My husband and I had the most incredible date night at the Epicurean Theatre! We attended the…read more"Dinner with a Master Chef" class on Friday, July 18th 2014. Our instructor was celebrity chef, Whitney Miller, winner of Master Chef (season 1). The Epicurean Theatre is a gorgeous and very modern culinary classroom in the Epicurean Hotel in South Tampa. The culinary classroom has a kitchen in the front of the theatre for the instructor/ chef and stadium-style seating for the students. (If you want a seat near the front of the class arrive early!) Flat screen televisions are located in the front corners of the classroom to display close-ups of the food as it is being prepared. The layout of the classroom allows participants to eat and drink while watching a cooking presentation. After the chef completes each course of the meal the Epicurean's wait staff serves the dish. Whitney Miller was so charming and entertaining throughout our class. I loved her stories about growing up in Mississippi and being a contestant on the Master Chef. Her menu in our class included some of her favorite Southern dishes: First Course: Arugula Salad with Grilled Figs, Homemade Buttermilk Ricotta Cheese, Crispy Prosciutto and a Citrus Vinaigrette (Wine Pairing: Schiopetto Pinot Grigio) Second Course: BBQ Shrimp and Cheese Grits (Wine Pairing: Black Bird Rose) Third Course: White Chocolate Bread Pudding (Wine Pairing: Rosa Regale) Everything was so delicious and I cannot wait to make these dishes at my home! Confession: I probably won't make my own ricotta cheese for the arugula salad because who has time for that?! We received so many great cooking tips from the class and I plan on purchasing Whitney's cookbook so I can introduce my husband to more Southern cooking. If you are interested in taking a class at the Epicurean Theatre I highly recommend it! They offer a variety of classes from cupcakes to cooking to wine or even speaking a foreign language. They even offer brew bus tours! The classes range from $45-$125. Our Master Chef class cost $65 per person which wasn't a bad deal in my opinion considering we received a two hour demonstration from a celebrity chef, a three course meal, and three wine tastings. Can't wait to take my next class at the Epicurean Theatre!

I went to a great event here called Cupcakes and Cocktails held by Chef Beth Lukens, who owns and…read moreoperates the local company Cloud 9 Confections. Everything about this event was fun. Just like you see on cooking shows, Beth stood in front of the 3-tiered seating area, with a camera on her, and a camera overhead showing inside the pot she was cooking in. Beth is an experienced baker, and I loved that in addition to demonstrating how to make the Bourbon Chocolate Pecan cupcake, she also gave us helpful tips for substitutions and shortcuts. In addition to cupcakes, the event included 3 cocktails, specially designed to compliment the cupcakes we would be taking home. Pumpkin Prosecco - made of champagne and pureed pumpkin, Hard Apple Cider - made with gin, cider, and fresh crushed grapes, and a Bourbon Cocktail - but after the first two drinks, I have no recollection of what went into this last one. It was great, though! :-) Roger, the bartender from the hotel restaurant Élevage, came in each time to explain his concoction, which was really a nice personal touch. After Beth demonstrated how to make the first cupcake, all the participants went down to group stations where we got to frost our own cupcakes. She had all the different cupcakes lined up for us, as well as the different bags of frosting. First we did our own Bourbon Chocolate Pecan cupcake - by scooping out the inside to fill it with pecan filling, then frosting it with a thick bourbon chocolate buttercream, and sprinkling roasted pecans on top. Next was the Hard Apple Cider cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream. And finally we did the Pumpkin Spice cupcake, with a sweet cream cheese frosting. I have to admit, there was a LOT of taste-testing the frosting, even after the cupcakes were all frosted. Beth even provided plastic cupcake containers, so our 6 masterpieces (2 of each flavor) could travel in safety and comfort. I would definitely do another event here - it was very well organized, and in addition to the promised take home cupcakes, we were also provided with recipes on how to make the different cupcakes and frosting. The only thing that wasn't cool, and wasn't mentioned ahead of time, is that you had to pay $5 for valet, which also meant tipping too. I think the Epicurean Hotel needs to include this in the cost of the class, or let people self-park in the spots they have available for the wine store or bakery. Other than the parking, an A+ event from start to finish. Support local small businesses and go check out Beth's webpage, too - yum!

Me-this is one of the best Italian meals I've had in years…read moreMy wife-except for Rome Me- noo ... I didn't say that. We didn't really do fine dining in Rome and this was better than anything we ate. It's not Spiaggia, or trying to be Michelin style, but just amazing food. Pappardelle with veal pounded thin, mushrooms, and I think some truffle in the sauce. Mixed green salad with burrata. With only 16 seats, we got takeout. Me and grandpa split the dish and didn't finish it. I think it was 46$. Salad for three came with 4 burrata ( is there a plural form) which was less I think grandpa said $25 but that's a guess either way. I can't believe how affordable this was. In Jupiter Fl where I live it would have been 50% more and not nearly as good. Sorry Jupiter-your rent is too high. I can't believe our Airbnb is a block away.

Probably one of the best meals I've had in Tampa. Little place - maybe 5 tables in it.read more

Cooking class review! My friends got this for a team…read morebuilding event- then bought for me for a birthday date night. BYOD and cook and learn plus 10% off ANYTHING in the store. They offer cappuccino espresso too mid class. We cooked Japanese night- miso salmon, fried rice, salad with ginger dressing, tempura veggies, sesame ice cream. Wow, so good and so much food- sad I couldn't take home my leftovers- such a waste. This should change Check it out, but save me a spot too!!!

Looking for a fun activity for a date night or with a group of friends? I highly recommend cooking…read moreclasses at Sur La Table. Learn new skills, spend time together, and eat a delicious meal that you make! We have attended several of classes over the years and most recently a tamale making class in December and a sushi making class in January, and we are already signed up for a Thai cuisine class in April. The instructors are great, providing cooking techniques and tips, as well as insights on where to get ingredients that are used. After the class, you receive a store discount to get any cookware or utensils you may need to make the meal. We love cooking at home and this is a great way to learn the basic skills needed to broaden our repertoire.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the sushi making class with Chef Stephen. He made the class very…read moreinteractive and fun to learn. I appreciated that this class was small and intimate. You can tell Chef has a passion for this because he made sure we all knew what we were doing, we could ask as many questions as we liked and he even provided me some short cuts on how to prepare certain things. He has a Gnocchi class coming up and I'm looking into signing up for that. I would highly recommend him.

I recommend the class I booked because of the chefs their interaction and the great experience I…read morehad. I find the website challenging and the knowledge of the people on the phone very minimal.

Cooking classes, group fun, team building lots of options here . What a cool concept located right…read moreinside Armature works. Unfortunately we didn't have time but you can make reservations online at their website. I'd like to do it next time I'm in Tampa Website and phone number located on their front door is in my pictures

Three friends and I took a macaron baking class with Muriel at her gorgeous Bellevue home and it…read moretotally changed my idea of macarons. I am not a fancy baker (I do uncomplicated cookies, pies, simple breads, etc.) and have never understood the macaron craze that's still going strong. In this class, I learned that they are quite challenging to make and are mouthwateringly delicious when correctly and precisely made--I think I just never tried ones so good as these! The fun in baking them is how challenging they are and imagining all the possible color and flavor combinations. It was a great experience for me and my girlfriends and Muriel was an excellent teacher. First, she made a batch of strawberry macarons and explained very clearly what she was doing every step of the way, including how to gauge if you've done it correctly. Next, we paired up and made a different flavor on our own (coffee and black olive in this case). Muriel helped us every step of the way and sent recipes and videos afterwards. I can't wait to try to make them again without Muriel's help! (Fingers crossed). Word to the wise: if you go on a weeknight, eat dinner first! There's a small snack of crackers, cheese, and prosciutto provided.

Had a fun day making macarons from this beautiful home. Teacher was helpful and kind. Very…read moreknowledgeable. End product was delicious and I hope to take another class soon

How many good things can I condense into one review about Chef Alisa and her husband, Alex? I…read morereached out to Alisa by simply searching for a 'private/personal chef' on Google. She was one of the first few chefs in the Houston area that popped up on my screen and I decided to do some more "research;" and by "research," I mean I searched for her on social media platforms to see pictures of her dishes before contacting her...Come on, we're all guilty of it. lol To my pleasant surprise, Chef Alisa was one of the winners on The Food Network's "Supermarket Stakeout" which I thought was a pretty cool thing to have on her resume. :) So of course, naturally, I contacted her to check out her prices and menu. Now, by no means am I accustomed to having a personal chef in our home, but to celebrate a special occasion, I thought it would be a fun experience and a great "date night" for my husband and I. My review is strictly based off of my first experience having a chef come to my home to cook for me and the communication between Chef Alisa and I throughout the whole process. From the very beginning of getting into contact with Chef Alisa, she was extremely prompt in her e-mail responses and very transparent about her rate and any additional costs. After reviewing other chefs in Houston, I decided that I wanted Chef Alisa as our private chef to celebrate a special occasion with my husband, and after that, she sent me a menu with several delicious selections for each course (i.e., appetizer, salad, main dishes, desserts). I think choosing just one option from each course was the hardest part about this whole process, I wanted to try them all. During the selection process, I e-mailed Alisa back and forth a few times asking if I could make small changes here and there (e.g., sub an appetizer, or add a protein), and each time I heard back from her, she was timely in her responses and tactfully offered her professional recommendations. What I liked about Chef Alisa was that she was helpful and respected any accommodations or changes I wanted to make to the final menu. To give you an idea of some of the changes, I asked for, Chef Alisa recommended an appetizer, a salad, main dish and dessert; whereas, my husband doesn't like salad, so I asked if we could have two hot appetizers instead. Chef Alisa was accommodating and made two hot appetizers for us to replace the salad and added a protein to one of the dishes she normally serves as a main entree. While at the store, she even accommodated when I wanted her to change one of the proteins (last minute). Her ability to be flexible and accommodate her clients made her really pleasant to work with. After making my selections, I had to pay 50% of the total cost to Alisa to secure the date and then on the day of, I would pay the rest as well as any additional costs (e.g., groceries). Additionally, Alisa asked for a picture of my kitchen so that she could work her way around the kitchen with ease on the day of her arrival. On the day of, Alisa and her husband Alex (her "sous chef") came over about 3 hours before I wanted our meal served (appetizers by 6:15pm), and she started to cook up a storm as if my kitchen was her kitchen all along. I got to know them as a couple while she was cooking and Alex was prepping and it really felt like I was just chatting with friends. They're a really sociable couple and Alisa's food turned out amazing. The entire meal was served perfectly well-timed, and they were attentive to our needs. The icing on the cake was that there were no dishes for me to do at the end of the night! They left our kitchen cleaner than it was before they came over. :) If you're looking for a fun date night or even a get-together with friends, hiring Chef Alisa for a special occasion will be a treat.

Alisa G. and her team helped me host a wonderful 12-person birthday dinner celebration for my wife…read more She made my first private chef experience fantastic and, because of that, it will not be my last. She presented, at our request, a Mediterranean-themed dinner with appetizer, entree with side, and desert. Every dish she served was delicious and her team took exceptional care of us and our guests. It was all very much appreciated. I highly recommend Alisa G and look forward to using her services the next time an opportunity arises.

I recently hosted a networking event at Cheeseology, and I cannot recommend it enough! From start…read moreto finish, the experience was absolutely seamless, thanks to Kelly, who was amazing throughout the entire process. From booking to the end of the event, her attention to detail and professionalism made everything so easy and enjoyable. The atmosphere at Cheeseology was perfect--warm, inviting, and ideal for fostering connections. Everyone who attended had such a fantastic time! The instructors were phenomenal, bringing energy, expertise, and fun to the event. It was clear they were passionate about what they do, which made the experience even more memorable. One of the standout aspects of Cheeseology is their commitment to sourcing ingredients from local suppliers. It's such a thoughtful touch that adds to the quality and authenticity of the experience. If you're looking for a unique venue with a great vibe, exceptional service, and a focus on supporting the local community, Cheeseology is the place to go. I can't wait to host another event here!

Cannoli making class was fun…read more So the 3 stars is based on their customer service & how we were treated. 7 of us signed up for a week night class. We arrived late because we thought the class was 30 mins later than it was but we text them we were on our way. They were visible annoyed when we walked in & we did not get a warm welcome. I have to say there was only 2 people, a couple, in the class so it wasn't like we interrupted a big class. We were bringing the big class. And they had only poured milk into a pot & letting it warm up when we arrived so we had not missed anything. The whole class the women that worked there were not giving warm fuzzy vibes. It lacked fun & enjoyment honestly. We felt like we were treated like a nuisance & like we couldn't even laugh. The cannolis were good & we learned a lot.

My first time at The Candle Pour and wow, such a fun experience. Perfect for friends, family, or a…read morecute date activity. We booked a 45-minute slot online and everything ran smoothly. The staff was incredibly friendly and patient, making it very hands-on while still relaxed. They guided me through the whole process and helped me create a scent that matched exactly what I wanted. The scent selection is endless in the best way. Start to finish took about 30 minutes, but the candle needs a few hours to set, so plan ahead if you don't want to come back later to pick it up. It may feel a bit pricey, but the experience and custom candle make it worth it. I went on a Monday afternoon and it felt cozy and almost private. The vibe is aesthetic and perfect for dates or bonding. I went with my partner for my birthday and it made it extra special. Definitely coming back.

This was such a wonderful experience. The ambiance was cozy and stylish and the staff members were…read moreprofessional, helpful, and very friendly. The price for the candle making is fair, and the cost of admission turns into a credit towards paying for the candle you make. Highly recommend this activity!