Whether you own a baking business or you are making cupcakes for a friend, Vanilla Bean is one of…read morethe best places in Madison to find everything you need. Their selection is better than any big box store (including the nearby Joann) and they have the boxes/packing for all your needs. I started my baking company a year ago and Vanilla Bean has been everything I wanted and needed. They keep a stock for all the upcoming holidays and have a wall of cookie cutters of everything you could possibly imagine. Then they have cake and cupcake toppers and plastic characters for parties and milestones also ok that wall. They have a huge selection of flavors and food coloring -- both are highest quality. Their gel colors have been my saving grace! Also, all of their tools, accessories, little things you can use are available. It makes this an awesome place to explore for any baking enthusiast. When I was in the State fair, Vanilla Bean had the cake dummies (styrofoam) I needed and at cheaper prices than Joann or online. They also have all the boxes and cake rounds for the bases that you could need. They also have pans for shaped cakes and characters. It's one of my favorite places in Madison -- go visit!

Great service and products for over Twenty five years!!! Jane,Cindy( no longer there),Joyce…read morethey are all awesome.They will help you bring your cake/dessert vision to life!!!

A true Madison gem! This lovely shop has the perfect blend of thoughtful gifts, useful kitchen…read moretools, and little ways to "treat yourself"! I probably visit this shop every couple of months and rarely leave empty handed! The thoughtfully curated and well organized candle department is usually my first stop. Lots of variety, a recent favorite is the "supper club" collection. Lots of classic Wisconsin themes! There are gifts for all ages, from infant toys and books to puzzles and cooking kits. The kitchenware is an impressive range, everything you need to expand your skills, store your goodies, or spice up your presentation. Basically, you have to stop in-it's totally worth it! Also, the wonderful staff have gone above and beyond to create a safe and protective shopping experience during this crisis. Please respect them, give space and keep those masks over your nose!

I used to LOVE this store. Adorable and eclectic gifts, great location, pretty darn charming. In…read morethe past, my experiences with the employees were also pretty darn charming, or at least satisfactorily neutral. The last time I was in the store, however, I was made to feel chastised and unwelcome, and while I recognize that this is a very personal response to an impersonal slap down, it left me feeling so stung that I doubt I'll return. What happened was this: I needed a new pair of reading glasses, and I'd gotten the most adorable Peepers from this store in the past. It was 5:50pm, and I saw on their door sign that they closed at 6pm. Great! I thought. I'll pop in and grab a pair. Immediately upon entering, one employee said, "You know we close in ten minutes." "Got it! I'll be quick!" I replied. I went to the rack of glasses, considered a few pairs, and checked the fit in the little mirror on the rack. In that little mirror, I could see the employee behind me, who was frowning and rolling her eyes in exasperation, mouthing to her fellow employees on the other side of the room that , "No, not yet, she's still here." Yikes, I thought, checking my watch. It was 5:55pm, so I chose a pair and went to the register. One last thing--I wanted to get an e-cloth, a product a different employee had recommended to me the last time I was there. I mentioned this to the employee as she grouchily said, "Will that be all?" She huffed, "Well, the e-cloths are in a different part of the store." She strode off, and I said, "Any one will do!" She said, "No, just come pick the one you want." She proceeded to lead me to a section of wash cloths and sink cleaning scrubby brushes? When I explained that no, I was looking for a microfiber cloth to clean the lenses of the glasses with, and that they used to be stocked at the register, she huffed again and said, "Well, they're not anymore, are they? Also, we're just about to close...?" I bought the glasses, walked out the door, and checked my watch. 5:59pm. But golly, those nine minutes I spent in their store, encroaching on what I assume was their rush to be done and escape their pesky customers, left a bad taste in my mouth that nine days later still hasn't left. Which is a bummer. As I said, I really liked that store. Problem is, the cutest merchandise in the world can't make up for poor customer service.

Great venue offering cooking classes as well as pre-made and kit food options from local small,…read more independent vendors. The class we attended was a ravioli making class where we did the full recipe from start to finish. There were two lead chefs and an assistant helping to pass out small apps, distribute tools, and clean up. There is a bar area that if self serve and at the end you're asked to pay for what you consumed. It would be nice if prices were posted, but drinks are about what you'd pay at any local bar. Overall, subtracting the food included and what it would cost at a restaurant, the class was about $35-$40 for a three hour experience. Afterwards they emailed out the recipes for what was made. I'd definitely try another class there as it was a fun time and great for couples or larger groups.

Tonight we thoroughly enjoyed the Tribute Show & A Neil Diamond Story, featuring Denny Svehla at…read moreChef Pam's Kitchen. For about $80, before tips, we were entertained by Denny S as he sang so many Neil Diamond songs. And if you were not looking, you could hear Neil singing in his wonderful voice. The music was presented between the incredible 4 courses, and allowed for conversations over the delicious dishes that were freshly prepared for us. Start with a nice variety of beverages (for purchase) with a bruschetta appetizer. Follow this by a light salad with fresh bread, and then to the entree of chicken breast with Prosciutto in a lemon sauce with mashed potatoes and sauteed carrots. Finish the meal with a light lemon cake with whipped cream, and not only was my appetite satisfied, but so was my appreciation for perfection in presentation. Chef Pam's Kitchen is a multi-use spot in downtown, serving special event dinners, cooking sessions, and offering locally prepared treats of all kinds. Local pastry chefs have access to the well-appointed bakery area. With all the food prep areas open to view, it is highly impressive to see the cleanliness and exceptional equipment in use. Our evening of entertainment and dining was wonderful. There are many more events planned here, and I recommend watching their offerings, especially if you like to have fun and great food!

Chef John Bogan ain't new to this, he true to this. And by this, I mean cooking and teaching the…read moreart of cooking. He has been cooking professionally since the 1970s, and now he owns the Lake Geneva School of Cooking, and teaches hands-on classes for groups and corporate events. I visited with a group of nine people, and we all had a great time. Chef John and his assistants greeted us with a mimosa, and then explained what we'd be doing: help to create a three-course lunch for everyone. Our lunch consisted of a mushroom soup, a beet salad and a baked cinnamon apple topped with ice cream for dessert. Chef John is very much a believer in cooking with the seasons, so the menu will change depending on when you visit. He gets a lot of his produce from the local Lake Geneva farmers market, and other food items from local merchants. Our group split up and tackled one aspect of the meal. I was with the mushroom soup group, and for the most part, the soup was prepared, we just had to put the finishing touches on it and make some cheese croutons to go on top. I would have loved to do a little more of the prep work and cooking, to be honest. But not everyone in my group was as comfortable with cooking as I was. That's the thing with these classes, though: Whether you have a lot of experience with cooking or a little, the classes are informative and approachable, and focus on fun and food. The kitchen that we worked in was well equipped and clean, with lots of room to move around. The kitchen assistants were college kids who were culinary students, which was cool. After we prepared our meal, we all sat down and enjoyed it in the big dining room. Each course was paired with wine. And the best part: The food was delicious! Yay, us! And yay for Chef John, who conducted a wonderful class that ended with a fabulous meal.

Fabulous food, wine and fun!! My second time and it was so different yet just as enjoyable…read more Looking forward to trip #3

Cooking a meal with chef Rodney Schultz was one of the most fun and educational things that I…read moreexperienced while visiting Elkhart Lake. If you like to eat and want to learn more about how to cook well, then you need to take a class at the Osthoff Resort Cooking School. Just do it! First of all: How neat is it that there is a hotel in Elkhart Lake that offers cooking classes? It's super cool. Even better: the instructor, Chef Rodney, really knows his stuff. You will learn from an experienced cook who will teach you tips and tricks that you can take home and use in your own kitchen. The cooking class that I signed up for was an Italian cooking class, so we made chicken marsala with mushrooms, asparagus risotto, roasted zucchini, and strawberry cannoli. That's a lot of delicious food! Chef Rodney shepherded us through all of the steps, and kept us on task as we made our way through cooking up the menu. At the end, after almost two hours, we had a delicious meal that we shared among ourselves. I can honestly say that the chicken marsala that I made here at the cooking school was the best chicken dish that I have ever made. Chef Rodney is a delightful person, and I loved taking his cooking class. I could tell that he really loves food and teaching people to love food as much as he does. I left Chef Rodney's class with a belly full of delicious food (that I cooked!) and skills that will make me a better cook at home.

We have eaten here several times. It quickly became one of our 2 go-to restaurants when we wanted…read morereally good food wrapped up in an excellent dining experience. We went there 3 days ago and were very disappointed. The food's still good, but the service was terrible. The waitress was very nice and apologized for the slow service and said that they had more business than expected on a Thursday night. Ok, that happens. Our entrees were brought out. I was given my wife's and she received mine - no big deal but a harbinger of things to come. We ordered a small plate as an appetizer to have with our cocktails. We were half-way through our entrees when I had to ask about it. The staff didn't seem to be particularly concerned that we had our entrees half eaten and had to ask about our small plate. It finally came, by which point we didn't really want it. We left and went to Sardine for a glass of wine where the service and food are unfailingly top notch. I'm not saying I won't go back, but it is no longer on my 'go-to' list because it has now become unpredictable. It's too expensive for that.

The food and drinks were genuinely incredible! The place was so cute and the staff was very…read morefriendly. Our food was actually perfect, I wouldn't change a thing!

Waste of money! My daughter took a couple of these classes since she likes cooking. Unfortunately…read moreit didn't live up to our expectations. Recipes were below average and my daughter didn't enjoy the food even though she is not picky at all. Additionally we were signed up to take classes last spring but were canceled due to COVID. When we inquired about a refund, they said a credit would be issued for next fall. Well here we are and no school in the fall so I inquired about a refund. I was told that a credit has been applied to our account but window for refund has been closed. I was never given a refund option so where was the window of opportunity? This is an overly priced after school program!!

From the owner: Sticky Fingers Cooking is an innovative mobile cooking school for children that offers before,…read moreduring and after school enrichment classes, camps, birthday parties, and special events. Sticky Fingers Cooking recipes are seasonal, globally-inspired, delicious, and nourishing to kids' minds and bodies. Classes are taught at schools or other locations by a Sticky Fingers chef instructor who provides kid-safe tools, delicious ingredients and the know-how needed to teach kids how to cook.

Crowded as expected but nice atmosphere, I got sat at the bar pretty quickly. The staff are super…read morekind and good at making conversation and being helpful. I got a cocktail and the 4-course. The cocktail tasted really smoky yet incredibly smooth. The fois gras mousse was kinda ok but also 4 small bites maximum. The salad proved that even basic vegetables can be perfected. The casonelli was one of my favorites dishes for sure. Extremely satisfying texture and flavor combinations. The pork collar was also pretty pretty solid with flavor combinations, and texture was a little chewy depending on how you cut it (in a good way). The dessert was not bad, to me it kinda reminded me of really fancy whipped cream on top of vanilla pudding. Would come back here again (if they weren't closing!)

Wandered into this restaurant with a group and enjoyed a lovely dinner!…read more We tried a few different cocktails, all of which were nice. We tried a range of dishes and some of the favorites included the lamb belly, the beet salad, and the duck breast. Many items were beautifully cooked, such as that duck and the octopus on top of the risotto. However, overall we felt that there were some missed opportunities for stronger flavors. There were many bites where I felt that everything was tasty but just missing the full flavor potential of such lovely ingredients. Service was perfectly fine and friendly and everything came fast once we ordered! I would certainly return for another visit and hope that this restaurant, which is clearly a community staple, takes some bolder flavor risks in the future!