My boyfriend and I found Jess's cooking class on Eventbrite and read great reviews about it on Yelp. The class was so much fun. Jess's energy is unparalleled! She extremely knowledgeable, funny, friendly and so down to earth. She was able to teach our class some great cooking skills and techniques. She was also very accommodating of dietary restrictions and provided vegetarian options (which was so great). The atmosphere of the apartment was also very lovely. The group that attended the class was extremely fun and engaged. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to learn more about cooking, interested in trying new foods, or simply anyone looking for a fun night. Jess was an amazing teacher and host and made us feel very comfortable. This would be a great idea for a small corporate event, friend group event, girls night, or a date night. Overall, I would highly recommend this to anyone in SF! read more

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Yum yum yum is all I have to say! Not only was Jess amazing but the food was spectacular! I am not a great cook but have been wanting to learn some basic skills to improve and this is exactly what I learned. She hosted the class in her home (which is so warm and inviting) and we made three dishes that were phenomenal. She provides the class with wine and beer and of course so much cooking knowledge! This would be a great team building event or even just a group of 10 (friends, couples, family) to have fun cook and enjoy each other's company! Thanks so much Jess read more

Wow! What an amazing class. My fiancé and I have been to a few cooking classes in SF and this was by far the best. Garlic Press Jess (GPJ) was super engaging and got everyone involved in the cooking. We all had the opportunity to put our newly learned skills to work and we made a great meal. This class is not only for those looking to learn more about cooking but for people interested in a fun party with new people from the city. After eating our delicious food we got to take home the recipes we made that night along with a calendar full of GPJ favorites. Highly recommend this to anyone! read more

Wow - what a fantastic experience it was doing a cooking class with Garlic Press Jess. I had been surprised at how hard it was to find a cooking class in San Francisco that would work as a date for my girlfriend and I - one that looked fun, was in a small-group or private setting, and was reasonably priced. Eventually I found Jess' website, and am so glad that we ended up booking a private cooking class (just the two of us!) with Jess. The things that made it amazing were: 1. Jess' energy and enthusiasm - you could feel Jess' passion for what she does and excitement to be sharing it with other people from the moment we walked in the door. She made the whole experience a lot of fun. 2. Ability to cater to what we were looking for - we wanted to focus on learning a couple easy, healthy recipes that we could recreate in our busy lives. Jess was willing to work with us to figure out what we hoped to get out of the experience and tailor the evening to that (whether that was the ambience, specific cooking knowledge, etc.). She also has some great core principles of cooking that she shared with us over the course of the night which we can apply to anything we cook in the future. 3. THE FOOD! The meal we had was incredible and healthy (avocado and endive bites, soccas with beef and salad, and a nice dessert), and there was plenty of it to go around. In summary, it was wonderful to spend an evening in a cooking class with Jess and we can't wait to do it again! read more

Jess put together a cooking class for our team event and it was just perfect! Her communications leading up to the event were informative and helpful. When we arrived at her space, we were welcomed with HOMEMADE bread and snacks. And she was kind enough to let us bring our own wine! The cooking class was fun, healthy and delicious! Afterwards, we all sat down together and enjoyed the dishes we had made together. All in all, a great experience! read more

Cooking lesson's with Jess are hard to put a price on. You can tell how much she believes in teaching others to cook and I especially like her style... cook with what you have, learn basics that can be repeated and improved upon. I've been cooking more since I met Jess than I have for the previous 10 years combined. Loving it! Highly recommended. read more

We had such a GREAT afternoon cooking with Jess!! Everything was perfectly organized and easy to understand. Jess made us feel comfortable and provided helpful information from start-to-finish. The meal we made was delicious and is something I'll be able to accomplish on my own at home... mission accomplished! We will definitely be going back for another class. Five stars, highly recommend!! read more

Jess did a cooking class for my friend and I over the summer and it was amazing! I literally make the meal we made together every two weeks or so - I am so happy I went! Jess is also super engaging and great at accommodating all ability levels. She is thoughtful in the menus she puts together. Highly highly recommend!! read more

Me and my boyfriend took Jess' cooking class this week and it was completely fabulous!!!! I would highly recommend it. Her cooking class is in an intimate setting (which I preferred to a highly corporate commercial kitchen) and the food we cooked was delicious! I also learned a lot - especially refining my cutting skills - and Jess is a fun and energetic teacher! 5 stars for Garlic Press Jess! read more

I had such an amazing time joining Jess' cooking class with my colleagues! The apartment where the class took place was so cozy and well-decorated that created a warm and welcome atmosphere. The recipes were simple, easy to make and so yummy (+ vegetarian & healthy :)). Jess was great in managing all the people while preparing the food, providing instructions and cooking tips but also being discreet and letting us catch up, talk with each other and have fun. Of course, in the end, we enjoyed the delicious food with some lovely wine. I totally recommend this experience for private events with friends and colleagues! read more

My husband, myself, and our friends took a private cooking class with Jess, and it was a BLAST. I'm not a natural in the kitchen, but Jess made me feel super comfortable from the get-go. Her instructions were clear and easy to follow, and she integrated some basic-skills lessons like chopping during the process. Most importantly, the food we made was not only healthy, but super tasty! The recipe is definitely something I would make again at home. The whole experience was fun and informative, and I highly recommend taking a lesson. I can't wait to take more myself! read more

Jess is the best! I've done two corporate team building events with her through my company (one dinner, and one happy hour class with appetizers). She was a pleasure to work with, the food was delicious, and we had so much fun that we did it two years in a row. My partner and I also took her Intuitive Cooking 101 course, which we absolutely loved!! It was the best part of our week and it brought us together in the kitchen. Jess was an excellent teacher and helped us cook amazing meals and make them our own and part of our routine. Cannot recommend enough! read more

Don't think twice about booking a cooking class or event with Jess! Jess hosted my birthday party and put together a fantastic evening for 15 gals filled with delicious food, wine, snacks, and laughter. She customized the menu based on our preferences, accommodated various food allergies, and sent us home with a set of recipes and new skills. Jess is a joy and we all had a blast. read more

I had such a great time attending Jess' cooking class with my friends. Being in Jess' space was awesome because it was nice to be in a home doing "home cooking." From beginning to end, she explained all of the ingredients, flavors and steps - stopping to answer my MANY questions. :) We learned how to make Mediterranean soccas (healthy little chickpea pancakes) and a delicious cucumber salad. Aside from the cooking, Jess' infectious energy and love of cooking shines and has inspired me to start cooking more on my own! I highly recommend her class and will be taking another one soon. read more

Great evening as a holiday party. Jess is so welcoming and encouraging. Food was great and the communal cooking experience was fun.

I had the good fortune to find Jessica through a babysitting app when our daughter was just about 9 months old. When I talked to her on the phone, I liked her right away. She is bright and fun, and she by chance lived just around the corner from us. So she started as our babysitter. Little did I know she would rock my cooking world! On the days she babysat longer hours, Jessica started cooking for our family. My daughter loved cooking with her, and we all loved her creative, healthy, super delicious meals. I had never really made time in my life to learn to cook well. When I did cook, I always followed recipes to a tee and I found the whole thing rather laborious. Jessica's passion for food and cooking is clear, and after watching her cook in our home and eating her food for a while, I felt really inspired to cook. I recruited a friend and organized a few classes with Jessica. And then I was able to take her Intuitive Cooking 101 course. With some practice, it has all together completely changed how I think about meal planning, grocery shopping, kitchen set up, cooking and eating. And I am having fun doing it! I am so grateful! read more

Jess has incredible cooking classes and I'm excited to take another one. In addition to having terrific recipes, Jess is really thoughtful about considering the background of the students and her attention to detail is flawless. read more

Jess's passion for food and positive attitude come through so well in her cooking classes! It was super fun to cook in her light-filled, homey apartment - made us feel very comfortable compared to a more "corporate" cooking environment. We made cowboy caviar, fried plantains, and spiced beef - left totally full and happy. Can't wait to come back - thanks, Jess! read more

Jess hosted a cooking class for our corporate team building event. It was a hit!!! We had a group of 9 people and everyone really valued the experience. We teamed up as small groups to make three different recipes, and we enjoyed the food as a nice group meal after the work was done. Jess is very knowledgeable and passionate about cooking which shines through during her lessons - she provides a good combination of theory, instruction, and hands-on practice for a well rounded learning experience. Not to mention she is very professional and great to work. Highly recommend! read more

My friend and I signed up for a cooking class in hopes of a.) learning some useful techniques and b.) having a fun girls' night. Jess over-delivered on both counts! We arrived at her adorable home to the smell of fresh bread she'd baked for us to snack on with various homemade spreads as she explained what we'd be cooking that night. As we started our lesson, Jess noticed I looked pretty uncomfortable wielding a chef's knife, and took a moment to show me how to properly dice an onion. Super helpful! Our meal turned out DELICIOUS - and I've actually made it on my own since (the true mark of a quality cooking lesson). I felt like I a walked away with a meal I can serve that looks (and tastes) impressive but doesn't overwhelm me. Plus, my friend and I had a great time chatting with Jess throughout the lesson. Highly recommend (for girls' nights, date nights, team-bonding, whatever)!! read more