I had a pleasure of experiencing this event through a teambuilding event with my coworkers. I have never attended a cooking class so I didn't know what to expect but we had an absolute blast !!!! You are provided with the recipes of everything you're making so you have that to take home. There are so many menus to choose from and it's very affordable. Dorothy, who facilitates the class has the perfect personality for such an event. While you are learning to cook, hanging out with your coworkers, you were learning tips from a seasoned professional!!! I will take a cooking class over ax, throwing or bowling as a teambuilding event any day!!!! I recommend Chop Wok & Talk 150% read more

Dorothy and Donna were great! What a fun night! Great food and great experience, highly recommend

Absolutely fantastic experience. My wife and I were gifted this cooking class from my mom. First off, the people labeling Dorothy as rude must have absolutely no sense of humor. Yes, she is forward, and will tell you what you are doing wrong, but there is always a bit of humor in each comment and she's very willing to teach newbies how to do it correctly. It appears to me that she and her assistant have a great relationship where the assistant completely understands Dorothy's humor. Yes, she asks that when you are in the kitchen that you pay attention and leave social conversation for the dining room. This makes sense in a room full of people trying to learn and with regards to the fact there are hot stove tops nearby and knives everywhere. Plus, the event is 3 hours, half of which you spend at the dining room table getting to know each other and talking there. You by no means need to know how to cook at ALL to take this class. They will show you the fundamentals of cooking, teach you want why certain types of ingredients are different (like types of salts) and give you options for substitute ingredients so cooking at home is easier with respect to having all the ingredients. We went to the Thai class and thought the food was spectacular. We had Coconut Chicken soup, Fried Chicken with a Thai Sauce, Pad se Ew with beef, and panang Curry pork and rice. There is so much food you get to bring home a lot. One thing to note is that future reservations must be made in private groups of at least 4. read more

Chop Wok & Talk - Cooking Schools Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Chop Wok and Talk is a fun time. I'm more of a eater than a cook, however Dorothy made everything super easy for the parts we contributed to. I do think this experience was very worth it to those looking to duplicate this later ( she sends you the recipes) however, for those who are less experienced in the kitchen it's a fun meal but nothing beyond that. I didn't learn any "kitchen skills" there is a basic need for you to understand some tasks that I did not. I recommend this more if you truly enjoy being in the kitchen. read more

Chop Wok & Talk - Cooking Schools Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I did a Tuscan cooking class with my mom at Chop Wok and Talk and had a wonderful evening. My mother has been cooking for our family and holiday events for 40 years, so while she is not professionally trained, she does have a lot of personal experience and skills. We are Italian and my mom selected the Tuscan class in particular to refine some of our techniques and also acquire new ones and flavor profiles. With that being said, we expected to have some conversation with the instructor, Dorothy, and discuss the different techniques she used. Dorothy wasn't particularly interested in conversing- she was much more interested in teaching. She is extremely knowledgeable and a very talented chef, but she is a bit intimidating. Some people on here have very poor reviews of Chop Wok and Talk for this reason, but I never got the impression that she was mean or hostile. She very much wanted to teach us a lot in a short amount of time so she was just to the point - and we DID learn a lot. Dorothy was great at explaining why to use certain ingredients and pointing out the nuances in the recipes that were particularly important to get right. The space is a bit crowded for a party of 9, but it's also very homey. You feel like you're cooking in Dorothy's personal kitchen, which is really cool and adds to the experience. I overall had a really wonderful time. I learned some valuable skills, added some fantastic recipes to my collection, and enjoyed a very nice dinner in good company. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

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If your looking for something different to do, try Chop Wok and Talk. It's a cozy place in Bloomfield. It's BYOB, fridge space to keep your beverages cold. It's hands on and fun! We cooked one course at a time, enjoyed In dining room. Back to Kitchen to make the next step. We joined a Date night event. It was nice to meet new people. That enjoy Culinary Arts. read more

We just did a Girls Night Out Italian cooking class with Dorothy and her assistant Julie. We usually visit a new restaurant in the burg every 6 weeks but this month decided to try a cooking class instead. Welcome to Chop, Wok & Talk. A wonderful culinary educational experience which is not limited to just Italian cuisine. Italian was just what we chose. Dorothy sees that everyone participates and is a wealth of information and tips that she gladly shares. She is more than happy to answer questions and is very engaging. She guided us through making 2 different pasta noodles; ravioli & 3 sauces as well as a salad. Everyone had a fabulous time, We will be back for another class soon. Everyone is thinking Chinese next! Thank you Dorothy and Julie read more

Beware: not a good activity if you're looking for light hearted fun. In the kitchen, there was no "chit chat" allowed. Our group of 8 made a few quiet comments amongst ourselves and were scolded because Dorothy couldn't focus with any noise. Also, the kitchen was very hot and smoke filled at a couple points. The pregnant member of our group left to get some cleaner air and ice water in the connected dining room and was yelled at for leaving the kitchen. At 9:00, we were told to "get out" despite dessert just being prepared at 8:50. Dorothy also sat down with us while we ate, took her mask off, and proceeded to talk for 20 minutes about food poisoning and people being sick. She finished off the night be acknowledging that she had been "a bitch" (her words). Overall, the environment was hostile and the food was meh and not worth the price at all. Trying to find the positive...if you want to have a very serious learning experience with no fun and average food, you might enjoy this place. read more

Full disclaimer, this review is for the corporate events. I would not choose to do an Asian cooking class as an individual based on my experience, but if you are looking to do a corporate event, I think Chop, Wok and Talk is a pretty good option. It's not authentic Asian which bothers me, as they are a cooking school. I wish they would caveat the menu with "Asian inspired" or "Asian fusion", since I found quite a few people had never had these dishes before (like Pho or papaya salad)... it's misleading. Nonetheless, authenticity aside, it's a pretty good, fresh way to do a work event. I've done the corporate team dinners twice now with Dorothy and her staff, at the Sigma conference center location. The dinner took about three hours and we were divided into teams, each tasked with preparing a different component of the meal. Dorothy can be quite authoritarian, but it's probably necessary given the timeline. Everything was well organized and the food, while not completely true to the flavors you would expect, was good. If you keep an open mind (and keep on sipping your wine) you can have a pretty good time! read more

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Three of us + Greek night. We loved it! Dorothy was engaging and cooking was fun! There were 7 students overall, including one person with a walking boot, one vegan and one gluten free gal - everyone was accommodated. Aprons and towels provided, BYOB The kitchen is small: good because you can see everything (unless you're the stove person). True to the name on the door, you will Chop, Wok and Talk - another plus from the close quarters. We made panzanella salad, spanakopita, pastitsio, lamb dumplings with tzatziki sauce and baklava logs. ...and then you sit at the formal dining table and Talk some more... cooking tips, travel talk - great convo Cannot wait to go back! read more

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I had an amazing experience cooking a Korean dinner with Dorothy and her assistant Amy. I highly recommend and would return for another class. There are numerous cuisines to choose from and Dorothy is very knowledgeable with great cooking tips and easy to follow recipes. read more

This was my second time visiting. I came 3 years ago as well. Both visits were highly informative and enjoyable. I think it's a lot of fun and a great way to get some hands-on cooking experience. It might seem pricy, but you get SO MUCH FOOD, and you pay for the experience as well. I would go back in a heartbeat and have recommended them to people on multiple occasions. read more

I've been to this class two times now and I feel like I learn something each time I go as well as recipes I feel I can make again on my own. (I don't cook a lot of super cool foods but I can cook for myself). I would definitely say to pick a night to go based on the menu. Today we had some souther Italian and it was all pretty fabulous. I wasn't a fan of the cod wrapped in prosciutto but you could definitely use the sauce on something else like chicken. The teacher can sometimes come off as a little rough and don't take some things she says to heart. She probably means well and is just stuck in her ways. read more

Chop Wok & Talk - Cooking Schools Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I did this class with my family for a christmas present and we all LOVED it. Such a cool experience in a private setting. Dorothy was very knowledgeable, we learned so much. We also greatly appreciated her sense of humor. We chose a steak dinner and every course was delicious. The portions were big enough that we had leftovers. I would go back in a heartbeat and highly recommend this for anyone looking for a fun and unique dinner experience! read more

Received a gift certificate for my birthday and absolutely loved it! The online reservation system is easy to use from the gift certificate company and lots of options for different cuisines. We chose Thai night and had a great group of 8 other people. The kitchen was hands on, informative and fun! Dorothy is great and very knowledgeable. Can't wait to go back!! Perfect for a do different type of date night!! read more

As part of my Christmas gift, my then boyfriend (now husband) purchased us a Thai Cooking Class due to our fondness of Thai food. What a great experience and the menu could not have been more wonderful! The food was amazing, the way that the class was taught was great too (everyone got to take part as a group rather than couples doing a course and then everyone coming together to eat it). Over the course of these three hours, you get to eat a lot, learn a lot and enjoy a lot :) They have numerous other classes available as well- Italian, Greek, Tapas, Chinese, additional Thai courses, etc... They also can do private parties so that you can get a group of your friends together and enjoy some wine and learn as well. If you have never done anything like this, I highly recommend it! read more

My husband and I decided to try something new for a date night.....we enjoy eating out and trying new things so we thought a cooking class would be interesting. Well low and behold, Dorothy, the owner and teacher, offers a Date Night Couples Class. Honestly had no idea what to expect, but now after getting home I can say WOW! What a wonderful way to spend an evening out!!!!!!! So not what I expected (not that I really had a clue as to what it would be like) I can not wait to do it again! Food was fabulous, recipes were well explained and it was above all...FUN! read more

Chop Wok & Talk - Our Date Night couple class 5 course meal! Each dish made and enjoyed during the course of a 3 1/2 hour class - Cooking Schools Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I got this class as a Christmas gift from a friend and it was the perfect night out. The food was amazing and we had a time meeting the other people at the table. I would recommend it and I can't wait to take another class! read more

Chop Wok & Talk - Cooking Schools Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Attended with my wife. She cooks a lot and had a lot of funny asking Dorthy questions. I learned a lot. The food was great. Fun way to spend a couple hours and you get to eat great food. You can take part in the "cooking" about as much as you'd like. I chopped some veggies and moved the lamb around as it cooked. read more

Chop Wok & Talk - Cooking Schools Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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This was a wonderful experience. My family and I participated in a 6 person cooking class with Asian recipes. Dorothy was very informative and a character. She never took the cooking or the class too seriously, but made sure to pass on the knowledge and get everyone involved. We would definitely return and do more classes. read more

A group of 6 of us did this as a private party and could not have enjoyed it more if we tried. The food is fantastic, the portions were big, and the experience was better than expected. With a small group, Dorothy really had the chance to help teach us how to do what we needed to do and why we were doing it that way. The class ran so smoothly and everyone was involved in some part of the process for each course. We prepped and cooked one course then sat down to eat, then back to the kitchen to cook the next course and so on. I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a unique dinner option - and going with a group of friends makes the whole experience even more fun and enjoyable! read more

I decided to surprise my boyfriend with the date night cooking class and I was disappointed. The teacher was very stern, cold, and made the whole room tense. A couple was late for the dinner because of a bad Uber driver and she made them feel very guilty about it. I did learn a little about cooking which was nice, but I personally prefer to learn in a warm supportive environment instead of someone who is snippy and offensive. She also treated her assistant, who was very kind, horribly. With that being said, I did leave with a belly full of delicious food, and with some recipes that I am eager to try again. I also appreciated that The teacher made herself available if you needed help cooking her recipes in the future. read more

This was amazing experience ! The place is littered with history of the cook's past travels and cooking training from all across the world ! Each dish was really good and me and my girlfriend learn something new with each dish ! I recommend everybody to try this place out, for the price you learn lessons you can take with you in your everyday cooking as well as enjoy a great dinner ! I would take this over any 5 star restaurant ! read more

Let me get the positive stuff out of the way first. Overall, the food was good. There done with that. Now let me tell you exactly why you shouldn't take a class from Dorothy. Here's the main reason; this woman got her own blood in our food, and then thought it was OK for us to eat the food she had just bled in. In case you don't believe me (which would be understandable) here's the story. One of my team members nicked Dorothy in the pinky with a knife. This I admit was an avoidable mistake. But then, and this is perhaps one of the most shocking things I've witnessed is a while, Dorothy preceded to put her bleeding hand back into the salad we were preparing and continue to mix the salad, getting her blood on the bowl and our food. I suppose it's possible she didn't notice she was bleeding (even though she looked directly at her bleeding finger). But then, after someone pointed out the blood on our bowl, she wiped it off with a paper towel and said, and I'm not making this up, "it's fine". She then continued to prepare the food despite the fact that there was still blood in it. Let me be extremely clear for any aspiring food professionals out there: BODILY FLUIDS OF ANY KIND (especially blood) ARE NOT "FINE" TO LEAVE IN FOOD YOU ARE SERVING TO OTHER PEOPLE. I have absolutely no idea how she thought this was OK. We also had to ask her to wash her hands after all this. You know, so that she didn't get BLOOD on our food again. There were lots of other things as well that on their own would warrant a poor review. Dorothy was rude, not only to us, but to her assistant, who was very kind and helpful and didn't deserve such treatment. The class itself was also poorly run; it was almost entirely Dorothy telling us what to do and ordering us around, which meant that I didn't really learn anything, or have much fun for that matter. If you want good food, find a good restaurant. If you want a positive cooking class experience, don't come to Chop Wok and Talk. read more

I would highly recommend this to anyone. I've been here twice now and I definitely plan on going back. The first time I went was with my boyfriend and our 2 friends on a double date. We went to the Thai class and the food was great. It was nice to learn how to cook a cuisine I'm not very familiar with. All four of us had a great time. It's a very homey atmosphere and while some of the decor is a little dated, it's impeccably clean. You interact with the other people in the group and get personal instruction throughout. The second time I went really stands out though. It was a gift to my mom for her birthday and it was the homemade pasta class. The food was wonderful. Again. But beyond that it just so happened that there were several people who were doing this as a birthday gift. This class didn't have a dessert course (3 pasta courses, enough carbs to last a week!) At the end of the night (which holy smokes was 3 hours!) a man walks in with a bakery box. Dorothy called her husband to pick up a birthday cake so we could all sing happy birthday! Is this a fancy night out? Not particularly but the food is as good as you'll get anywhere in Pittsburgh and it's super fun. Is this a group project? YES. You'll have made friends by the end of the night for sure. Does Dorothy remind me of my second grade teacher? Definitely. She was a teacher, she's gonna ask you to be quiet when your goofing off so you can be fed and learn something before midnight (classes always run a little over). I read some of the other reviews... Dorothy this and Dorothy that... Whatever, if you're still crying over that time in second grade when your teacher told you to be quiet and listen, maybe her personality isn't for you, but seriously who didn't like their second grade teacher?! I cook a lot and watch a lot of food network and I always learn something from Dorothy. I'll be going back. read more

My friends and I started a dinner group where we go out to eat somewhere new each month. We decided to try cooking class as something new for our group. We all had a fantastic time. The food was delicious! The instructor Dorothy was so easy to work with, and she's a great teacher! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for something different to do. You don't have to know anything about cooking in order to take the class. Trust me it is well worth it! read more

I helped organize a bachelorette party for my friend and we picked Chop Wok and Talk as our daytime activity. We all had such an excellent time and learned so much too! Dorothy was really easy going and responsive throughout the process of booking and a great teacher during our class. We chose to do a 4 course thai lunch and every dish we made was delicious. I would definitely recommend trying this place out!!! read more

I suppose that after having received so many stellar reviews on multiple web sites that there is bound to be an unhappy camper sometime, but rest assured it isn't me! My sister-in-law, a great cook and world traveller, had been raving about Dorothy's classes and invited me along. I have taken a few cooking classes at various locations over the years and although most were enjoyable, they were unimpressive. My experience with Chop Wok and Talk was different. Upon arrival, after the introductions, you were directed to wash your hands and don a fresh apron, then off to the kitchen. Dorothy and her assistant, Mary Ann, gave instructions on the location of the kitchen tools and then instructed us on kitchen hygiene and safe food practice--all of which were constantly and consistently observed. Soon we were all happily chopping, measuring, talking and laughing. Dorothy makes it look easy and effortless. Take ten women (both my classes were all women) of various ages, backgrounds and experience levels, put them in a kitchen and have them all engaged in the task at hand, AND talking and laughing like old friends is NOT an accident. It is Dorothy's ability to teach and engage that will bring me back. She is very "hands on", sharing time-saving techniques along with her vast experience--all the while observing, directing and engaging activity and interaction. Oh, and the food! Both times the end result was amazing. In a couple of hours complete strangers prepared a culinary delight. All were talking and laughing as if we had been friends for years. Both Dorothy and Mary Ann make a class a memorable experience. read more

I can't decide if I keep coming back because I really like to cook or because Dorothy's recipes are better than any restaurant in the city. It really is the freshest most delicious meal that you'll cook, and even better, eat! Dorothy, the owner, is fun and really funny, super knowledgeable and ridiculously generous with portion sizes. We always meet great people, or you can do private classes with 6-8 friends. You can also bring your own wine! Dorothy has studied all over the world and her Asian, Tuscan and Tappas recipes reflect that. Already booked my next class/meal! read more

I am not fond of cooking, but this was a recommendation for a girl's night out.......I had the very best time!!! So much food and so much fun!!! I appreciated all of the knowledge and the hands on experience! We were beyond full when we left! We plan on going back in the summer......Thank you! read more

The food was fine, the experience was awful. 10 people jammed into the tiniest kitchen. No space to do anything. Dorothy is incredibly rude, offensive and condescending. She belittled some of the other patrons and was horrible to her assistant! This should have been a fun and enjoyable experience, instead we couldn't wait to get out of there. read more

Such a fun (and yummy!) way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Small class size makes it perfect to learn while getting to know your classmates. Dorothy is extremely knowledgeable, and funny - which makes the class even more fun. I will definitely take another class! read more

I can't wait to take another class! Dorothy was an excellent instructor and took time to make sure everyone understood what was being demonstrated. Everyone got a chance to do some food preparation and learn correct techniques to make things easier. The final meal was fantastic. I encourage anyone interested in learning how to make a new dish or improve their skills to take a class or two with Chop Wok & Talk. read more

We went to Chop Wok and Talk for an office outing. We had an entertaining and delicious evening cooking main Spanish dishes with you Dorothy and Marianne. We had an excellent time cooking with them. Specifically, I wanted to thank Dorothy for all the cooking tips and recipes, and Marianne for her cordial service. I would definitely recommend the activity to friends and family in the area looking to expand their cooking knowledge or just to have fun in a different way. read more

I actually signed up for yelp just to right this review. I have incredibly mixed feelings about this place. When we first arrived, the instructor, Dorothy, was very abrasive. But I could look past that because she was trying to get a job done in a quick and efficient manner. Once we all sat down and started talking about our interests, Dorothy made a very inappropriate and crass comment about a young girl in the group who was a dancer. She asked her if she was a "professional dancer" and when the girl said she only danced for fun, Dorothy asked her about her lap dances. The girl was really embarrassed and the boyfriend was not pleased about the remark. But we moved on. As part of the introduction, Dorothy asked about allergies. At first she made a very big deal about not being able to accommodate my allergy, saying that there was nothing she could do and that she probably should just refund our money. But once the class got started, she was very accommodating and I was able to eat everything we cooked. So I'm not sure why a bit stink was made in the first place. That was my experience. Like I said, I have mixed feelings but the food was good and the company I came with was good. read more

I have taken many classes from Dorothy Tague at Chop, Wok & Talk over the years, and continue to go back for more! Dorothy's classes are not only instructional, they are delicious! And as she advertises, "come hungry!" - because you do indeed fix a 4 or 5 course meal - not samples - and there's always enough leftover for to-go boxes. I have taken most of the Asian cooking classes, as well as most recently Moroccan and Greek - and not only have I learned how to make some outstanding dishes (more easily than you would think!), I've learned a LOT about cooking techniques in general that I use over and over again with my everyday cooking. These classes are great for both the novice and the expert - there's something for everyone! And Dorothy is a gem of a teacher: knowledgable and well-informed, but she's able to impart that info in a way that's interesting and useful. Plus, her great sense of humor and people skills bring the group together so by the end of class, everyone feels like they've known each other for years... At the same time, Dorothy is serious about safety in the kitchen while chopping, cooking and handling food - again, ideas that I've been able to take and use at home. Many thanks to you, Dorothy, for making this novice cook a gourmet chef! And my belly thanks you, too :0) read more

One of the best experiences ever. Dorothy is an awesome teacher and she made Thai cooking fun and look easy. The best Green Curry I have ever had in my life. I can't wait to go back and learn and eat more!! read more

What a great experience times two... and soon to be three. Dorothy worked with both of our activities to accommodate everyone's taste buds and dietary needs. The food was delicious, the kitchen immaculate and it's some of the best green curry we've ever had (considering that we were the ones that made it :). I would also highly recommend the home made ravioli! Dorothy and Marianne were super... I would highly recommend this for a couples night or a girls night! read more

I try to write reviews when I try unique experiences in Pittsburgh. Having grown up here, live here today, and work in the community, I am very proud of all of the fabulous things that there are to do. Having said that, I am not sure I would do this again. Well wait, I would just not with Dorothy. Her food was fabulous. If it were just about the food, I would be giving five stars. However, it has to be about more. Respect for individuals that are paying you and choosing to spend their Friday night with you, Dorothy is RUDE. I am not sure if the other individuals rating this business caught her on a good day or perhaps we caught her on a bad one but whatever. She is RUDE...I can't say it enough. You don't learn anything because you are scared to death of her. I lost my concentration and the willingness to learn in five minutes. She is sarcastic, condescending, and a bully. Her assistant is a lovely women. For the life of me, I can't understand why she puts up with this women's crap. She was just as rude to her. There are way too many places to eat, good places, where you can enjoy your night. My husband and I have stressful jobs and that wasn't a great way to unwind from a long week. There isn't enough wine on this planet to make me want to do that again. A few times Dorothy told some great stories about how she started this business, who she mentored with, etc. she was so smug that I wanted to be interested but I couldn't, Don't do it...buyer beware! If you are going to go, bring wine...bring vodka and get ready for no fun. A few people in my group fondly named this business Chop, Wok, and don't you dare say anything! read more

Food ends up being good, but the experience is awful. The instructor is offensively condescending and rude. Cooking should be fun; this is not. read more