Perfect Date! Since we both love to cook, I took my wife (Girlfriend at the time) here since it'd a great activity to do together. Emily was knowledgable and the space is incredible. Sunset over the city really helped the cause for a 1st gift. We made an appetizer, paella, a side, dessert and a cocktail. For our 1year anniversary (of being married) I emailed Emily out of the blue just days before the 1 year mark and explained that I wanted to recreate that meal. She was fast to respond and so happy to help. Whether this is your 1st date of your 100th, I highly recommend taking this class to expand your capabilities and to create an experience that you can talk about for year to come. Couldn't be happier to have made the choice to go here 4 years ago! read more

I have been to quite a few classes with Emily herself and find them to be a downright damn good time. I admit a few have had cocktails which may have left me tipsy, talkative and giddy. Never fear, regardless of how little I may remember about specific ingredients and processes, the recipes whipped together by Emily are DELICIOUS and easy to repeat at home. Throw in the fact that she must have some of the best knowledge of where to buy the best food at the most affordable prices in the Bay area and we have a winner. I would say the only small downfall is the fact that this experience is so popular, it is a race to get into a class the second she releases her schedule. read more

Yes. I wouldn't say it's a cooking school. It was more like a dinner party where we learned how to cook. The atmosphere is much more relaxed than a class. It's also much more comfortable and relatable, like you're in your friends' or your own kitchen, not a classroom. It makes for an amazing date, but I could see it being a terrific venue for so many things. Emily is fantastic at this. She gets 5 stars. Her food was delectable. I'll be thinking about the braised beef over polenta for days. I think I finally learned how to brown my meat before I cook it. I can finally cook steak at home! People looking for a proper cooking school class should probably look elsewhere. This is more about having fun and being social. But it's really fantastic. I am going to recommend it to everyone. I think Emily is great and we appreciated all her hospitality, personability and warmth!!! What a fun thing to do. We loved it. read more

I attended Emily's "American Classics" cooking class last night, and had a great time. It felt less like a cooking class, and more like a group effort to make a nice dinner, with some gentle instruction. Don't get me wrong, you can definitely learn some fantastic tips, but it felt less structured than other cooking classes that I've been to, which was nice. It was also a class of mostly beginners, so I knew essentially all of the tricks and tips she was giving. We made Sweet Potato Biscuits, Stuffed Zucchini, Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry/Balsamic Sauce, and Pumpkin Ice Cream. At the end of the meal, everyone gets to sit down and enjoy what we've prepared. Added bonus that you can drink wine throughout the whole thing...and her home is BEAUTIFUL! Pricing is very reasonable too. read more

Had a great time at Emily's class! I am a very novice cook but learned learned a few great recipes that I'll be sure to use often, especially for my kid. We had a lot of food to eat at the end with a lovely area to dine and a gorgeous view of the city. Loved the relaxed vibe and that we really got to dive in at all stages. Had a great time, we'll definitely come back read more

I'm all over this shit like white on rice. Emily was incredibly helpful, intuitive, and not to mention...AWESOME! Like an epicurean rock star, this one lights up and takes center stage. She makes you not afraid to make a pie crust or tart for the first time. Granted, I really like cooking...and learning things like: how to mince garlic and have it actually stay in one spot in order to do so...i mean really. anyway, y'all should check it out. I would love for you not to, so that I can have her all to myself; however, in the spirit of san francisco, i'll spread the Emily Dellas love. read more

As part of a work private event (with spouses) we got to try Emily's class. It was an all vegetarian menu as my boss wanted to promote sustainability and have ideas for meatless Mondays (perfect for me, coz I am vegetarian, yaay!) We made - a summer vegetable tart, grilled eggplant with charmoula and mint yogurt, spanakopita and pavlova with fresh berries. Everything was exquisite and Emily was a great instructor. Its probably worth mentioning that she hosts the class in her SOMA loft (which has lovely views), but there is only one of everything (stove, counter space, equipment) so dont expect to get hands on training, as people in the class sort of volunteer for the various chores and I can see this being chaotic for a large group. Emily was very informative and gave us several cooking tricks, techniques and her focus was on how ingredients work with each other and a lot of her tips could be easily transferrable to other dishes. read more

Got invited to join some friends at a First Class Cooking event and had such a fantastic time! So glad I got to go. Just learning to cook over the last year or so during the pandemic and quickly running through my go-to recipes all too quickly, I needed to add some variety and learn how to use half the cool kitchen gadgets I have. Emily showed me some great cooking techniques and definitely added at least four new recipes. Thrilled to have gone and looking forward to attending more classes in the future. read more

Emily's cooking class was fantastic. We had a group of 11 folks at her place for a friend's surprise birthday event, and it was everything we could ask for. As a group, we learned how to make Cauliflower & Lentil Soup (w/ Bacon!), Sweet Potato Biscuits, Spiced Pork Tenderloin w/ Apple Relish, and, Chocolate Creme Fraiche Cupcakes. Emily was able to project her voice over our talkative (and progressively drunker) group while instructing us what to do, and she gave everyone an opportunity to help out. One warning: make sure you can wait a couple of hours after arriving before you eat! Some folks arrived hungry and had to suffer through the agony of the wonderful smells emanating from our food. F resh ingredients hand-selected by Emily from local markets I nviting condo complete with uber-nice kitchen R eally easy to make dishes that you can do on your own S weet and helpful teacher in the form of Emily T ailored menu that you select before the evening C omplete with recipe handouts L ots of room to move around and create yummy goodness to eat A llowed each person to help as much as they wanted to S he let's you stay and enjoy your food without feeling rushed S imply something you have to try out! read more

I discovered Emily's cooking class in 2007 shortly after moving to SF while searching for a cooking class for people who do not want to become chefs. While going through graduate school, I was able to get by on minimal cooking, but after a while, spaghetti and salad for dinner started to get old. I took her classes when she was teaching out of her parents' gorgeous house in Pac Heights, as well as her new location on Bluxome St. This is a great location as you can access her place by MUNI if you live in SF, or CalTrain, if you're in the South Bay. I like Emily's classes because she teaches you how to put together a menu using seasonal ingredients. Class size is small, about 12 people. I would say the classes are best for young professionals who are tired of ordering takeout all the time, and would like to cook at home, but never had the time to do so due to career/schooling constraints. All her menus (usually $55) include 1-2 starters, a main dish, and dessert. Some of her menus also feature cocktails, and these classes are $10 more. All food is provided. I would like to address some criticisms directed towards accessibility of classes as well as her setup. Some people have complained of not being able to get into a specific class or any class, for that matter. I have never had a problem with signing up for any class. If you sign up for her mailing list, it's much easier to get into the class that you want. Many of her more popular menus repeat the following month (Indian, Vietnamese, etc.) so if you don't get in one month, you can usually get in later. As for the setup, Emily is teaching her classes out of her home. There is not enough room for a dedicated station for each person. It's hand-on, and I think you can learn to make the recipes without having your own cooking station. Her classes are a great opportunity to meet other people as well as learn to make something tasty. Emily is also one of the best teachers I have ever encountered. She is always willing to answer questions I have (e.g. how do you choose ripe fruit? What brand of olive oil do you like to use? why can't you use the food processor to chop chocolate?) She never makes you feel stupid for asking questions. Also, if you make a mistake, such as cutting the onion in the wrong orientation and it falls apart, she gently corrects you and teaches you the why and how to fix the mistake. read more

Came here for a birthday with about 14 other people and I can safely say we all had a blast. We ended up putting together: -Orzo Salad (My personal favorite!) -Mushroom Tart -Pistachio-Crusted Snapper -Chocolate Macarons Although we didn't all put everything together individually, it was definitely a group effort and Emily's explanations were both thorough and practical. Some other reviews here cited lack of individual cooking spaces. Really? This isn't the CIA with restaurant-grade appliances. The lesson is to show you that you can take a regular kitchen(her kitchen DEFINITELY excluded) and make great food. Yes some parts seemed like an assembly-line, but I felt there was just enough interactivity for us to get our feet wet with some new techniques and a wealth of knowledge coming from Emily herself. I've also read reviews that question the fact that there was a dog there. The dog was not only super gentle and calm around crowds, she spent most of the time sleeping by the TV so there was definitely no worries there. If you are a germophobe though, you probably should go back to your sterile ball. Again, I've read reviews that have cited Emily retreating to basically wait for the group to finish eating and leave. I actually mentioned this to a friend that was with us about halfway through the lesson and while she did seem to take a load off while we ate our main courses and appetizer, I felt this was pretty appropriate as she was just giving us time to enjoy the good food. She did eventually come back and we picked her brain on a variety of topics related to food of which she had a ridiculous amount of insight. In fact, we had to interrupt a rather spirited discussion about the merits of Trader Joe's to sing "Happy Birthday" to the birthday girl! She also joined us for dessert and chatted with us until we left. There didn't seem to be any sort of pressure to finish and go and she was very accommodating. All in all an amazing experience. I would definitely recommend to anyone novice or experienced in cooking. You likely will learn something new and have a great meal with an amazing view to go with it. read more

One of the best experiences ever - food is fresh and organic, Emily is easy to find Nader stand and has many useful and easy to follow steps even for s novice. The space is convenient and beautiful read more

Emily is terrific. I've been twice and although I'm no foodie, my friend Amy is one and she loved it. Emily has an encyclopedic knowledge of food. read more

I took Emily's class last night with my roommates and had an awesome time. Her laid back approach definitely put me at ease as I am not the most comfortable person in the kitchen. I noticed that even those students in the class who seemed to know what they were doing were very receptive to Emily's tips, opinions, etc. I was most impressed by the fact the Emily creates her own recipes by trial and error. Very impressive! Her love of cooking definitely shines through...hope to take her class again soon! read more

I stumbled onto Emily's class online when I was searching for a cooking class on pure impulse. I've taken a few at CCSF Continuing Education program and found it to be too crowded and impersonal although I liked some of the instructors. I was crammed into a home ec class room at Marina Middle school with over 20 other people - not my idea of fun. Emily holds her classes in her kitchen, a beautiful Victorian house on Pac Heights where she grew up, and 10 people maximum per session. It's more like learning how to cook from a friend as she goes over the menu and chats away about where to shop and how to be efficient in prep time. Although I'm an experienced cook, I enjoyed her class just as much as other self-proclaimed novices because you could always gather good info on recipes and cooking methods. We chop, mince, peel and stir together as the class moves from one item to another. Once everything is cooked and ready, everyone sits around the dining table and enjoys the fruition of hard labor. It's a pleasant surprise to see how strangers could become so comfortable with each other in 2 1/2 hours of being in the kitchen together. Most people bring their own wine and sip as they listen and watch. Emily is a wonderful instructor with real passion for what she does, and I highly recommend it both for the experience and a good meal. One tip: Be aware of one big fluffy dog named Buffy greeting you at the door. She's got lungs! read more

Looking for a fulfilling, interactive three hours? First Class Cooking rocks! The fiance and I took a romp over to Miss Emily's humble abode to take part in our first culinary adventure. Under Miss Emily's tutelage we learned the ins and outs of chopping, prepping, muddling, searing, choosing select spices/garnishes/produce/fish all within a group of 12 folks that we later had the pleasure of breaking bread with. The menu consisted of passionfruit mojitos, butternut squash w/coconut & lime, black bean feiojoada, ahi poke, and dulce de leche crepes. All a delicious balance of just enough healthy, just enough sweet, and all in all fresh! My primary take-away from Miss Emily's course is her intuitive and social personality. Miss Emily's adaptability to her guests(customers) I think makes the class enjoyable for either the spectator or the hands-on student. I don't know too many people that can host a dinner party at their home almost every night w/random acquaintances! She also lets you take home detailed copies of the recipes. Much respect to Miss Emily(hence, the Miss) for an enjoyable experience. We will definitely be back(since we're pro chefs now)! Beware, her classes fill up fast, start connecting w/her now! read more

I went to my first class at Emily's on Saturday and after hearing about it from friends was not disappointed! The class was a brunch class so we (of course) brought our own champagne and OJ for some drink-while-you-cook mimosas. The other people there were a mix of all ages and everyone was having a great time - what a fun crowd! Emily was very knowleagble and added some interesting facts to each course. And of course...the food was delicious! smoked salmon and endive, dilled chicken salad, mushroom asparagus strata, and strawberry peach tarts. I've already made the dilled chicken salad! Only issues is the classes fill up so fast - so make sure to book the day you get the schedule! Can't wait to sign up for another... read more

I've been on this crazy diet that doesn't allow pretty much anything good like fries, bread, or strawberry shakes. I've been struggling with my daily menu because I only have about 6 meals I know how to make and all of them include some sort of carb, sugar, or dairy. So, I decided to take a cooking class at First Class Cooking. Emily offers classes that highlight a certain season or type of food. She has a healthy point of view on all her dishes, so I knew this class was going to help me learn new recipes and keep the muffin top to a minimum. I chose to try her Taste of India class. Greg (the boyfriend) and I went on a Saturday where we met a bunch of other awesome people (mostly other couples and groups of women). Everyone brought their own wine and we all listened intently to Emily as she demonstrated and taught us about the new (to me) flavors we were going to be cooking with. Most of the ingredients on our menu were things I have never cooked with, so I was excited and a bit intimidated by the ginger, cumin, plain yogurt, curry powder and garam masala filled recipes. All I know is that everything was smelling amazing so I was down for anything. First we started with a Cilantro Chutney, which is a spicy green sauce that is perfect to add on top of anything. Although the Cilantro Chutney was delicious on everything, my favorite dish to put it on was the Mango Chutney. It was very sweet and packed with flavor, almost more of a dessert. But when I added the cilantro chutney to it a flavor explosion happened in my mouth. Ugh! So Good! I'm not a huge fan of chickpeas, so when I saw Curried Chickpeas on the menu I wasn't exactly thrilled. Turns out when you add a little curry powder, garam masala, and red bell pepper it can actually be pretty good! Finally, something I was familiar with, Chicken Tikka Masala. My only taste of India has been from the Curry Up Now food truck that comes by my office every day. Their Chicken Tikka Masala burritos are amazing and I never thought I would be able to recreate such deliciousness. Well I did it! The price is definitely reasonable ($55-$80 depending on if you want to do a cocktail or wine pairing as well), especially when compared to other cooking classes in the city. Bring your own wine and an empty belly and enjoy! p.s. Emily has the best view in the city! read more

Best cooking classes ever - we know very little about cooking and have learned easy but special dishes like qui onus with preserved lemon and mint, fish with coriander and pepper - even the best toffee ever. I especially like that Emily gives clear and calm advice and helpful tips. She also uses incredibly great produce - and gives great tips on where to but which food - even when Costco is not so bad! And she manages to mix in tips in cooking tools and even how to clean cookware!! read more

I consistently rave about First Class Cooking and its proprietor, Emily Dellas. Her cooking lessons are, perhaps, the best-kept social secret in San Francisco. I've taken at least one class per month since I found First Class Cooking in mid-2007. The classes, which are taught out of Emily's haute Victorian home in Pacific Heights, are small (10-12 people). Students tend to be idiosyncratic foodies in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties (my age range). And, there is no shame in coming to class alone. In fact, the class format is ideal for mixing. Instead of demonstrating how to make each dish, Emily starts students off with instruction, asking them to jump in and participate in the cooking; everyone cooks the meal together. How can you avoid conversation when you and a stranger are standing at neighboring cutting boards with eyes watering as you mince shallots? As the cooking winds down, all attendees shuffle into Emily's dining room to share the meal they've just prepared. It's the most lovely end to each class. The icing on the cake is that Emily's recipes are simple, impressive, and consistent. I cooked Christmas dinner for 12 this past year. Half of the meal came out of what I've learned from her. Everyone raved! I only have two cautionary notes. 1) First Class Cooking is an expensive habit. 2) The classes fill up fast. So, sign up for Emily's mailing list and be waiting by your computer when next month's offerings are announced. read more

I am fresh from my first class with Emily. It was for my birthday, and my guests and I (14 in all) had a wonderful time. The atmosphere was laid back, everyone was really relaxed and had a great time. We opted for a private class, and this was fantastic for us because we were able to be ourselves. The following menu was taught: 1. Grilled Tuna Nicoise 2. Warm Goat Cheese Salad 3. Buckwheat crepes with mushrooms and zucchini 4. chocolate souffle. All stuff I could easily replicate at home. Emily is a gracious teacher, someone you could easily get along with, and setting up the class was easy as pie. I highly recommend her classes for groups of friends just to hangout and have a good time. We're trying to figure out what to do for our next class! read more

My family visited from out of town recently, and we decided to take a private class with Chef Emily, as one member of our group is a budding chef. First off, setting up the private function with Emily was a breeze--she's very responsive via email, which I found to be comforting when planning activities weeks in advance. As for the location, the class is set in a beautiful loft in SOMA, with stunningly beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows. Because we did a private event, we were able to make our own menu of items that appealed to our diverse palate. Emily is a gracious host and instructor, and she provided as much explanation as we wanted regarding the dishes. I will provide this caveat to my review--if you're looking to find a class where you're going to make the most complicated dishes that takes the skill of a culinary school graduate, this is not your class. For our purposes, we were thankful that the class was in fact geared toward individuals who want to learn some techniques and recipes that could be applied to everyday meals, rather than to recreate The French Laundry in your kitchen. That said, the food we made was also excellent. Emily allows you to be as hands-on as you'd like. A few of us were involved in virtually every aspect of the cooking process. Others were perfectly happy spending most of the time snapping photographs or stealing bits of cheese off the table. My family was thrilled with the class, and the hubby and I will definitely be back to take one of her group classes! read more

I have come a long way from my former life of eating a bowl of cereal for dinner (though still delicious) or a stir-fry if I'm feeling really gourmet. Though I am still a long way from being what anyone would call a good cook, Emily has helped add some amazing dishes (and some confidence) to my cooking repertoire. I actually took my boyfriend here for his birthday. (OK, so he didn't exactly ask for cooking classes, but as a thoughtful girlfriend I knew he would benefit.... All I will say is that in the 12 months since we came to class, he has become a cooking machine! yay for me!) Emily is so patient, and lets everyone in the class participate regardless of experience. In addition, she has provided me with some tips I use all the time. (Salt in the garlic to reduce stickiness - amazing. Making a grid in the mango to easily slice out chunks - fabulous. You may already know these - I did not!) In addition, many of her classes offer vegetarian alternatives which was perfect for us since while I have not eaten meat or chicken in years, my boyfriend is quite the carnivore. Last but certainly not least: I now have a go-to dish that I take everywhere: her mango avocado salsa. Sometimes my friends even specially request this delicious dip! It's so nice to have that one perfect recipe. As they say, sometimes you don't even know what you're looking for until you've found it. Thanks, Emily! The line-up: Lime-Chicken Orzo soup (not for me due to the chicken) Mango Avocado Salsa - yum Grilled Fish Tacos - yum Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes - yum read more

We attended a Valentine's Day cooking class with Emily and the class also has 4 other couples (a total of 11 adults). First and foremost, Emily is great host and is extremely knowledgeable about the art/craft of cooking. Our group was very inquisitive and she wasn't stumped with any of the questions from the group. She also takes the time to explain each step in the preparation of the dishes, right from proper cutting/chopping techniques to the best way to stir a particular dish. In advance of the class, we mentioned to Emily that we preferred chicken over pork, and she was extremely accommodating. And the dishes were delicious. Everyone was seated at a long table in her loft, alongside a window with a view of the SOMA district (not pretty in terms of natural greenery, but a nice cityscape). Luckily the group that showed up was in a good mood and were a friendly bunch of people. Everyone was there to help and share. (I suppose the Valentine's Day mood also helped the atmosphere!) The cost of the class was also extremely reasonable. For less than the price of a mid-priced meal at a restaurant, we enjoyed a 3 hour cooking class and a 4 course meal (class $55/person, though I know that rates vary). Some attendees who has brought wine were nice enough to share a glass or two with others. You are also welcome to bring your own wine. All-in-all, my wife and I left the class saying to ourselves that we would recommend the class to others, and we would certainly consider taking another class with Emily. read more

This is one of my first reviews because I felt that everyone should know how great Emily is. I had a class on Sunday with my girlfriend, and we happened to be the only two attendees for the class. Despite just teaching us two, Emily was very kind and still enthusiastic. She was so knowledgeable and great at cooking, my girlfriend and I had a great time. We learned so much and had so much fun cooking, eating and talking with Emily. Definitely go to this class! read more

I think her address has changed as the last time I had a class with her, she was on Bluxome St in SOMA. Regardless of where the class actually takes place, I would recommend her to anyone interested in learning how to cook. Emily I guess does all the shopping and planning for her classes solo and has made a very successful career out of doing something that has come to her naturally. No culinary school experience necessary! My best friend bought a class for both of us to go to for my birthday and it actually took us 6 months to decide which class to attend, given our hectic schedules. Finally we decided on taking the Vietnamese class and had a blast. She teaches right out of her apartment, which has a gorgeous view to downtown and the Bay Bridge. There was a group of about 12-16 people, from all backgrounds and all kinds of cooking experience. The menu was super easy, and a great way to show off basic skills, and wow guests for a small get together or a romantic date. We made vegetarian spring rolls, which I have made on my own now several times. The recipe she has for the spicy vinaigrette dipping sauce is amazing. The terracotta catfish was also really good, but I haven't actually made it with out her help yet. I found this class really helpful in terms of learning how to make recipes which are easy for beginners and you can spice them up a little by adding in your own variations if you're more experienced (such as prawns in the spring rolls). We had a great time sipping wine, learning how to cook easy dinner recipes and meeting new people. Great way to network if that's what you're into. Emily also does a great job at explaining different gadgets and how useful they are depending on what kind of cooking you'll be doing. Check out her website for tools and classes. read more

Had a team building event here with graduate students - the setting was perfect. Emily knows a lot when it comes to cooking and was explaining every little detail. It was information overload for me - but I did pick up a few tips. Whenever somebody asks me for a cooking class/instructor, I don't hesitate to recommend Emily :) read more

An old dog can learn new tricks. I cook. I do not bake. But, I walked away from a class armed with a wonderful strawberry rhubarb tart that could practically be made with eyes closed. Emily is well learned, but conveys the information in a way that is completely accessible, non-intimidating, and fun! Not only did I learn some great cooking tips (salting garlic while chopping it), also came away with the virtues of Silpat mats, Phillip's crabmeat, cleavers, concentrated chicken broth, and silicon bake ware. read more

Emily was warm, welcoming, and happy to accommodate my vegetarian and gluten free diet. The food was fantastic and I learned quite a bit about technique and process as well as the chemistry behind cooking. The space was beautiful with big staggering windows overlooking the city. We were joined by another couple which contributed to the overall pleasant vibe of the evening. In addition to all of this, I now know how to properly muddle mint for a mojito- that alone was worth it. read more

I was looking for an affordable cooking class in San Francisco for my boyfriend's birthday present and I found First Class Cooking. What appealed to me was the wide variety of menus each month that people could choose from ranging from Indian, Italian, Vietnamese, to French. Try to reserve classes early in the month because classes fill up quickly. Our menu consisted of: Roasted Corn Soup Old Bay Seasoned Oven Fries Crab Cakes Strawberry Shortcakes The soup was our favorite and we've made it numerous times since the cooking class. I liked Emily's teaching style. She made cooking seem simple and straightforward and gave us helpful food prep and cooking tips. Ask lots of questions because Emily has a lot of great suggestions. She buys a lot of her produce and fruit across the bay at Berkeley Bowl. Most of the students in our class were young women in their 20s and 30s but everyone was really friendly. read more

A team of folks from my company attended a class together. We got to choose what - as a team - we wanted to cook. My team chose Pork as the main course. As a vegan, I'm used to having to fend for myself, and don't expect that everyone present to eat vegan too. So I came expecting to leave hungry. However, Emily created a special dish just for me. Seared tofu and squash with a cranberry dressing. It was amazing. She taught me how to make it and sent me home with a copy of the receipe. It was a thoughtful and an unexpected surprise. read more

I recently went to First Class Cooking, with a group from work, as a team building event. What a pleasant surprise! First, I'd like to thank Emily for her patience as our group was a little crazy. She is extremely knowledgeable and very approachable. In fact, I felt so comfortable there were a couple of times I really felt like an old friend that had been invited over for lunch instead of a client; a very unusual but very nice feeling. Thanks Emily!! I will definitely be back!! read more

I had a group of my closest friends for an evening at Emily's for my birthday party. I gave her the opportunity to respond to my feedback before posting. Despite being disappointed, I did have a great birthday (this is probably because I just have cool friends) On the positive side * GREAT space. It's warm, intimate and just beautiful. (although many of the candles didn't have wicks) * Food (what there was of it) was great! On the not so positive side * It was really confusing getting into the apartment and I would have liked to have given my guests specific information. She responded that this information was in a conformation email (which I never received) Then she told me she was having issues with her neighbor so was hesitant to give out the code (not the customer's issue) * Many of my guests commented on the portion size. The fish portion seemed very small and the plate presentation wasn't great because there was a salad plate and a main plate so the main plate looked tiny-For $60 I don't feel like we got enough food and I actually left hungry. She responded that 5 oz is the "correct" portion size and that most restaurants serve 8 oz.. Well, when you have a group of athletic folks just coming from work, expectations should be set that this is a "correct" portion for protein. This was just way too much money to pay and leave feeling hungry. I felt her response to this feedback was defensive. NOTE: WINE IS NOT INCLUDED in the $60 * It was almost a full two hours before we ate. I realized we started a bit late but then that is still 90 minutes before eating anything. It would have been good if she specified this or had some nuts or something or told me to have them. read more

Please see the review by Amy C (below). Although I wasn't part of her group, my complaints are pretty much identical. We had a party of 14 for a friend's birthday. On the menu was a corn salsa with chips, green goddess salad, pork tenderloin and s'mores cupcakes. Getting in: The directions to get into her loft apartment were NOT clear. Cooking time: Took forever to cook all the food so we were all starving by the time dinner was ready. The experience: I can't eat chicken so we chose what we thought was a chicken-free meal however, we didn't know that she was going to use a chicken broth to deglaze the pan. After she had mixed the broth concentrate with the water (mind you, it was a small packet that you get from Trader Joe's), my friend asked if she had something other than chicken broth and she reluctantly used a veggie broth instead, but boy, she really couldn't let it go! For $60 a person, do you really need to dwell on a packet that cost less than 50 cents?!?! When the food was finally plated, it looked so pathetic. She should have given us smaller plates because all we had was 2 small slices of pork, a small amount of salad and the cupcake. There was no more corn salsa left because dinner took so long to prepare that we'd eaten it all. Then, to add insult to injury, she didn't even bother to eat with us. Instead, she stayed in the kitchen cleaning up and cooking herself a nice chicken breast dinner (her piece of meat was a lot bigger than than what we got (individually). No one was full...not even close! Most of us went to McDonalds afterwards because we were so hungry. Seriously, don't waste your time. Go to The Culinary Salon. I just went there this past weekend and it was so much better. read more

*update*10/04/07 What do you get when you mix pork tenderloin, chocolate cake, and a handful of the best friends in the world?! A Recipe for the perfect birthday! A few very wonderful friends who know me better than I know myself put together a private class with Emily. They set the menu, which was stellar, and successfully surprised the be-jeezus out of me (though i have to say i am quite gullible)! It wasn't until I was at the corner of Sacramento and Franklin that I said, "Are we going to COOKING CLASS?!?!?!" Super fun, laid-back, and a great way to gather friends for a celebratory dinner without the restaurant scene. Emily was great (as always) and made everyone feel welcome. This was my fourth First Class Cooking experience and I know it will not be my last! When Chocolate, Pork, and Booze are listed in the menu, I am a happy camper. I was the very lucky recipient of a First Class Cooking gift certificate (my friends know me well - shout out to Kelly and Anne for being awesome). I perused the menu for the month of December, scanning for a few key words..."chocolate", "pork", and "cocktail" (not in that particular order). I exclaimed "Eureka!" upon spotting what appeared to quite possibly be my IDEAL MEAL: Cranberry Hot Toddies Acorn Squash and Cognac Soup Mushroom Bruschetta Cranberry-Balsamic glazed Pork Tenderloin and Bittersweet Chocolate Bread Pudding. (are you drooling yet? i am) I talked my roommate into accompanying me on this cooking adventure and the pair of us set off to the Nob Hill address. While circling the streets looking for parking (we were a touch late because of parking problems) we scanned the street for the house number. Not finding it immediately we scurried down the street and upon seeing one of the most beautiful houses I have ever set eyes on, said in awe, "Wouldn't it be GREAT if THAT was the house?!?!" I nearly jumped for joy when the address of the Nob Hill mansion matched what I had scrawled on my gum wrapper. The cooking class participants were all very friendly making for an easy-going atmosphere. The warm, well-lit kitchen was welcoming...not so large that you got lost, not so small that you felt like you couldn't see. And the marble... I have an unfortunately small kitchen...actually it is barely functional. Just being in a REAL kitchen had my enthusiasm up. The class ran so smoothly - everyone participated in the preparation of the dishes and all the while Emily delighted us with handy morsels of cooking knowledge. I have no doubt that Emily will make her way to the Food Network in no time...she's got an undeniable presence. The instruction was perfectly balanced, leaving my roommate, a less-experienced cook, and myself, an excited wanna-be chef, feeling like we both learned without being overwhelmed/bored. I highly recommend spending the money on the cocktail classes (i *heart* hot toddies). The food all turned out great and since taking the class I have re-created two of the five menu items with ease and great success. Thank you Emily for the wonderful experience...I will be seeing you again for sure!!!!! read more

i took a class w/ emily yesterday, and i LOVED it!! first of all, the class takes place in her family's home in pac heights, which is AMAZING. the classes get filled quickly, so sign up right when her schedule comes out, as they are ltd to 10 ppl. emily is great, b/c she's bubbly and nice and shows you some kitchen basics w/o being a nazi about technique. i took the vietnamese class last night, and we made spring rolls, caramelized catfish (YUM!!), lemongrass beef skewers, and mango w/ sticky rice. everything was delicious and pretty easy to prepare. emily makes cooking accessible to the non-chef. she has many gadgets at home that you see at sur la table and always wondered what they were. after cooking, the entire class sits at her dining room table and eats together. this class was a lot more intimate than other cooking classes i have taken in the past, and it's a great opportunity to meet new ppl!! read more

a friend of mine reserved a class for us to take for my birthday present. there were lots of different four or five course meal options on their calender and we chose the spanish seaside one. the course is taught in Emily's loft in the SOMA. her kitchen was remodeled specifically for her class. it is meant to account for around 10 people. she's got a giant island, two sinks and two fridges! she's got all the utensils necessary plus about 50 more. upon entering her loft she immediately puts you to work and doesn't quite introduce herself or the course. we all grabbed and organized our own handouts for the recipes and then when everybody got there we instantly began class. if you think you are going to come out of this class a better cook, know now that you're not! she shows you and tells you how to do something (like dice an onion properly and efficiently) and then has somebody else finish the job. while that person is dicing she moves on to something else and again has somebody finish that job. so the person doesn't really get the full sense of what is going on because while you are focused on completing your task someone/everyone else is doing the rest. she is very good about giving you hints and telling you how to properly do things. she's good about explaining things that people ponder but never really look into, like why people rub their hands on steel after chopping or peeling garlic or onions. most people just hear it and think "well okay..now i will rub myself all over steel after messing with garlic." if i can remember correctly she said that steel has an anti-odor component and if you rub it on you then it will repel the odor. i'm sure she went into more detail but that's what i remember. she also said that she (and you should too) only buys corn on saturday because it was more than likely just picked either on friday or that saturday morning. and once corn is picked it begins to decompose and lose its crispness more and more the longer it sits in a store or a bin. magically the meal has come together and you don't even realize it because you only partook in one or two tasks invovled in the cooking process. we had... white and red sangria- i can't stand the taste of alcohol so i gave this to my friend. gazpacho-quite good and refreshing roasted red pepper, almond and manchego salad- a huge delightful surprise! and my favorite part of the meal! chorizo and seafood paella- i've come to find that i'm not a big fan of paella. for what it was it was tasty but i don't love it in the slightest bit. necatrine tatin- SO simply made! just crust made from like four ingredients and nectarines with a little bit of sugar. SO good! i couldn't really believe it was as good as it was for being so easy to make. i was afraid that sharing MY food (just kidding) with like 13 other people was going to leave me with a half empty stomach but that was definitely not the case. i was quite stuffed by the end of it. one of the guys in the class put it perfectly. "it's good for a social situation because you can invovle yourself in the cooking as much as you want but if you want to kick back and just sip wine and watch you can do so as well." i'm glad i had the opportunity to join in the class however i would recommend this class for private parties with friends or family because interaction with people you already know makes it a more enjoyable experience. read more

I took Emily's Fuss Free French class. It was OK. I was expecting somewhere between 6-10 people, but there were 14 (yes 14!) people in our class. Maybe it was an unusually large class, but you'd think there would be a cut off at around 10. It really was overwhelming with so many bodies crowded in her albeit large kitchen. Vying for space and trying keep an eye on everything that was happening was a challenge. Anyhow, Emily is definitely knowledgable about food and has a lot of good tips for the home cook. We made a simple salad with a sherry mustard vinagrette, green garlic and goat cheese souffle, coq au vin, and creme brulee for dessert. The food was very good, however the souffle needed to be cooked a bit longer (it was runny) and the creme brulee needed to set in the fridge for a much longer period of time. My main gripe is that I tried to follow along with the written instructions she hands out to you at the beginning of class, but they were completely different than what we were doing IN class. I vaguely remember the steps that we did in class but is it so hard to expect that the recipe that she hands out match the one that she actually has you do? For instance, her printout has you combine onions, carrots, garlic & mushrooms but in class we cooked the mushrooms separately from everything and then they were topped as a garnish at the very end?!? Also, this doesn't relate to Emily directly but there was another person in class who was doing hands-on prep work and I saw him lick each and every one of his fingers while he was stirring a pot. Um...can you say GROSS!!! I definitely saw him touching some of the other food after that and I tried not to look at him anymore while in class. Didn't your mom teach you any manners?? Overall the class was ok. I did pick up some helpful tips, but I wouldn't go back. I have learned as much watching the America's Test Kitchen series on DVD without fear of having to eat food that someone's dirty fingers touched. read more

Emily Della's First Class Cooking is one of the most amazing experiences I've had in the Bay Area! I went to my second class last night and invited my parents as well. I, like the other reviewers, cannot do Emily's class justice. Her home is gorgeous; she is incredibly inviting and warm; the menus are elaborate, yet not intimidating. AND the food is delicious. Oh and did I mention that the price is more than reasonable? She is a gem in the city of SF and I would go to her every month, but she's become so darn popular that it's hard to find an open spot at times. I won't even knock her down for that, though because she really does try to offer as many classes as humanly possible. Since going last October, I've done nothing but rave about how much fun I had and how tasty the food was -- and after last night, I will continue to rave about her and the food. We've even made the first menu at home one time thanks to the helpful recipes she provides. In case you were wondering, the first time we had: Cranberry Quinoa Salad, Peruvian Chili Chicken, Butternut Squash in Coconut Lime, Passionfruit mousse, and Pisco Sours. Last night we had: Red Pepper Walnut Dip, Quinoa Tabouli, Chicken Tagine, and Honey Biscuits with Fig. I'm already looking forward to the next class! read more

100% recommend. Very hands-on and personalized, and much different from most cooking classes where everything is pre-measured. Great view overlooking San Francisco. I was able to learn many new kitchen skills. I feel confident that I can make these recipes at home. read more