My son has taken 3 workshop classes (two in person and once virtually) with Mari now and he loves…read moreevery experience! He's baked biscuits, made pizza from scratch and prepared celery soup. The ingredients aren't many, the techniques aren't difficult, and best of all, it's given my son a full appreciation of food and cooking!

This was a wonderful experience for my Girl Scout troop. We were working on a simple meals badge…read more Mari was patient, engaging and simply WONDERFUL! My girls learned to make healthy and delicious things. I also loved that Mari wove geography into the lesson. I had to peel my girls away at the end of the class. Thanks Mari!

She is a certified chef unlike a lot of these new home cooks that have self titled themselves…read moreChefs. GiGi's food is phenomenal and nutritious to boot. As a chef myself I'm not usually impressed with other chefs but she is the truth!

I booked Chef Gigi for a private dinner for two in my home in Silver Spring. She arrived promptly…read moreat our scheduled time and immediately turned my kitchen into the SQQ experience. I customized a 5-course meal for the evening: caesar salad w/homemade dressing, spinach & crab dip, mussels with a white wine sauce, lobster & herb butter crusted filet mignon with red-skinned mashed potatoes, and grand marnier bread pudding. This food wasn't just good - it was GOODTTTT!!! That bread pudding melted in your mouth!!! Flavors popped, plating was perfection, and Chef's attention to detail really shined. After warming up to one another, we all really started vibin' (over a glass of Malbec) and began discussing our backgrounds, music, life, health, etc. All the while, Chef kept the courses in motion and didn't miss a beat. She left the kitchen spotless and neatly packed away the leftovers for us. All around, AMAZING experience. I highly recommend Chef Gigi for your next event!!

A good friend of mine hosted a brunch on Saturday afternoon. I was absolutely blown away with the…read morequality, speed and professionalism of Serge and his staff. I felt like I was at a black tie event at the White House the service was that good, I'm not even exaggerating. I wish I could post pics of the food, but I forgot. The brunch consisted of made to order omelettes, French toast that was out of this world, fresh bacon and sausage, these amazing has browns that were absolutely divine and the presentation was killer! They also served GUACAMOLE DEVILED EGGS that were just pure absolutely delicious! There was an amazing watermelon salad, shrimp salad, and a few other amazing dishes! Just when I didn't think things could get any better, out came trays of some of the most tender and well marinated steaks you could imagine. I'm a garlic lover, and they were drenched in delicious garlic and herbs! That's about all I got for the review. Please believe me when I tell you that I've traveled the world in the gourmet food business and I know when something is very special such as Pure Kitchen (PK). I didn't want to post this review, because I kind of wanted to keep the secret about how amazing they are!!! The staff was 5 stars. The food was 5 stars. The service was 5 stars.

I was looking for a caterer for my organization's Board of Directors meeting. I used Thumbtack to…read moreget some quotes and came across Chef Serge. He was the first one to reply to the RFP. He was very easy to work with--he shared his thoughts for a menu: Appetizers -Red wine poached pear blue cheese salad -caprese basil salad Entrees -chicken Milanese -red onion jam salmon Sides - french ratatouille - grilled sweet potatoes and cranberries Dessert -assorted of cookies, cupcakes and fruits Everything sounded so yummy but I wanted one of the salads to be vegan. Chef Serge told me that he can swap the caprese salad with green beans cherry tomato and grapefruit salad (I wanted the red wine poached pear blue cheese salad!). I approved that change however, there was some confusion. I later asked if rice comes with the entree and he said that it's extra and asked if I wanted it, I said to keep the menu as is without rice but he thought that I meant to keep his original menu. When he came with the food, it was too late to get the vegan salad. I should have ask for a confirmed menu. Chef Serge and his assistant came on time to setup and offered to stay for the entire lunch but we just want buffet style and members serve themselves. My favorites were the red wine poached pear blue cheese salad and the red onion jam salmon. It was the first time that I've ordered salmon from a caterer where they've kept the skin on. I love the skin on my salmon but caterers don't keep it on. The ratatouille was tasty but some people didn't know quite what to make of it. One of my colleagues said that it has some Caribbean spices--I mentioned it to Chef and he said that he's from Guadeloupe, go figure. The desserts were okay, some mistook it for Entenmann's. He told me that he works with local bakery for desserts. Personally, I don't care too much about the desserts, my main focus is the food. I recommend Chef Serge but I think he's best for private parties. I've referred him to someone who was looking for a caterer for a holiday party. He was very flexible, positive and reliable. If you go with Chef Serge, you won't be disappointed.

Absolutely in love, perhaps the best kitchen store ive ever been to and earning a spot on my…read morefavorite stores in DC to visit and browse. One of those places that if I spend too much time inside I will likely spend more than I should...and I can easily foresee myself spending a good amount of time in here. While at first the prices seem high, they are fairly typical for the quality/caliber of items they are offering. And, they truly have just anything one could want for their kitchen/cooking/home needs, from standard high quality equipment to niche specialty items, all incredibly curated well. The staff were knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and efficient. Would highly recommend and will absolutely be returning, all the while trying my best to have some restraint.

One of my favorite places in D.C.! The new owners, Miles and Sarah, are two wonderful and kind…read morepeople who really put a lot of thought and care into the store. A buried gem in Eastern Market, highly recommend to everyone living in or dropping by the city.

I was referred to Christine by a friend who had used her. I was struggling with lethargy and lack…read moreof motivation and wanted to try a more holistic way of getting my mojo back! She gave me a free health history session to start and then I signed on for a 3 month health coaching plan. She started by sending me to get blood work to find out where the deficiencies were. Then helped strategize about how to address those deficiencies via real food. We met every two weeks to review her systematic process that covers one type of food at a time and then gives you ways to incorporate those foods into your way of life (not like a diet). Pretty soon you are adding all the good stuff and there's no room for the garbage. I didn't feel like I denied myself anything and found ways to address a sweet tooth in a more healthy way. I have way more energy and feel great. I'm also more inclined to cook something real, that tastes good (she gives great recipes) and helps navigate the organic market. I think everyone should have someone like Christine in their life and highly recommend her.

I have been struggling for several years with rheumatoid arthritis, a general sense of lethargy and…read morechronic pain. My chiropractor referred me to Christine, and I could not be happier. Her skill and knowledge have helped me tremendously. I now know how to eat from the earth, what foods and habits are likely to 'inflame' my issues and which ones are going to lessen them. I have seen very measurable results, such as better digestion, reduced inflammation, more energy and even leveler moods! Christine is genuinely interested in my individual plight and joining me as a partner to overcome these obstacles. She is available, positive and adjusts her approach so that it works best for my individual case. Christine has even taken my whole family on a grocery store tour so we can all learn better food choices. Highly recommend Christine!

Toscana Market, located in La Cosecha at The Square, offerings sandwiches, pastas, and cooking…read moreclasses. We tried some of their sandwiches on focaccia bread and their pastas to share. The place was bustling, but the staff were friendly and were readily available to assist. The space is bright and fun to just peruse; we were interested in signing up for their classes in the future as get-togethers. +sandwiches +pastas +cooking classes offered +friendly staff & service +located at The Square

I have two young kids (now 6 & 8) plus work full time. Luckily I met up with Dominique in my quest…read moreto become healthier early in 2011. What I love about Dominique is she really personalizes the whole experience, she understands limitations, yet pushes you to learn and make better choices. Because I love to cook, I found myself frequently grabbing "comfort" food. I didn't want someone to give me a list of foods to eat (all of us trying to loose weight know we should eat more vegetables) I wanted someone to show me how to cook those vegetables in a variety of different ways, put them together and make a satisfying nutritious meal. I needed someone to help me make those vegetable exiting and show me alternatives to butter and heave creams. Additionally I needed someone make me accountable for what I ate EVERY day, not just a weekly or monthly summary. Keeping a food journal is tough, Dominique made that simple. What Dominique taught me is how to cook healthier and how healthy food can be flavorful and easy to make. My job required travel at least once a month, business dinners, and Friday morning pastries. She provided me with tools to make smart decisions in those situations. For example, while in Paris, I could eat my pain au chocolate, - but eat smart the rest of the day, and make sure I walked the streets to restaurants. Consequently, I went to Paris for week and didn't gain a pound. I lost 30 pounds, felt fantastic and my whole family benefits from my healthy cooking example. I have more to go and fall off the "horse" occasionally, but Dominique has been there to help me back in the saddle. We still grill meats and bake lasagnas, we just have better sides to go with them. Now my kids can't go four days without their fruit smoothies, and they ask for seconds of my kale soup. I am very pleased I made the decision for us to work together.

Dominique did an excellent job working with me. She is very knowledgeable and comfortable to work…read morewith. Overall, as long as you are committed and listen to her instructions, it is a great program! Background: I am a Type 2 Diabetic and she helped me learn how to eat nutritiously, lose weight, and lower my blood glucose levels substantially. When we started my glucose levels were WAY too high and we successfully got them down to pre-diabetic and almost normal levels. My ultimate goals are to get off of Metformin completely and maintain a healthy weight. I highly recommend her program!

Starting 4 years ago, I have struggled to find or maintain a healthy, sustainable lifestyle or…read moreweight. While not super overweight, I definitely carry 25+ pounds more than I should. Since my wife and I had children, I have found I have problems eating well and exercising as much as I used to. My energy levels are lower than ever, and I have almost no time to spend carefully planning for, preparing, or eating meals. I travel and entertain socially for work, and co-own a consulting firm, and find that restaurants, bars, airplanes, and hotels are not conducive to my own personal wellness and well-being. Natch. Enter Nutrition Unlocked and Lauren, whom I located through Yelp (and which led me to her website). I liked what I read online, so I booked a two-session assessment / planning appointment for April 2014. Lauren is conveniently located in Arlington near the Orange Line. She's also available for home visits, although I chose to meet at her home-based office during the weekday. There's ample street parking (and she can give you a guest pass so you don't have to worry about the County towing you!). Lauren is a very good listener, and talking about my eating / nutrition habits felt a little like the first meeting with a new therapist ;-) She's patient -- if you go on a tangent, she's there to listen, respond thoughtfully, and redirect you both conversation-wise and nutrition-wise. She provided me with a basic but thorough education about nutrition, metabolism, what my body needs on a daily basis in the way of total calories, protein, carbs, fats, fluids, etc. -- which I realized I had never been taught, or learned on my own. As it turns out, breakfast is an important meal (yeah... I didn't get the memo) and I wasn't getting enough nourishment, or enough protein when I was eating in the morning. She also educated me about making better, informed choices at the supermarket, and especially when out to dinner, or entertaining socially. Portion control and moderation is and will be, in large part, the key to success for me. As is being active and finding what works within the parameters of my home life and work life. I intend to keep up semi-regular visits, because it's one of the best investments I can imagine making for myself. Here's to eating better and feeling better!