I was nervous about signing up for the home cook course, felt vulnerable in a new environment in…read morewhich I had no skills or training in. I can't recommend this beginner course enough. Even after the 1st day my meals at home were suddenly consistent and significantly better. 12 weeks later and I am confidently relaxed in my kitchen. I enjoy the ease that I feel now; from preparing dinner, menu planning, temp control, and little tips you just can't learn on google. Learning in person from Chef Jason and Chef Ben with a group of funny, eager, and caring adults has really shaped how I can give back to my family. This was the common denominator for all the students in our course. We wanted to learn a new skill to share with the ones we care about most, our families. "I haven't made a sh**** meal since day one of this course" - quote from my fiancé Take the leap and invest in yourself and your family plus laughing about it along the way is always a plus.

I took the home cook course in 2023 as sort of a self care thing with a toddler at home. For the…read moreprice, I found this class to be too large and rushed to learn optimally. The instructors were charismatic and knowledgable. Whenever I asked a question they answered the hell out of it. They were incredibly generous with their time and expertise. That said, I often went home unable to connect what I experienced in class with the home environment. I understand they were trying to discourage relying on recipes, but the handout was rarely referenced during class and it seemed not to be the chef's own recipe? As a beginner to many of these dishes, I found it difficult to recreate some of them on my own. A few yrs later I remember certain things like knife skills, seasoning tips, and how friendly the other students were (belated thank you to my table partner who sliced my live lobster's head for me because I was too squeamish)

We had the most memorable evening at Chef Stephanie Chinchilla's chef's table. The experience was…read moreintimate, warm, and beautifully executed from start to finish...every dish told a story and every detail felt intentional. We began with the Aji tuna on crispy rice, topped with a delicate sliver of jalapeño and crispy shallots, a perfect balance of freshness, spice, and crunch. The second course was Stefanie's famous focaccia...one sweet and one savory. The savory version featured parmesan, her homemade bread and butter, pickles from her garden, and a touch of mustard seed. The bread, made simply with flour, water, and salt, takes two to three days to create. The sweet focaccia was equally impressive, topped with brie, honey, and a guava jam made from her own garden-grown guavas... truly special. Next came the sweet potato course, made from her garden's harvest and paired with roasted pine nuts and coconut-shaved gnocchi in brown butter. The flavors were rich yet comforting, and the presentation was artistic and thoughtful. The main course... short ribs with a stunning potato gratin, was a showstopper. The short ribs were tender and deeply flavorful, garnished with delicate edible flowers from her garden, while the gratin was layered beautifully and topped with a fragrant chimichurri. Dessert was one of the best I've ever had: a sticky toffee date cake with a caramel apple sauce made from apples in her garden, served with raw cream vanilla bean ice cream. The balance of warmth, sweetness, and texture was perfection. The wine pairings, thoughtfully curated by Oscar from Sequoia Grove Winery, elevated the entire experience, from the velvety Merlot to the bold Cabernet, every sip complemented the food flawlessly. What makes Chef Stefanie so special is her warmth and authenticity. She shares her passion for food and where it comes from in a way that's engaging and educational, never pretentious. She spends time presenting each dish beautifully, with an artist's eye and a chef's heart. Her artistry, attention to detail, and genuine love for her craft come through in every course. I'll absolutely be attending her future chef's table events, a beautiful evening of intentional cooking, soulful flavors, and gracious hospitality.

I can't speak highly enough of the incredible experiences we've had with Stephanie Chinchilla. She…read morecatered our daughter's graduation party, she catered an intimate COVID birthday dinner, and we've taken several cooking classes from her over the years. For Christmas one year, my husband gave me the gift of her recipes. Every experience is top-drawer, from the incredible food, the personal touches, the elegant yet casual atmosphere she creates around every event. Her entire staff has been wonderful. After every event, people flock to us and ask for her number. She's Orange County's number one best kept culinary secret.

We did a team event here and it was so much fun! It was my first experience at a cooking class so…read morenothing to compare to but it was super fun. There was tea ready for us to enjoy while cooking. It was very casual and very relaxed which I enjoyed. No measuring and based on the taste. We made Thai food (spring rolls, sweet rice with garlic shrimp, chicken satay, and whiskey sour). Everything came out really good and the team enjoyed it.

We had an amazing class with Sara for her thai food night! Everything was prepped as we did the…read moreHipCooks mini 2 hour class but it was great! We learned the seasonings and flavors and got to enjoy our food after. Highly recommnd for date night or just a solo adventure

Ok so its been years since I have been here but I will say that it was one of my favorite places to…read morego eat. I loved Paella night with roasted chicken legs. It was the best. I tell my friends about this place all the time. I loved how passionate the owners were. They would close the place down for like a few months just to go to Europe to learn more. You must try this place if you live in the area or driving by. Check it out. If I was living back there I would go for the cooking classes.

Duck Confit and cassoulet....was my favorite meal at Rick and Diana's restaurant, Black Sheep…read moreBistro. I cried when they closed. Now Rick has created an AMAZING cooking class for up to twelve people. It is really a "hands on" experience that tastes just as good as the restaurant served. I asked a friend who has a bigger kitchen than mine to "host" the event. Each person paid $40 to cover the cost of the class and the cheese and crackers served before the lesson started. Rick is extremely organized and had done all the prep work, i.e. soaking the beans. He got everyone involved, including a man who had never cut up a duck before. We were served duck four different ways, including an appetizer, a salad and the DELICIOUS main course. Each couple got to take home leftovers which were even better the next day. Even more incredible was that Rick and Diana washed all the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen before they left !!!!! This event has been the talk of our group!!!! We plan on having them prepare dinner for us again soon !!!

Such a fun time!! I chose the 'Date Night: Five Star Steakhouse' class and it was really enjoyable…read moreand informative. Our head chef/instructor Anthony brought great energy and charisma to the class. You could really tell he's passionate about what he does and enjoys it, which spread to the rest of the class. It was a very open environment with many of the attendees having little to no culinary experience, so we were all working on a level playing field. The class is decently interactive, with a nice balance where they do a good majority of the tedious prep work beforehand and let you do the rest (as a team of 4) with all of the nicely prepared ingredients. We also did a small crash course on cutting and mixing skills, which was appreciated. The dish we made was a really nice steak with an herb compound butter, grilled veggies, a small side salad, and a nice fruit tart (galette) for dessert. The class flowed really well and the time FLEW by. It was about two hours from start to finish, and it fun the entire time. I'd recommend to eat a little something beforehand, as you eat what you prepare at the end (after 2ish hours) and the portions are split amongst 4 people so they are a bit on the petite side. Overall, this was a really enjoyable experience that I definitely plan on attending again. I recommend you find a class that suits you and check it out yourself!!

I came with two girlfriends for a birthday gathering. I'm…read moreSO thankful we stopped to eat appetizers before we attended the cooking class. It took maybe 90 mins or so from start of class to chow time and we were ready to eat! I imagine we would have gotten hangry I we didn't, so I would recommend snacking before class!!! The instructing chef was very thorough and helpful. The food was on theme and SO good. We were surprised we could make such tasty bold flavors with simple everyday ingredients. (Our dish we Moroccan chicken night with couscous, beet salad, homemade ice cream with grilled peaches) Plenty of food to eat and even took some home. They were even so gracious to accommodate my vegan/vegetarian diet by subbing the chicken with either vegan chicken or potatoes (I chose potatoes). Flavors did not miss!! Would recommend and will be doing again...

We were lucky enough to take part in a Zoom Virtual Cooking Class with Alexis and it was fabulous!…read moreNot only was it SO much fun but a portion of the cost was donated to some very worthy causes. Alexis is a chef with impeccable taste and a heart of gold! We prepared a Goat Cheese Crostini as an appetizer, Vegetarian Crispy Rice Bowls for our main and a decadent Berry Compote for dessert. We were able to use our own pots and pans and Alexis kept it simple enough where we never felt over our heads. I'd recommend this to families looking for a bonding activity, companies looking for ways to connect their employees or friends who are looking to get boozy while cooking up a delicious meal! (that was us! ;) THANK YOU, ALEXIS!!!

We took an online cooking class with Alexis and had the best time ever! Not only did we have a lot…read moreof fun with the group of friends that joined us for the virtual class, but Alexis showed us an amazing recipe I never thought would have been possible to make on my own. The instructions were clear and easy and Alexis gave great feedback when problems came up. Now I make it every single week and it is my favorite dish! Amazing! Would definitely recommend!

Pink Me Up is such a fun and festive experience, especially during Christmas! It's a guided cookie…read moreand cake decorating experience where you're walked through making and decorating your own treats step by step. It's perfect for families and anyone who loves being hands-on. The vibe is so cute and the owner is so energetic and amazing to work with. Parking is easy. A must experience.

This place is adorable for a young daughter's birthday party. They had 4 person baking tables where…read morethe kids all frosted and decorated cakes. You can pick the theme of your cake - the party we went to was a labubu theme so all the kids made a labubu cake. The cake itself was also surprisingly delicious!