A must do! Kate the owner is awesome. I don't know how she coordinates everything so calmly, it would honestly be my worst nightmare to have so many cooks in the kitchen haha! We attended the Summer Vegetarian class. Kate gave a brief intro to what each station entailed, and you could pick one that you wanted to work on. Kate and her assistant would walk around and help as needed, and call everyone over at certain parts to show how things were being prepared or cooked. Most of the food she was as using she had bought at the farmers market. We had some appetizers while finishing up the cooking, and at the end we all sat together in the dining room for a full meal. All of the food was delicious! Kate sends the recipes out via email after the class. I will definitely be trying some of them out at home, and looking to take a class in the future. Don't expect to master any of the recipes during this class, but you will gain some tips and come away with a full belly and some new recipes. You can bring your own beer and wine, and she also provided water and lemonade for us. Our class ran about 30 minutes over, so depending on how many dishes she has planned be prepared for class to go a little longer. read more

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We had taken a dim sum class with Chef Katie many years ago at her old location and signed up for a dumplings class recently on a Saturday morning. Classes are out of her home in a residential area, so follow the directions she sends you. She had done most of the prep work, showed us each recipe, and then let all of the participants wash their hands and get to work. Everyone wore a mask, and outdoor seating was available for anyone not comfortable dining indoors just. We got to rotate through various stations and Katie did some of the more intensive cooking, like the deep frying. She was very helpful with tips and checking to see how everyone was doing. After everything was cooked, we sat down to eat. Boy, there was a lot, and everything was delicious! We made gnocchi, pierogies, momos, potstickers, samosas, and apple dumplings. Water was provided and you can BYOB if you like. It did take a little bit longer than scheduled but not too much so. She followed up a few days later by emailing the recipes to us. A great experience for foodies! read more

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Absolutely perfect cooking night for my wife's birthday dinner - courteous, professional, delicious food, and amazing service. Can't recommend Katie and Durham Spirits highly enough. read more

Cozy and fun place for team bonding. I loved making pasta from scratch. The instructor was nice and helpful. The food was decent. I enjoyed learning something new. read more

Durham Spirits - Cooking Schools Near Me

This review is for a Summer Couple's Night Out event. The whole event is very different to what I expected, but in a good way! I thought it would be a typical cooking class with rows of cooking stations (Masterchef style, you know), and we would dive in-depth into the recipes. Turn out, there are several stations around the kitchen for each courses. Katie would walk through each dish, describe it, and then each person (or in this case, couple) can decide which station they want to work on. Recipe is printed out for you to follow. Katie would walk around, making sure things are going well, and call for everyone's attention at certain points in the recipe. At the end, everyone sits down and enjoy ALL THE DISHES that we cooked, like, an entire meal. I like how Katie would suggest minor ingredients swap that could be done: the blackberry can be swapped with figs, tomatoes can be added to the peach to go with the crispy pork... The ingredients are also good stuff - block of parmesan instead of the pre-shredded, tomatoes from the farmer's market in the morning... I walked away learning several new recipes that I definitely would remake at home, as well as interesting combinations: blackberry and caramelized onions, adding capers to a tomato vinaigrette... The class was about $65/ person for this specific one , and I think it is well worth it. Would love to do another one again. read more

This review is for their knife sharpening service. I had an excellent experience getting a handful (literally) of knives sharpened -- both serrated and straight edge knives. Email them to discuss a drop off time, since they don't have standard office times. I was told that sometimes knives can be sharpened and then picked up in the same day, but since I had so many I came back the next day. I brought them wrapped in a towel and they returned them carefully wrapped in the towel and secured with rubber bands. I felt like the price was very fair and the quality of work done was excellent! I will definitely return back to get my knives sharpened again. Much recommended. read more

We had such a great evening and will definitely be back! My husband and I went for a date night to the Winter Warming Dinner Party class (or something akin to that name), and it was perfect timing since I think it hit a low of 6 degrees that day in Durham! Katie is amazing - she's super knowledgeable and helpful without either helping too much or making you feel like an amateur. She's very sweet and funny, and made the whole class (5 couples who had never previously met) feel like a group of friends. We made: mushroom & gruyere tartlets caramelized onion & apple soup w/ blue cheese croutons Roasted pear salad whipped horseradish potatoes cider braised pork shoulder mustard maple brussel sprours sticky toffee pudding Every dish was delicious and perfectly done, and everything happened on time. Katie was a delight to be taught by. While I don't feel like I walked away with any knew knowledge or skills, it was a great date night out to dinner, and we'll definitely be back. Plus, the house - and particularly the kitchen - is just stunning! read more

We went for a birthday and cooked 5 different kinds of yummy soups. The atmosphere was awesome and cozy, and the food was very tasty. Katie is a professional and we were in good hands. The soups were ready after an hour or less of work and I plan to cook some of the receipts myself. read more

Wear comfortable shoes, he told me, as he kissed me goodbye before heading off to work. So... I had a few facts: 1) We'd be eating at some point 2) We were driving to the destination 3) A bottle of wine was being chilled for the evening and 4) I needed to forego my usual footwear choice of peep-toe pumps. It wasn't until we pulled up outside a beautiful, huge historic home on Trinity that I recognized where we were and what we'd be doing. A couples cooking class! Romantic, you say? A thinly veiled opportunity to tell me I need to spend more time in the kitchen, says I. ;) There were four other couples, of varying ages, already circled around the kitchen clutching glasses of wine. We poured ours and joined, leafing through the recipe packet and listening to an overview of the Tuscan meal we were about to prepare. We watched as Katie flitted about the gorgeous kitchen, and explained and demo'd how to make homemade pasta. And then we were asked to jump into one of six stations and follow the recipes at hand. Phil and I partnered with another couple at the Panzanella corner. Together we made small talk and diced up the bowl full of veggies. We left the homemade dressing for another couple to work on, as we moved on to try our hand at pasta making. Phil took the reins with this, as I jealously looked on, nostalgic for my Play Doh factory press days. The two of us split up when he went to help with the Lemon Semifreddo and I worked on mincing garlic for the Caponata. It's a little bit luck of the draw; but I thought it was wonderful how all the couples mixed and mingled during the cooking (testament: we even went to Six Plates with one of the couples afterward, and ended up making new friends!). We got to talk to everyone who was there, and really had the opportunity to dig in and help with most of the dishes. Just the right amount of things seemed to be prepped -- we didn't have to dig through her pantry to find things; but we also weren't just throwing together pre-diced and measured items. Katie really runs the show well. She's down-to-earth, wearing her chef whites with flip-flops and comfortably moving around the kitchen from station to station, keeping an eye on progress, helping see things along when needed and answer questions, while maintaining friendly conversation and staying jovial. I'm personally such a control-freak, I could never make that work! All the couples sat down to share the meal we helped make together -- five courses, that we finished off cleanly! And I have to say: Damn, I'm a good cook! These were recipes -- with the exception of the dessert, which was a bit too tart for my taste, and also didn't set in the short amount of time it was given to freeze -- that I would definitely make again. A delightfully different date! And Phil & I are thinking about going back for the Mixology courses too. Advice: Wear flats, consider red wine since our white sweat all over the counter and onto the recipes (oops!), and if it's summer, dress lightly -- the kitchen has a small AC unit, and with all the people and cookin', it gets rather stuffy. read more

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I came here way back when because of Groupon. Over a year later, and almost taking class a month, I keep coming back because it is a blast! So the premise, Katie (the owner) picks a theme and menu and purchases all the ingredients. She sets up several stations for preparing the meal and leaves the recipe at the station. She walks you through what will be done at each station and then lets the class loose to each station. While the class is going one, she demonstrates any technique that is probably not common knowledge. I have learned so many neat tricks from this class that my own cooking has improved. Katie really is a master of keeping everybody on target so that at the end of the evening there is a family style meal to share! In the summer it is a blast to sit outside on her big wrap around patio:) The setting is fabulous! Katie holds it in her big historic home in Durham. And the kitchen makes anyone that cooks a little, ok a lot jealous. You get to interact with Katie and the other guests as much as you want. Every time I sit down for a meal, I am always amazed that the quality of food was made by us! I have even made several of the recipes at home:) Durham Spirits also does private parties that are totally worth checking out! My husband and I picked Durham Spirits to do our rehearsal dinner before we had a wedding date or a wedding venue! The evening was AMAZING! We had a blast! Katie really outdid herself with the menu and the atmosphere allowed our guest to interact and socialize while preparing a fest! I couldn't have asked for a more perfect evening. Durham Spirits really is a gem that shines in Durham! I love it! Taking a cooking or mixology class really is an AWESOME way to spend some time! Seriously, if you like eating well and cooking I guarantee my Yelpness that you will love Durham Spirits! read more

Always on the lookout for ways to expand my cooking knowledge and overwhelming bank of recipes, I was excited to see a vegetarian cooking class being offered with local veggies that were in season. There ended up being only 4 of us in the class, but it was nice to have an intimate cooking session and we got along great with the other couple that was there. What I enjoyed: The recipes were all delicious, and were definitely re-creatable in a home kitchen. At the end of the class, we got to sit on the back deck and eat everything we made. SO YUMMY was every dish, we just had to pat ourselves on the back. Why I can't give five stars: Katie (our chef instructor/the owner) is super sweet and a wealth of knowledge/cooking tips. But she seemed a little distracted at this class, and the start of prepping was a little awkward, because she pointed to ingredients and what should be done with them and then disappeared for a few minutes. So we stared at each other trying to figure out if that meant we should start prepping now, if we should wait for her to come back, and what exactly should be done first? I enjoy these types of classes because of the tips I pick up, and it sort of took awhile before Katie started to offer suggestions/demonstrations of how chefs would prep/cut a veggie like eggplant or okra. By the time we were actually cooking, she was in full force, but the prep I thought could have used more hands-on guidance. read more

This is a terrific treasure to discover. Katie knows her stuff and conveyed so much knowledge and practical skills in our Knife Skills class-it took nearly an hour to show off when I got home! The venue is wonderfully comfortable, with lots of interaction and conversation built around prepping the meal. Then, everyone realizes their "practice" was actually building a wonderful meal, presented in a spectacular dining room. The rest of the calendar is even more intoxicating after this first taste of Durham Spirits. Looking forward to the next classes with real enthusiasm! read more

My wife and I participated in the Parisian Dinner cooking class. The group made a buckwheat crepe filled with Gruyere cheese, a wine poached pear salad (with bacon of course), toasted carrots, creamed leeks, and an apple brandy based mushroom braising sauce which was used to braise chicken. We made pear tarte for dessert. read more

Durham Spirits - Katie making an apply brandy and mushroom sauce for basing chicken. - Cooking Schools Near Me

I have had the pleasure of attending three different classes with Chef Katie at her lovely home on Trinity. She is very personable and devoted to everyone learning. As a fellow bartender, I was a little weary of the the mixology classes - it is hard to teach new drinks to someone in the same area of expertise, but they were fantastic!! We made 4 NEW drinks in one class! All of the recipes were unique and original, which is refreshing. The ingredients were lots of veggies and fruits + many common liquors and some uncommon ones. Katie encourages you to play the role of bartender and teaches you about the tools you are using...so you feel more comfortable! I would highly recommend Durham Spirits Company to anyone looking to meet new people and make great creations! read more

Couples' cooking class on Valentine's Day. What a great experience! Cooking stations are set up in a beautiful home. The atmosphere was casual, with much mingling and laughing, as we gravitated among the stations that appealed to us. Kate guided us and shared expert tips for preparing each dish. The ingredients were high quality. A delicious meal came together that we enjoyed in the dining room. read more

My girlfriend and I attended a Mediterranean cooking class here at Durham Spirits last Friday night. It was a great experience! We learned to make 5 or 6 varied Mediterranean dishes from Chef Katie and then sat down and enjoyed the healthy and fresh feast! It was very delicious! read more

Had a wonderful time at the "Southern Inspired" cocktails class. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

I bought this as a gift for Valentine's day for my husband who enjoys cooking. We just went to the Spicy Asian Class this past Sunday, April 9, 2017. I can tell you this was the BEST gift I have ever given him. We loved learning how to cook all the different types of Asian foods. Katie and her assistant Nancy were extremely cordial and very informative. Katie taught the different types of peppers, their origins, and how to make things as spicy as you like... I loved the kitchen set up the stations were perfect. Once everything was complete, our group of strangers sat at the table and ate the dishes we just cooked..we had a really nice time getting to know everyone and enjoyed the conversations meeting someone new! We will definitely be going back... Thank you Katie and Nancy! read more

I took Chef Katie's knife skills class a few months ago and the whole experience was great! She went over the basics, the more advanced techniques, tricks of the trade (peeling garlic by shaking in stainless steel bowls!!), and the whole class worked together to make an amazing meal which we sat down and ate in her beautiful home. Katie is so personable and professional and can work with any skill level. And I love that she is so supportive of her community and local food- you can tell she loves what she does and she's great at it! I recommend her cooking classes to anyone who has in interest in learning or even someone who just wants a terrific meal- it's less expensive than a meal out for amazing quality food! read more

I took the Spanish Tapas class a few months ago. I went solo and was taken aback that the class was so ripe with couples. That didn't deter much though. What did deter was the facilities. It was an old, albeit cool, house (I think the school has moved since to another old house) in which space was utilized in a rather unusual and cumbersome fashion. A counter top here, a dining room table there, another table over there, too many cooking stations on one stove/oven. As such, and with the crowding effect of more than a dozen people, it was impossible to see how each dish came together. You pretty much hung out at one station and focused on one dish. The preparation was largely all done beforehand. You began each dish by jumping into the cooking. This, to me, seemed to take away from an integral part of cooking school. There is probably a timing issue related to this, one once again brought on by facilities. There was also little to no discussion on the history or reason for the presence of a dish. Why is this considered "Spanish Tapas", for instance. Or, why this spice, why this ingredient. Where around town did you get the ingredients (I had to ask this several times). The meal did come together nicely, and it was very delicious with few exceptions (the chorizo overwhelmed the clam dish, the potatoes steamed more than they roasted). More importantly though, the camaraderie and company were excellent. The fun of teamwork putting a dish together cannot be discounted. If you are looking for a casual lesson in cooking where observation is the primary teaching tool, all done with some good company where the ending meal is the focal point, then these classes would likely be for you. If you are looking for something a bit more structured and detailed, then maybe not. read more

Where can you 5 different fish prepared featured 5 different types of preparation and they are ALL delicious? Only at Katie's Durham Spirits. What an amazing "cooking" school. You get to learn about and help prepare all of the dishes but the best part is sitting down EATING all the food with new friends. It was a super dinner and, of course, no meal is complete without dessert! If you haven't been, you are missing something very special. read more

Amazing team event! Quaint, fun, energetic and wonderful experience!!!! Great night out!!!

Great meal and great hosts! Had 14 people for a team building event and it was the highlight of our week. Thanks Katie.

In order to build sales team comradery, took the sales team to Durham Spirits Company. Katie Was AMAZING! Fully prepared, great teacher and a phenomenal cook. Not only did we have a blast preparing our meal together, we were able to sit around a table and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Highly recommend if you like historic houses, learning as you go and want a different dinner experience. read more

We had previous experience here for a cooking class which was super-fun and delicious food so we decided to have a graduation celebration here for 15 people some of whom wanted to help prepare the meal and others who just preferred to enjoy cocktails on the back porch (which was a lovely setting on a warm Carolina night).Katie (the owner/chef) and her staff made us all most welcome and the meal she chose in consultation with our graduate was wonderful (Southern Graduation Dinner).The dinner was set up buffet style on the porch with one long banquet table for seating-with the lighting it was very relaxing/romantic .I would definitely recommend Durham Spirits Company for a really fun and enjoyable experience for both the cooking classes and to host an event here! read more

Was introduced to Katie's kitchen about a year ago and have been there several times - whenever I am in the area visiting. All I can say is that this a great format for good cooking, meeting nice people, great recipes that are do-able at home later, and a lot of fun. With wine glass in hand in the to-die-for kitchen, I watched, learned, and made some really great food!! I can recommend Durham Spirits as fabulous cooking school: and Katie as a very able and personable chef / teacher. Our 'southern banquet' was the best and I've already made it for myself at home again. Thank you Katie - great place!!! read more