Freda's Kitchen - Iron Chef Review…read more We engaged Ashley and her team to create an Iron Chef style event for our family of fifteen ages 5-84 over the holidays. They did an absolutely incredible job! Ashley made sure every detail was taken care of and coordinated the entire event flawlessly. Ashley's team members (Kyle, Kristin, Holly and Chef Uyen Pham) were all exceptionally professional and they ensured it was a wonderful experience for everyone involved. Although the final results are still under protest (just kidding). We highly recommend Freda's Kitchen for anyone looking for something different whether it be a team building or in our case a family event. We also held it at Wilson's Appliance in Dripping Springs who were gracious in allowing to use their top of line equipment in their model kitchens.

My friends and I did a cooking class here and had a great time. Our chef and her assistant were…read morereally friendly and down-to-earth, and they gave an introduction letting us know about their business and why they started it, which gave some meaning to what we were doing. The space where we ate was gorgeous and felt like we were dining in someone's beautiful home. Half our group was running late (30 minutes!) due to the marathon closing off some roads, and they still gave us our full experience. FYI, it is BYO here! If we had known earlier, we would have brought our own additional drinks, but they did serve us wine. The kitchen was a little cramped for 14 of us, and compared to other cooking classes I've done, it was a little ad-hoc getting everyone organized. They didn't have a pre-set number of people for each station, and with only 2 staff, they were stretched a little thin helping everyone. It all worked out, but it was a little slow figuring out who would do what, with rough last minute estimates on how many people were needed at each spot. Still, our food was great, we all learned some new kitchen skills (though the chef did help us quite a bit to get us there!), and we had a fun time! There were tons of leftovers too.

I really like this shop. They bring old-world artisanal PASSION to cheese. The owners are…read moresupremely knowledgeable and were able to get a really rare Camembert cheese that I had found while on vacation in Northern France. A fun hobby of mine on the weekends. I'm glad I found this shop, I will definitely be coming back!

I honestly have no idea why the location is that, but their Facebook notes it as their "location",…read moreso I put it for their sake. REALLY, you buy this local institutions goods at Farmer's Market. You know what? I will help them out and put the locations at which to purchase this fermented cow milk: Downtown - Republic Square Saturdays 9am-1pm; Sunset Valley - Toney Burger Center Saturdays 9am-1pm; Triangle Park - 46th St & Lamar Wednesdays 3pm-7pm; East 5th & Waller Sundays 11am-3pm. That being said, I have given you a little teaser. Now, look at their website to find stores which distribute their goods. How the heck is this cheese, you ask? It is not bad. Though I found the cheeses to be very one-noted and dry, they were definitely rich--this being the result of utilizing the feed for babies from well-treated cattle. The Especial, Seco, and Classico are all similar in texture, flavor, and overall character. In fact, they are not easily distinguished from one another. They would do fine as a secondary ingredient in a simple dish, such as tacos or quesadillas, but they wouldn't hold up to wine or serve well in a grilled cheese. For the latter 2 items, I would go with their Cheddars, which have a bit more bite. They have a wide selection as compared to other cheeseries in the Austin area, as many seem to really just go after the goat cheese fanatics. Nothing too crazy in terms of production and variety here, but give them a shot. The fermented dairy comes from Texas after all. The people who work here are also super awesome and are ready to take care of you when you have questions or concerns about where your cheese is going. Hehe.. you pay cheese for cheese.

Participated in Wine and Food event at the sustainable Food Center. What a beautiful space for a…read moreclass. I would grab a spot if you see an upcoming events.

The SFC has this gorgeous new spot out on E 17th. Yes, all of those words go together. Though I was…read morejust there for a cooking class (Sauces 101) I would like to spend a little time understanding what else goes on in that facility. My class was about 15 people all looking to learn about the mother sauces. Frankly, I took this because a friend was taking it and why the hell not? But there were people there to really learn. Like, never touched a dish style. I was surprised that the class wasn't individual cooking stations but more like a watch and learn. There was some class participation but you're not making your own. That's the first thing to know. The second thing is that it's like being back in a legit classroom. There will be idiots, there will be knowitalls, there will be class clowns, there will be tedious questions and please repeat thats. Our instructor was so kind and patient with these people, long after I would have asked them to test the boiling oil please. I wouldn't pre-eat exactly... but I also wouldn't go starving. You may end up eating a full meal but I'd be prepared not to. After we made each sauce, they were poured over pasta in a little ramekin and distributed. The things I'd like to see included: -- a way to watch the chef without leaning over the table. A mirror? A flat screen? Something so she doesn't have to tilt the pot precariously. -- an email later with the recipes vs. the paper recipes to take home -- a big disclaimer for dummies that if you're going into a class to make sauces, they're probably not going to be vegan or gluten-free. Overall a good experience. I definitely learned some things and hope to apply them to my next big pot of mac n cheese.

I had scheduled a cooking class for the first weekend in March. It was all set and confirmed- we…read morehad even picked the menu. I got an email two weeks before the date and they said that something had come up and gave me alternative dates. This event was for people out of town and needed to be that specific date. Luis emailed me back and said that another date would be the date. I was very frustrated that the date was changed. I made a booking elsewhere. Thai Fresh emailed me and said that they could actually do the original date. I emailed them back and told them that I already had another booking. My suggestion would be to keep bookings and not try to reschedule. Very frustrating working with them.

I was tasked to plan a bachelorette weekend trip in Austin with 5 girls. The cooking class came up…read moreon Groupon, and thought it would be a fun idea to add this to our itinerary. Since we were going to be in Austin a specific weekend, we didn't have much of a choice on what class to take. The only class available was Thai Vegetarians. All the girls ended up liking the food. We made Hot and Sour Soup, Bean Thread Salad w/ tofu and mushroom, Pad Prik King w/ tofu and red curry paste, and Pad Sea Ew w/ tofu and eggs. I thought they tasted as good as the dishes with meat. There were a total of 11 people in the class. Jam was feeling under the weather, but you wouldn't have known it. We all stood around an island while Jam explained the dish and the ingredients while guiding us on what to do next. The island was split up in three burners so there were 3-4 people making a serving of each dish. It was interactive and we all were able to contribute. She gave us a hard copy of the recipes at the beginning of class, and you can chose to follow them/take notes. There were a lot of leftovers and some brought them to go. It was a little warm inside. They needed to crank up the temperature just a wee bit. They also ran out of Thai tea. We ordered 5 but they only had enough to make 1. I do agree with the other reviewers about the cost of the class. I wouldn't have paid the full price for this type of class and am glad we purchased a Groupon. Overall, we had a great time. We left there full and more knowledgeable about Thai cooking.

Chef Tracy and her food were phenomenal! I loved the "Chef at home" experience and will ask for her…read moreagain. Her street elote was yummy! Tracy was professional, made my birthday dinner so stress free! I was able to enjoy my guests without having to check on food. We had a wonderful time.

I love Eat Cook Joy first because it empowers me to be a mom that can do it all, work, provide home…read morecooked healthy meals for my family, and workout! I never thought a private chef would be accessible to me but when I did the numbers, this was equivalent to the 3-4x a week I was going out to eat and when they go grocery shopping for me, they end of spending less than what I would. In addition, I love that this creates rewarding work for trained chef providing them with the work life balance they need to be happy as well! I can't wait for my birthday and the meal you have prepared for my guest!

Chef Alex is incredibly talented! He has been the chef for multiple events for us. No matter what…read morethe menu is or the size of the event, every guest always leaves raving about Chef Alex's creation! The food is always delicious, his service is outstanding, and he does everything he says he will do. He is creative and professional. I highly recommend Chez Vous 512!

If I could leave more stars I would. Seriously. This meal was BETTER than any meal I've had in a…read morerestaurant and we are foodies. We heard of Chef Alex through our neighborhood group and decided to have him come to our home for our 2 year wedding anniversary dinner due to not wanting to be inside public spaces. He handled everything, from helping plan the menu to getting the groceries and even cleaning up after he was done. He was great company on top of explaining each part of the meal and what was in it, just like the 5 star places would. That's not even the best part... The magic that happened...ohhh... We stuck the fork full of food in our mouth and it was AMAZING, like eyes rolling into the back of your head best food ever amazing. I think I time warped to the seaside for the scallops and was sitting on a ranch for the steaks... AND THERE WAS ENOUGH FOR LEFT OVERS! I promise you he will be back to cook for us again and I will also tell everyone I can about this experience and his dedication to what he does. I feel like I have the ace in my pocket with this guy. If you're on the fence, get off and just book him. Now.

Rachel is a wonderful chef and cooking instructor. She lives a healthy lifestyle and is authentic…read morein the way that she teaches folks to cook. I have taken a plant based sushi class and a vegan pho class with her. Both were delightful experiences. I loved getting to talk with the other participants, being around the beautiful ingredients (bunches of fresh herbs, gorgeous vegetables), and getting to learn new techniques. Plus at the end of each class you get to feast and sometimes take home leftovers. If you're looking for a wonderful gift for yourself or a friend check out one of her classes. Plus on her website she shares some delicious free recipes. This is one of my favorites: https://cookloveheal.com/coconut-sweet-potato-and-chickpea-curry/. Enjoy!

I love cooking and love taking cooking classes. I have tried many cooking classes from places like…read moreWhole Foods and Central Market to culinary school classes for general public to cooking classes from independent chefs. Chef Rachel's classes are by far my favorite. Her classes are hands-on. Her recipes are practical (ingredients can be found from a normal grocery store and dishes can be made in reasonable amount of time). Her dishes are healthy AND delicious! And everyone gets to taste the dishes from the class at the end of the class. I use more recipes from her classes than any other cooking classes that I have taken in the past! And my kids also LOVE the dishes that I learn from her classes. I look forward to learning more dishes from her classes in the future.

We had the pleasure of being in Maggie's home for Kitchen Underground's Date Night | Taste of Thai…read more Maggie was so welcoming and hilarious, and we enjoyed our table-mates so much. The instruction was great and the food was delicious. We loved this experience!

Running short of ideas as to what to get my wife for Christmas, I decided to try something more…read moreexperienced based and booked a Tagliatelle Bolgnese class with Maggie. We attended last week and had a great evening with two other like minded couples at Maggie's home. We greatly enjoyed learning how to make pasta from scratch, sharing a glass (or two) of wine with others all while learning a new skill. While admittedly apprehensive at first, I could not have been happier with how the evening turned out and will most certainly be returning to learn Gumbo, Thai or one of the many other classes that she offers. Could not recommend any more - give it a go!

I have followed Assemble Cocktail Workshop on Instagram and have always thought it looked super…read morefun, so when a friend wanted to do a private party for her birthday - it was a no brainer! We arrived a bit early and Lillian quickly whipped us up a welcome cocktail which she called "A Walk in the Garden". It was a prosecco based cocktail and absolutely delicious (and pretty). While we enjoyed this cocktail and looked around the shop... she prepared the workshop space for the lesson. The birthday girl had been given a list of cocktails in advance and was able to select the ones she wanted to learn how to make (she selected the Blackberry Smash & Bee's Knees). One thing I loved about this class is that Lillian gave options with each cocktail so that everyone would end up with a drink they loved. For example, if you don't like bourbon which is typically in a Bee's Knees... you could use gin instead! Then we had the options to make it spicy/sweet/herbal/ etc. By the end of the class... we all had different and personalized cocktails. In addition to the cocktails, Lillian prepared a large bowl of popcorn with specialty seasonings and showed us some of the fun tools that can be used for different prep methods. We also had downtime between making each drink to enjoy them and chat amongst ourselves. This class made for the perfect outing... we're already talking about doing another for the next girl's weekend. I cannot recommend this class enough and will absolutely be back!

What's not to love about making delicious and fun cocktails with friends?!…read more Lillian's cocktail workshops are a great interactive activity for anyone who is looking to up their cocktail game. I was doing a birthday weekend with friends in Boerne and came across Assemble Cocktail via Visit Boerne. I booked a private Tiki session for 7 of us and it was the perfect way to celebrate with friends. If there's only one or two of you, you can book an open session that's available. We made Mai Tais and Painkillers - both were delicious. Since I had a couple of folks who were preggo, I notified Lillian and she made sure to have two setups with zero-proof "spirits." Lillian was a great teacher and host. She has aprons and leis so the vibes were perfect. The location is a cute bungalow tucked behind another business on Main Street (kind of easy to miss if you're looking for it right on Main Street). The business started at the beginning of the year, so it's fairly new, but add it to your list of things to do if you're in the Boerne area!

Shawna, totally made our celebration complete, serving 2 gourmet dinners in the same number of…read moredays. Arriving on time, quality meat and ingredients to make a special evening a gourmet experience! Each night had a different decor theme. Very friendly and accommodating! She delivered exactly what was requested in a fashion we all so enjoyed. As my family parted, we all agreed, our next get away will have to be in Shawna's " service area" ! Thank you so much for an unforgettable memory, you are a "Gourmet Jewel" Candace

They catered a Celebration of Life on short notice. We were from out of town and had never done…read moreanything like that before and Chef Shawna was a huge help. Way more people than we anticipated ended up wanting to come and they were able to take care of everything and food was fantastic!