JJ and her whole team were incredible to work with for our unconventional wedding party. From the outset it was clear how important it was to her to understand what we wanted and the vibe we were going for, and she drew on her expertise in food and entertainment to help us bring it to the next level! So many helpful ideas and options without ever being pushy in the slightest. Every part of the process was met with great care and flexibility. From early planning to coordination day-of, it felt like we completely avoided the stress typically associated with a several-hour, eighty person event like this. That genuine spirit and passion for food really extended to her entire team, who were uniformly wonderful to work with during all portions of the event. If you're looking for delicious food and a nimble team with a solid ethos, look no further read more

We have only the most positive things to say about JJ and her team! They were extremely professional throughout the planning phase and the day-of, while also being so calm, warm, and friendly to communicate with. JJ is clearly extremely passionate about her craft and proposed a creative menu that featured local ingredients and had plenty of options for our guests with dietary restrictions. Each dish that JJ came up with was deliciously prepared, perfectly fresh, and arrived piping hot. The food was also very generously portioned for our buffet style wedding meal. Over the course of the evening our guests raved about each of the dishes that JJ and her team put together. In the days that followed, we continued to hear from friends about how much they loved the lamb, lasagna, etc., even while we were still enjoying the leftovers! JJ and her team went above and beyond in preparing food for our special day and for this we are extremely grateful. We would recommend JJ and her team to anyone without hesitation. read more

JJ and the team at Cuisine en Locale were a pleasure throughout the whole process. They supplied a varied, fresh, and flavorful buffet for our reception. They worked creatively to meet our budget and the restrictions of our location, easily accommodated a range of dietary restrictions, and even gave advice on other local vendors and the licensing process. During the event, they were incredibly helpful, ensuring that the presentation was professional, empty plates were cleared, and food stations were replenished as needed. Best of all, they were calm, friendly, and fun to work with. read more

Okay, you know what? I'm pissed. I nearly finished writing the review and of course, I accidentally hit a button and my review was gone. I hit back, but only the first paragraph of like...a million came back. Gah...the frustration. Then, I started writing and couldn't stop and finally, a pop-up came up and said that I had reached the 5000 character limit. Really? Like...really? So I just erased everything that I wrote, which wasn't even at the halfway point yet, just so I could start over. This is going to be long because it honestly takes a lot to make me so excited about certain foods. I absolutely cannot tell you about the meal that I had. I went to O.N.C.E. which stands for what? I don't remember, but I'm so glad I went. I asked my friend to come with me a day or two before and he said that he'd think about it and that I should just send me the info. The morning of the event, I asked him if he was still going and he started giving me a hard time. He said that he was lazy, it was Sunday, he wanted to relax, he was tired...all of the things that you would say to get out of going anywhere with anyone. Well, all the nagging and yelling and bitching finally got me to where I wanted to be: walking out the door while he yelled behind me, "FINE! I'll take you! Just call me later. Jeez." Then slamming the door behind me. I'm going to name what I ate (please do not judge me on accuracy because we were served ten courses and I can't remember exact details to everything that I ate...) and BRIEFLY, what I thought of it: Profiteroles... We came late so I didn't really catch what was in them, but one tasted like it had mushrooms in it and gave it a really hearty, earthy bite while the other was incredibly creamy and was an awesome contrast. Soup... Amazing. Seaweed broth with spinach, seaweed, black beans, and corn. The corn was mind-blowing. It was sweet and crisp and fresh. I don't know what words to use to explain how amazing this soup was. It was so nice and light and mild. Perfect. Really comforting and hearty and as pointed out, was entirely vegan. Pork Pate & Liverwurst... One of my faves. I've been having withdrawals from the Pate. I get physically nauseous when I think about it because I want it so badly that it hurts me. Served with two slices of bread and a smear of spicy brown mustard, I couldn't get enough of it. Honestly, if I had been served just that, I would have really been okay. Pasta... Lobster Ravioli. Incredibly delicate and served with a Butternut Squash puree. Amazing. The sweetness of the puree absolutely complimented the sweetness of the lobster which fell apart as soon as it hit my lips...practically instantaneously. It was great. Salad... Microgreen Salad with Beets and Sun chips. Great. Very lightly seasoned and also very delicate. It was incredibly good. Another dish where if I had just that, I would be totally okay. Lamb... Okay, I hate lamb. I have only had it once before and I had one bite and threw away the whole thing. Disgusting. Honestly. But I had it and it was sensational. My favorite of the night. Served with a risotto and I think celeriac was mixed in, but I'm not sure. So good. I also hate risotto because I think it's just nasty, but it was just great. Halfway through, the plate flipped and fell in my lap. No one noticed so I quickly caught the lamb and kept eating... Fruit... I think they served us a bit of grapefruit segments at this point just to cleanse our palate. Funny since I hate grapefruit too, but I ended up eating it and enjoying it. It just had a sprig of mint on it, but there was a little mint tint on the grapefruit. Really awesome. Salad... I think the next course was another salad. There were two, served into the same bowl. One was a sweet potato salad and the other was a kale (?) salad with nuts (maybe walnuts?). The sweet potato salad had an amazing kick and was perfectly spicy and was great. The kale salad was fantastic with the contrast of the nuts. Yum. Another favorite. Pasta... Mac and Cheese. Perfect. Made with a ton of local cheeses and topped with a bit of paprika. The simplicity made it special and I really enjoyed it. I don't like my mac and cheese too saucy and this one was perfect to my liking. Dessert... Fruit crumble kind of thing served with ice cream. I didn't really figure out what went into this, but I saw apples and some dried cranberries and it was served with a bit of homemade vanilla ice cream, I think. Fantastic. The crumble bit that they had with the fruit was awesome. I really enjoyed that. I didn't really get too detailed since I'm trying to keep it short since I know that they have a 5000 character limit on Yelp. If I could give this meal anymore stars, they would get them all. I had a blast. On our way home, I turned to my friend and asked him, "So was it worth it? Are you glad I pulled you out tonight?" He smiled and turned away, hating to admit that I was right and he enjoyed himself as much as I did. I win. read more

JJ Gonson is building an army. The passion she has for food - good, honest, local food - is so infectious and so inspiring that I would probably follow her to hell. In fact, I did the other night for the ONCE in Valhalla event at the Armory on Highland Avenue. To describe the food would be to describe a dream that I could not possibly capture again, and I don't want to torture myself by doing so. What I will say instead is that the individual courses (we ate for about four hours) were all so unique, wonderful and memorable that the experience as a whole became a defining one for what I am as a food lover. I want to taste the pride. I want to leave full. I want to get more than what I was willing to pay for. I got all of these things. If this One Night Culinary Event is an accurate representation of what Cuisine En Locale is about (and I think it is), then JJ Gonson is as important of a local institution as Fenway Park or the Old North Church. read more

Oh JJ how I love you .......let me count the ways! JJ Gonson, hip-mom-yelping-chef extraordinare....deserves every star you see above and here are just a few reasons why : 1. She made gluten-free muffins at our yelp elite event--thank you! 2. Her food is to-die-for, mouth -watering delicious 3. She is honest, talented and an all around cool lady! I am still dreaming about the truffled eggs on homemade mini English muffins and the mini potato pancakes with creme fraiche and scallions or was it leeks....? whatever it was OMG it was DELICIOUS!!! read more

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Have friends that just became new parents? Want to be a really good person? Buy them a meal share from Cuisine En Locale! Friends bought one for me and my wife, and we used it the first week we didn't have anyone home supporting us and our brand new son. The pickup was easy, and the food is delicious! It was such a relief to have everything done and made for us -- just needed to be heated up. Very delicious, and I am definitely already wondering if I can find an excuse to use them in the future! read more

Great food. Great people. Cool place. CeL takes food seriously, as in they were doing local sourcing 10 years ago, well before it was cool. Whether for catering, their Once a Week meal delivery program, or for food @ the ONCE Lounge, you can't go wrong. ...and now their doing concerts in their ballroom at ONCE. More cool stuff. Check them out. read more

This review is for a recent One Night Culinary Event (ONCE), specifically, ONCE Veg. ONCE is many things. ONCE is a 3+ hour endurance eating session of locally-sourced delights. ONCE is BYOB (a true rarity in the Boston area). ONCE is themed. ONCE is an entirely unique gustatory experience. In the interest of full disclosure, I have worked with JJ Gonson before and my admission to ONCE Veg was comped. My dining companion and I arrived a few minutes past 7 pm. Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" hummed over the clattering in the semi-open kitchen. We were escorted to a small table for two at the edge of the room. The evening's menu was scrawled on a large sheet of paper pinned to the opposite wall. There would be ten courses. After the remaining diners filed in, JJ gave a small speech. Wine corks popped, beer fizzed in bottles--the fun was about to begin. Following are my favorite courses, listed in the order in which they were served: (2) Roasted Red Cabbage and Bayley Hazen Blue cheese. The cabbage was lightly seasoned and perfectly roasted. I'm not a huge mold-containing cheese aficionado, but the Bayley Hazen Blue was salty, creamy, and had an assertive flavor without being overpowering; it was a perfect counterpoint to the cabbage. (4) Tomatoes, Peaches, and Basil with Iggy's Bread. This was served like a bruschetta, with the tomato, peach, and basil forming a sauce. At first, it sounds like tomatoes and peaches would make a strange combination. This was not the case. The tang of the local, optimally ripe tomatoes was offset nicely by the peaches and the sweet basil. This was my favorite course of the evening. (6) Fresh Grits and Seasoned Okra. The homemade grits were a completely novel and delicious experience for me, a creamy mixture studded with large flecks of coarsely ground corn. Delicious. ONCE Veg was an amazing dining experience. The price is reasonable: 50 dollars for ten courses (incredibly cheap compared to any restaurant tasting menu). For some, the dinner could seem a bit long at a little over three hours, but patience is rewarded with a uniquely fabulous dining experience. read more

It was called ONCE (One Night Culinary Event) in Valhalla, but boy I hope it happens more than once! What's better than spending a frigid January night in a warm hall, filled with 200 viking warriors in Valhalla? There was music, Norse gods, knit viking hats (with removable braids!), Pretty Things beer, Green River Ambrosia Mead, Island Creek Oysters and food, food, food. Our kitchen gnomes slaved over some amazing food! We started with the oysters (700 of which were shucked on the spot), served with a sour apple mignonette. The mignonette was fine, but really, the oysters didn't need any sauce. They were the freshest oysters I've ever had. Next was a plated smorgasbord of cheese, liverwurst (admission: I tried it. Still don't like liverwurst), rye hardtack, pickled sardines (I would have taken some home, but there were none left! so good!), fermented "volkornbrot" - thick, hearty European bread, and black radishes. I'd always heard radishes were great with butter. Now I can't wait to make a radish and butter snack at home. Next, the valkyries served us: butternut squash soup; leg of lamb, roasted beets and yogurt sauce; glazed ham with cheesy oat porridge; wheatberry and beans, roasted root vegetables (seemed to be a medley of potatoes); poached cod and mashed turnips; beef stew with red cabbage. And finally, a dessert of yogurt with honey and beach plum sauce. What an amazing feast! The food was fresh and local and minimally processed. Now I'll admit I didn't *love* everything: I confirmed I still don't like liverwurst and turnips. I like my red cabbage to be more vinegary. But there were also some food discoveries for me. I don't like lamb. But this lamb, from Stillman Farm, was wonderful. I didn't think I liked poached fish -- but based on the poached cod we ate, I'll be poaching some soon. Cheesy oat porridge looked, well, gruel-like, but man oh man, it was good. Some might say the ticket price of $85 (plus cash bar) is steep. Certainly not for this amount of food. And, given the quality, $85 was a bargain. The beer was great, as was the mead. My only complaint was they ran out of "blood of your enemies" to add to my mead. (berry syrup, I think). How much more enjoyable would the dinner be if I was drinking blood of my enemies! read more

Being Yelp Elite has its perks, and I was able to finally enjoy one of them this past month. I was compensated 2 free tickets to "ONCE Muertos, starring Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys" at this venue ($80 value). Having recently moved from Boston to San Diego, a city notorious for its amazing and authentic Mexican food, you can only imagine how excited I was to come to this event. This venue, despite being modest and small, can certainly hold its own with its deliciously authentic Mexican food - all made from ingredients that can only be acquired locally! They served a pseudo buffet/course type of dinner. The appetizer course consisted of tortilla chips, pico de gallo, corn salsa, queso, and marinated red onions. Everything tasted fresh and hand made (because it is!). Their main course consisted of Stillman Farm Pulled Pork Verde, Chicken Mole with Taza Chocolate, Mexican Red Rice, and Mexican Vegetarian Beans. My favorite out of all of them had to be the Stillman Farm Pulled Pork Verde. They even served freshly fried Chicharrón (fried pork skin) to sprinkle on the pork to give it an immaculate crunch. I'm not too big on traditional Mexican-style music but the mariachi band was very entertaining. They went around to each table giving a private show. Even though I couldn't stay for the rest of the night to see the main performers, it was still an awesome experience - one I would recommend to anyone nearby to get a true taste of what real, authentic Mexican food tastes like. These people work hard and they spend several days prior to the events just preparing the food! read more

I had a chance to try Cuisine En Locale's delicious creations at a special tasting hosted by Savenor's this weekend, and all I gotta say is JJ sure knows how to turn out real crowd-pleasers! The lamb on blinis were adorable and oh so tasty. I'm not exactly sure what the crumbly honey olive oil treats were called, but they were my runner-up favorite after the vegan chocolate cake that tasted like a molten brownie....Seriously, were those really vegan?? They tasted too good to be true. Anyway, it's obvious that JJ is passionate about cooking good eats that are also good for you, and she is such a warm, genuine person as well! Also, if you join her mailing list, you can get some really great tips on where to find the best produce and updates when things are in season. Love it! read more

From their pop-up dining One Night Culinary Events to the brunches and dinners at their new home at Anthony's to their ONCE a Week meal service, Cuisine en Locale has become a huge part of our lives. We're big believers in what they're doing with interesting, palate-broadening, and -- most importantly -- DELICIOUS locavore food, crafted by good people. If you want to get an idea of what CeL is all about, definitely check out their weekend brunches (I believe they're on hiatus during the summer) or the dinners they're doing there at Anthony's on Highland Ave in the evenings. Or just jump in the deep end like we did by trying a ONCE dinner. You won't be disappointed. And if you have kids -- or if you're just busy -- definitely consider their ONCE a Week meal service. Every Tuesday you'll get about five meals worth of high-quality food. It eliminates time-intensive cooking and is way healthier (and definitely cheaper) than eating takeout every night. When you just have to put something in the oven for 20 minutes or on the stovetop for 10 minutes, you have way more time to spend doing other things on a weeknight, which is a godsend. And you won't find yourself eating the same things over and over in rotation or searching for new recipes to take a chance on. Maybe one dish a month isn't our thing, and we'll find a deserving home for it. That's a great hit rate. Anyway, CeL is a no-brainer for us. read more

I was at a yelp event a couple of months ago where Cuisine En Locale catered. It was delicious!! Thinking about all the yummy finger foods makes me hungry. The best part about all the breakfast delights was that they tasted healthy and fresh. I know JJ teaches cooking classes at CCAE, I'm now on her mailing list, and I hope to be able to attend one day. I want to be this good in the kitchen too! read more

JJ can COOK!! She's got great taste. I had a chance to try her food in Cambridge this week - WHOA. Her chocolate cake with pickled spiced peaches was soooooooo good. It completely changed perceptions of the capabilities of vegan baked goods. The boar baby back ribs with pommegranite dipping sauce were delicious. The lamb with yogurt dill sauce - soooooo flavorful and good. JJ has a LUCKY family!! My favorite part about eating her food was hearing her enthusiasm for her craft, and experiencing her vibrant personality. read more

I went to a brunch tasting over the weekend catered by CeL with a bunch of friends and I have nothing but good things to say about it and JJ. She and her assistant were totally sweet and accomodating and knowledgeable. The food was awesome - we were all big fans of the baby english muffins with truffled eggs and mushrooms and the latkes with leeks. Everything is organic and healthy so you don't feel guilty about eating thirteen clementine tarts. JJ will also do v. small dinner parties - an entree per four people. And if you call that morning as long as she doesn't have a big to-do that night she can drop off some yumminess for you and your friends for the same as if you went out to a nice restaurant. We are totally going to hit her up for an evening of fabulousness. read more

I had the pleasure of taking a class taught by JJ at CCAE, and I immediately knew I wanted to learn more about food from her. I liked her philosophy towards cooking and eating. It is similar to what I learned from my parents. Nature really has produced most of what you need right out of the ground. You don't need to muddle it up! That approach along with her creativity always produces healthy, fulfilling, and delicious food. I've seen and tasted the quality of her work. If you ask her nicely, she'll make you some incredible lobster ravioli. She's genuinely passionate about what she does, and it comes through in her cooking. Definitely worth trying out for a special occasion. read more

Local? Check. Seasonal? Check. Delicious? Check. Easy? Check. CeL is like your csa, all cooked up for you by loving, talented chefs, and delivered to your door, often by bicycle to be, you know, green. How awesome is that? read more

I was enticed to Cuisine en Locale by being one of a certain local ace trumpet player's circle of 2,000 or so close personal friends. His band was on the bill for a show there, so I rallied some of MY close personal friends to catch the gig. The event? Awesome! The hall? A bit shy of that. The unnatural redhead staffing the door for ticket collection searched in vain for a grip for the duration of the night. Scan ticket, stash ticket, ink event-goer's hand, wave them in the door. How complicated is that? It was sufficiently beyond her capabilities that a line of three people ended up constituting a queue in and of itself. Once past that hurdle, however, the all-important detail of cash collection for food went by in no time flat. Then the buffet line moved at a reasonable enough speed. The food itself? A mere "meh" for what was charged in relation to what was served: "sample" amounts of so-so quality eats. Since just about everything edible at Cuisine en Locale is said to be "local," "sustainable," and such Whole Foods hipster buzz words, I guess that makes everything all right. Not...really...not when you're trying to quiet tummy rumbles and you know you're gonna spend the better part of the next four hours shakin' what Mama gave you. The bar service? Decent enough in terms of swiftness and efficiency. No beers on tap, more than slightly comical overemphasis on the...wait for it..."local." The blueberry soda I tried was, um, interesting - in a good way. My mixed-drink-o-phile buddy was less than impressed by having to make a Black & Tan by his damn self (because the bartenders had no clue) and by having lime juice instead of a wedge of that familiar green fruit added to his Cuba Libré. Recommended on the brewski side of things? Whale's Tail. BTW it tastes better from the can than from the plastic cup you'll be given. The venue? Much hipster street cred has to be given, for the place (better known as Anthony's) is straight out of Hipster Central - the Park Slope/Astoria axis in NYC. Exactly like in Brooklyn and Queens, the life-ceremony celebration facilities beloved by the blue-collar ethnic group pushed out by gentrification have been re-appropriated. Crystal chandeliers! Ornate carpeting! Ill-advised exterior remodeling! You'd swear you were in Greenpoint or Bushwick, but no, you're still in Slummerville. I had a blast at Cuisine en Locale, but next time I'll eat ahead of time. read more

Attempted to eat dinner before seeing a concert. Waitress was not attentive at all, could not explain any questions about the menu and was extremely difficult to get a hold of, even to pay the check. The food was mediocre at best. I had very high hopes after reading everyone else's reviews on yelp. The venue itself was neat. I will return for shows but never again for dinner. read more

Inventive. JJ showcased some of her wonderful cooking at the yelp event and I'm glad that she did. My absolute favorite was the vegan chocolate cake with a pickled pear on top. I never knew that vegan could taste so good but it does! My second favorite was the lamb topped with wicked good yogurt. Now that I know that she teaches at the Cambridge Adult Community Education center I will be taking a class as soon as I get some free time! read more

I decided CeL didn't have enough five-star reviews, so here goes. I've volunteered for them a couple times, enough to get a healthy taste of JJ's passion and her team's ability to plow over your highest expectations. A pop-up dinner featuring local and organic ingredients? Sounds great. How about a full on theatrical presentation of the dinner, costumed staff, music, and ten courses? Rest assured that any amount of money that you give them in exchange for food will be exceptionally well spent. read more

I've been sitting on this for over a week, because I still can't get over how fantastic the meal JJ prepared for us at Savenor's was. There's no doubt that she's passionate about what she does, and the results are amazing. Case in point: My four-year-old does not eat meat. (It must be a texture thing; we've been laid back about it.) But on this day, at "the cooking show" as he called the event, he tried everything. He did try the ribs (and enjoyed playing with the bone in his teeth). As long as it was served on a blini (little pancake), he ate it; that includes the lamb. The breakthrough, and his favorite non-sweet, was the shredded braised short ribs. When I told JJ, she started telling me the recipe--which involves an overnight marinade. Wow. Then she gave us some to bring home! As if that weren't enough, when I made it into a quesadilla the next night (I know, not nearly as creative), the boy was still impressed. Of course, the "I can't believe they're vegan" brownies (coined Trish or Doris) with peaches and the honey cakes were pretty excellent, too. The best part though, is that getting to talk to JJ even briefly, is infectious. Not only is she talented and knowledgeable, but her enthusiasm bubbles into everything. She is just cool overall, and I would love to just hang out with her. Yes, JJ does offer cooking classes, too. She makes it look so easy and effortless, if even a little bit could rub off, I'd be lucky indeed. read more

Wow! The food here is so good... Tacos and pizza..yum! The drinks are amazing too! Love that everything is sourced locally... And there's live music too! Two floors of food and entertainment... Go now! read more

I had the fundraising dinner from Cuisine En Locale last Friday evening. I drove out to pick it up after work, and made it there a bit late (just after 6 pm). I work far away so It's hard for me to get there in time. They would deliver, but since I'm in Medford that costs an extra $20. For one dinner's worth of food, that wasn't worth it to me. I got home and warmed up the food: Roasted veggies - delicious, with fresh rosemary! Carrots and parsnips, onions, etc. Kale salad - tasty and vinegary! Soup - a soup of some meat and potatoes, carrots, etc. This was okay, but split 2 ways with the rest of the meal was not quite filling enough as an entree. I ended up grabbing a slice of pizza afterwards. Bread pudding - really bland. I foisted this off on my housemates, and they agreed that it's lacking any flavor, just mildly bready and eggy. Adding some cinnamon or cardamom or any spice, really, would have helped a lot. Ended up eating this with maple syrup like French Toast for breakfast. For the hassle of driving there and paying a bunch for a dinner, I was hoping for more delicious food, I guess. I'm really glad it's all local, since that's really important to me! I'll still come to their brunch sometime, but this is not convincing me to get their weekly delivery, although it's probably a better value (5 meals for $145 or so, or $165 delivered to me). Not sure if this was just an off day, since everyone else is raving? Oh well. read more

Love this place! Wonderful food, music, and people. Can't wait to go back. JJ and her team really love what they do and it shows. Their commitment to the local community is inspiring and they've created an oasis of cool in Somerville. read more

J.J. Gonson has put together an amazing business in the former Anthony's space, and hosts really great locavore food events, fundraisers and all manner of soirees! Their weekend brunches are not to be missed, and keep an eye out for all their special events. CeL has done some amazing work with area farms and restaurants, and their commitment to the local, sustainable food scene is commendable! Also, the 90s prom was TOTALLY BALLER. Special thanks to Kat and Taybin Rutkin! WOO read more

Bored with your own cooking? Too busy with a new baby or exams to cook? Lazy and a bad cook like me? Try Cuisine en Locale weekly meal delivery! ONCE a Week is healthy farm to table food. Local. Delicious. Organic. Sustainable. I love it! This weekly food service makes healthy eating so much easier. Plus I love supporting a local business. It's delivered quickly by bicycle which is awesome. It's exciting to check the new menu and see what you're going to eat for the week. Can't wait the flourless chocolate cake :) Viva la Locavore :) Also, the venue is doing ONCE in Valhalla which is a viking feast! Ready to buy my tickets. https://www.facebook.com/events/905763876207242/ read more

I have not sampled JJ's main course cooking, but I took her "Ice Cream and Frozen Confections" class at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, and lemme tell you, it was great. We learned about what makes different ice creams have the distinctive qualities they are known for, and made a delightful variety of ice creams and their accessories (such as vanilla almond crepe mini-cones---my fave!). At the end of class, we each got to "plate" a dessert, adding unique toppings from JJ's goodie bag---my favorite combo was dried lavendar flowers over our apricot-peach gelato, tucked inside a mini-cone. As you can see, I felt inspired to get my own gourmet-kitchen-experimenter-extraordinaire on! JJ was also very generous with her time, hanging around after class to answer questions and generally chat about subjects we all found interesting, such as how to make caramel sauce and where to buy organic foods. She even let my boyfriend come gratis to the second class just because he came by for tastes after the first one, which we both appreciated greatly, since it was such great fun making ice cream together! I'd definitely reccommend taking a class with a friend/family member/significant other for extra fun, although JJ promotes a laidback, chilled out atmosphere so it's fun either way. PLUS, JJ told me about Yelp, which I'm happy to have heard of since it looks like a really neat site! Sweet! read more

I stopped by one day and had a pulled pork taco. It was really delicious. The meat was very tender and juicy. The flavor was well balanced. I stopped by during the Somerstreet Festival (I think that's what it's called?), so their menu was limited. I'll have to stop by during a regular day and try their food as well. read more

Cuisine En Locale - Personal Chefs Near Me

Thank you SO much for being so incredibly accommodating with your meal delivery service. We called at the last minute, you said you had made extras, and even though you were done with deliveries for the evening, you still made it happen for a very special family. This means so much to us, and we are so glad to know you are right around the corner from our family and we won't hesitate to order from you again! read more

Just go ahead & get their ONCE a Week meal delivery subscription. Just do it. Trust me. We started the meal delivery when I got a job, because my husband doesn't cook, and it takes me hours to prepare a meal (I'm a nutritionist and everything has to be fresh, local, organic, pastured, soaked, sprouted, fermented, etc.). Who has the time?! Everything is delicious. They didn't have one miss, from a taste perspective. I really wish they would offer a gluten-free option, or better yet, true paleo, but it was still awesome. Highly recommend. Wish we still lived in Boston! read more

-- this review is for Monday Taco Night -- In general I love what J.J .is doing at Anthony's, an underutilized event space in my neighborhood. Sadly the tacos were underwhelming. Our group of six tried every flavor and only the chicken skin and pork belly was outstanding. The chicken skin was the taco "shell." Great idea. But you could put anything on crispy chicken skins and it would be awesome! The elote (corn and poblano) was also quite delicious - my second favorite but the rest of the flavor combinations were not bright or spicy enough, just kind of muddy and bland. no need to rush back. read more

It took my husband 20 minutes to get two drinks at the bar. He was 3rd in line. I spent that time waiting in line for pierogies that they ran out of. None of the staff seem to be on their game, including the 9 year olds who were serving food. Based on this first impression, we don't plan on coming back. read more

Went to the event space to see a concert. It seemed like a cool venue...until the bands started playing. The opening band had a great set except that there were problems with the PA and microphones throughout, making constant interruptions. When the headlining band came on, everyone pushed to the front, as is typical of a concert. This apparently created the potential for some structural problems with the floor and everyone in the front row was physically pushed backwards by the people working the venue. I personally was shoved in the chest, into the giant wall of people behind me who had no idea what was going on. The employees then created a makeshift barrier out of chairs. But since the people in the back didn't know what was happening, they continued to push forward, so those of us in the front ended up toppling over chairs. Eventually the band had to take it upon themselves to explain what was happening. If this venue wants to continue holding concerts, they need to understand what a concert entails and create a space that is safe for that kind of event. It's a pity such a great performance was tainted by abysmal event management on the account of Cuisine en Locale. What I witnessed tonight was unacceptable. read more

Cuisine En Locale - Chair barricade, supposedly put in place for our "safety". - Personal Chefs Near Me

HORRIBLE. Went to this place for an event that looked promising, but, wow, what an illusion. Once I finally got in the door, I had to wait IN LINE for AN HOUR to order my "dinner." There was ONE woman at the bar taking food orders, another making drinks. Ordering took forever, despite there only being less than ten things on the menu - waitress punched in the orders, THEN turned the screen around for customers to swipe their cards and sign....I'm pretty sure there's an easier way to do that. Ordered my $13 drink and, after seeing that my thirst would not be quenched by the thimble half full of cheap booze, I asked for a double and was promptly met with the b.s. response of "per the state of Massachusetts, doubles are not allowed to be made at bars." What in the holy hell kind of crap is that? I've had more than my share of doubles in this state. So I ended up ordering two drinks - you're welcome for that extra cash. We got numbers to bring to our table so the wait staff can identify us when they bring out our orders. Then it was time to try to find a seat. What the hell kind of "restaurant" is this? It's more like a cafeteria with a crappy bar. Finally found a seat - it's community seating (read: free-for-all), so we had to sit with some unpleasant people (it just helped seal the deal of me never returning). Silverware is all piled in the center of the table - half of it was dirty and had crusted food on it. There's a warm carafe of water, but no glasses for it. So we sat there and watched the waiter come up the stairs with trays full of food, walk past us, and deliver it to at least 8 other people who had ordered AFTER us. This went on for a solid thirty minutes. We FINALLY got his attention and he said he would "check on it." He came back a few minutes later with two out of four of our orders. It took another ten minutes to get the other orders. No apologies, no nothing. Now, the food. Anything that was supposed to be hot, was cold and anything supposed to be warm was just as cold. Profiteroles were so dry it seemed like they had been sitting out on the counter for a week (which it's possible they were, considering the promptness of the wait staff). Soup was cold. The pizza made frozen pizza seem desirable. Pizza was also cold. Stuffed apple still had the skin on it and the stuffing tasted like cardboard. Potatoes were on the menu, but weren't an option to order (why, I have no idea). No one checked on us (I guess it doesn't matter once they got their money?), no one apologized or mentioned the lack of staff or decent service. I saw the owner wandering around posing for pictures when it would have been more helpful if she either 1) assisted her employees or 2) had more staff on duty, especially when you're fully aware you're dealing with a sold out event. I had really been looking forward to this night and heard amazing things about Cuisine, but this was the most disappointing place ever. There was literally not ONE redeeming quality of that night - not even the musician ("artist"). I will never recommend this place and never return - it was a complete waste of my time and money. read more

My husband and I hired Cuisine en Locale to do a small party for us recently, and, wow, were we disappointed! It was very overpriced for the small amount of bland food we received. I have a feeling that our party was just an off day for them given all the great reviews below. But unfortunately they really bombed with us and were unwilling to reimburse us even a tiny portion of the crazy amount of money we paid. If you want to hire them, insist on a tasting, even if they say they don't do tastings. And be sure to tell them exactly what you do and don't want beforehand. I love that these guys support local and sustainable food, but don't let them get carried away with the concept. Keep them grounded in the basics: food needs to TASTE good, not just BE good. read more

My wife and I were considering many caterers when planning our wedding that just took place this weekend. We found that the hurdles were many; either dietary restrictions (vegan and gluten sensitivity, namely) or logistical issues such as setup time or what equipment would be provided always seemed to ensure that we would either get mediocre service or a price tag far beyond what we could afford. When we first spoke to JJ at Cuisine en Locale, we knew that the story would be different with them. JJ took the time to not only call and introduce herself, but instead of giving a hard sell started asking about us and the wedding setup to ensure that the fit would even work. By the time we sat down and met JJ and Sean to discuss a potential menu, we were sold. They're both not just passionate about what they do, but clearly proud of the work they do as well. In the time between then and the ceremony, JJ would contact us periodically to let us know the status of the food that would be served; after all, their ingredients are all locally sourced. It was kind of fun a couple months out to hear about what vegetables were being grown, and what meat would be in season. JJ also worked with colleagues from an excellent rental company to acquire tables, chairs, linens, and other necessities that she and her team later even set up. On the day of the ceremony, I arrived four hours early and found that JJ and her team had beaten me to the venue. They had begun setting up and were completely flexible with all requests and suggestions I had during the process. Finally, after all was said and done, after several months of back and forth we finally got to eat the menu we'd decided upon a few months prior. To say that the food was delicious would be an understatement. Our carnivore friends raved about the steak, sausage, and grilled chicken, while our vegan friends loved the grilled vegetables, quinoa, and mayo-free potato salad. The food came out right on schedule, and it just kept on coming out. I got more compliments about the quality and quantity of the food than I've heard at any other wedding. Our guests (and, let's be honest, me) were very well-fed and happy, and we have a fridge and freezer filled with leftovers we're excited to eat. So this is a bit wordy, and good on you if you've read it all. You've just heard about the best caterer for a fun event in the area, and one that will work hard for you every step of the way to make sure your big day is exactly what you'd like. JJ and Sean and the whole Cuisine en Locale team earned our enthusiastic recommendation. P.S. - CeL's Taco Mondays cannot be beat. read more

GO TO CUISINE EN LOCALE RIGHT NOW, BEFORE THERE ARE LINES STRETCHING DOWN THE STREET AND YOU NEVER HAVE A CHANCE TO EAT THERE AGAIN! (Let's just say, I know Somerville, and let me tell you, this place is going to take off like a rocket). I'm not big on long reviews, but here's a short one: I went to Saturday brunch with my family, including my wife, my father-in-law, and my 12 year old daughter. Everybody got something they loved! The food was fresh, tasty, healthy, interesting, and just yummy, yummy, yummy. If you have a chance to say hi to the owner/chef (J.J.) it will make your visit extra good; she's a delight. The atmosphere is pure 70's; (it's in the old Anthony's function hall, and it looks like they haven't wasted any energy on renovations): don't be an idiot and let it turn you off. I have lived and eaten around Somerville for more than 30 years and I've never seen a restaurant like this one. Super healthy, super fresh, super homemade, super inventive, and super yummy. OK, that's it. Go there now. I think I see the line forming already. read more

Staring at the empty plate in front of me that once had some food court Chinese (I know.. don't judge)... my stomach wishes JJ made office calls. Her cooking is amazing. This past weekend, I attended the Yelp event at Savenor's and was delighted with all of JJ's concoctions. Like Doris I loved the vegan Taza chocolate cake topped with spiced peaches. Or were they pears? It got devoured so quickly! haha I believe I made a cheesy face and said, "I can't believe it's vegan!" as I put the cake in my mouth and threw my hands up in the air smiling (press lipped of course). The profiteroles with anchovies were a pleasant surprise. I guess I still have the grade school thought that anchovies are gross. Did anyone else get threatened with anchovy pizza? Okay. Awesome. Just me. Anyway, JJ made them so tasty. I definitely stole a few (or many) of those little puffs. Oh and let's not forget the boar baby backs that I had on the way in. That's right... before seeing anyone... I was already in the corner chowing. The pomegranate dipping sauce? Who would of thought... but again... it was excellent! The blinis that came with the short ribs were adorable and delicious. My fave (although they're all very close) would have to be the lamb with the "Wicked Good" yogurt dill sauce. Such a tease though... the store ran out of the sauce so I couldn't take it home for consumption. Sad! Sigh... all this food talk and all I have in my desk drawer are Tootsie Rolls and Smarties. Dang. read more