delicious ice cream topped with toasted coconut! I know! Mouth is watering, right?

My husband and I hired Bruce and his team for our 20 person wedding celebration and we hands down…read morehad the best experience and would recommend them a million times over. The food was so good and our guests raved about it even after the event. We opted for a multi course plated service and everything was delicious, presented so beautifully and made fresh local ingredients that truly wowed us all. I highly recommend their short ribs, baked havarti oysters, and do not pass on Bruces famous brownies! We absolutely loved how great the team was to work with as well. From the very beginning Bruce listened to the tastes/foods that were important to us and delivered on our special day. Jordan was a true hero handling our event rentals and making sure we had everything we needed for our bar service. Both were very responsive the entire time, and even hosted us for a tasting a few months prior to the event allowing us to sample what we were getting ourselves in to. I'd like to add that we also played a round of golf with them- these guys really love what they do and the people that they get to work with and it was really special for us to gain friends along the way. Thank you guys again for such a wonderful experience and we can't wait to work with you again soon!

I took a cooking class here focused on Spanish paella, and it was such a fun experience! The…read moreinstructor and assistants were clearly knowledgeable, attentive, and made the evening really enjoyable. I went with friends and we had a great time cooking together. The portion sizes were super generous; we made tons of baked chorizo croquetas, devoured our entire paella, and still had plenty of lemon ricotta cheesecake left over to take home. Just a heads-up: the class ran from 7:30 to 9:30, so dinner ends up being on the later side. That said, it's totally in line with Spanish dining culture, so no complaints there, just something to keep in mind if you're coming hungry!

love this place! Belinda the manager is super professional kind and so good with the kids! my son…read morehas been attending a few camps and enjoys it immensely. camps are around 9-12pm and everything is so well organized and they know how to keep kids engaged!

We had a nice afternoon class learning the basics of Indian cooking from Chef Parsati. She is…read moreextremely knowledgeable and was able to guide us through making a delicious meal. Chef Parsati made us feel welcome and tailored the experience to our preference. Would recommend to anyone interested in a fun cooking and learning experience.

I booked The Art of Homemade Tamales with Chef Karen for my daughter's birthday. She accepted and…read morethen just before the event she sent a message that she had "overlooked our booking" and that she wasn't available. Without consulting us, she switched the confirmed reservation to another date. We had invited guests and it was impossible to find anyone else at that point. I will never use their service again.

I took my work team here as part of our annual retreat last year and we had the best time. The…read morevenue is her actual home, an amazing house with museum level art and decor, very zen. Wendy and her husband were wonderful, we felt like guests in her home not clients. The food was fun to make and delicious, were all sent home with copies of the recipes we made. An extra nice touch, after our event I received photos of our day there including a cd copy. Communication in initial planning was great as well.

We visited with a group looking forward to an educational dining experience and social event…read more The site is exceptional with a broad ocean views and great venu. The gourmet experience was interesting. Learned a few food "cheats" like how to slice an apple for a very different presentation and using common vegetation to enhance the presentation. How to make chocolate leaves. On the downside, be sure you know what your bill will be BEFORE going as we ended up with a "surprise" when the credit card bill arrived. Be sure to get a printout of your bill before leaving, or best, pay cash. (Not cheap) It was a fun experience but if I knew what the final cost would be I've have taken a few friends out to a nice dinner.

For the first experience it was great !! Gemma is awesome. I had a lit of fun there. Definitely…read morecome again.

The best cooking class experience I've had. I've taken 5 of the classes so far: Thai cooking,…read moreChick, Chick, Chicken, Buy One Save One, Scones and Curd (pop-up), and most recently the Make Ahead Holiday dinner (British version) -- with many more in my future. I always leave feeling like I tasted one of the best versions of whatever is on the menu. My favorites so far have been the Green Curry Chicken and the Shepard's pie -- mind blowing. I've only taken scheduled classes which are usually 8 people sat around Gemma's adorable kitchen watching her prepare the food and then tasting as each bit finishes, but I know she also has different class styles (come to your house, book a class based on your schedule, etc.) No matter what the format You Say Tomato really makes cooking delicious, high quality food easy to understand and replicate once you're back home.

This place is full of goodies, coffees and great food. I…read morebought sourdough bread and done pastries. Very nice staff

Yes originally began for sourdough bread but now a variety of styles (all with sourdough starters),…read morepastries, coffee, breakfast and lunch. The line can get long on weekends but unlike neighboring coffee shops, it seems to move quickly and food comes out faster. Order pastries and bread at the glass case and coffee and breakfast at the registers. Coffee comes out by exit door while food comes out from the kitchen in the middle. The coffee is well balanced. Not sure whose they use but syrups are made in house. Breakfast sandwich looks small but is quite hearty and filling. You can add avocado, bacon, and aioli. This is a go to. West side avocado toast: adds garlic aioli, avocado, and poached egg to the Aptos version. Defn better Pesto goat cheese baguette: three letter review -- OMG Kouign Amann: this one is square, rather than classic round, and a little denser but still layered and not overly sweet. GF brownie: quite good for gluten free but sweeter than I like. Bacon egg galette: the puff pastry is nicely flaky with onions and crispy bacon. Messy but good. The premade sandwiches are all tasty and much better than you get in a grocery store. Customer service is a little hit and miss, based on personalities. There's plenty of seating inside and out.