Love me some Berkeley! These cute little storefronts are definitely part of the reason. This place had sushi, coffee, Tibetan jewelry and organic ice cream with a cooking school upstairs we all wandered around and really enjoyed our time spent here... We all got a scoop of Serotonin ice cream and tasted a few of their exotic flavors like saffron and lavender a few nostalgic flavors like butterscotch & pistachio they were all delicious. read more

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We hosted my wife's 60th Birthday at Kitchen on Fire. We had 14 people, and everyone had an amazing time. Chef Olive was great to work with, and in setting up the event the staff was very responsive and accommodating to our various dietary needs and menu changes. We had a very special evening there, and would highly recommend the experience for those looking for a great interactive group event. The food was delicious, we all learned new things, and the space was impeccable. read more

Superb. I have taken the 12 week series and individual classes at KOF and taken courses at other schools. KOF is head and shoulders above all the others. Chef Olive told the class that his students don't eat out because they realize that, "I can make this better at home"; which I thought a bit exaggerated, but then I thought more about it and realized, based on my experience, he is right. These courses are so well thought out; you will learn a ton, will be taught by well qualified, energetic chefs, will begin to eat healthier and better, and you will absolutely have fun. Enjoy. read more

The pizza making class with Chef Olive was a fun learning experience. The ingredients in the kitchen were of fantastic quality. We will definitely take another class here. read more

I would not purchase a gift certificate for this business. I was given one and have had to change my classes twice. Even though I was offered a refund after my first choice was cancelled, I was told it's not possible after my second choice got postponed by about a month and a half. So I haven't technically had the experience of the class, but I am already not looking forward to it. This business gives shady practices vibes. read more

We had a great time at our Burmese cooking class with Chef Sara. The Kitchen was a wonderfully organized and open space. She was a great chef and engaged all 11 of us in the cooking action. We felt like we learned a lot, can make the dishes at home. We enjoyed the cooking and the feast afterwards. Highly recommend! read more

Terrible customer service. I came down with a bad flu and they refused to let me reschedule. She told me to show up sick if I couldn't find someone to take my spot. Really terrible customer service. Will never book through them again. read more

Kitchen on Fire is absolutely Fire! I took a group of high school Seniors as part of the Winter Ball program benefitting Children's Hospital Oakland and we made 30 dinners that we donated to Family House(after tasting everything) Gf Chicken Cacciatore, Gf Turkey Meatballs, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Bok Choy and Mushrooms. It was an amazing two hours that left us all feeling like we made a small difference in a world gone crazy. Chef Olive and his staff made us feel welcome with a turmeric infused fruit drink, and crunchy herb bread. It was a fantastic event and I cannot wait to go back. Knowledge was shared and memories were made. read more

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Took the Night in Rome class w Chef Mat. Only 5 students, which made it pleasant for team work, w tasks dictated or assigned by Chef Mat, who was quite knowledgeable. Meal was a bit rich for my tastes but I learned some useful prep and cooking techniques. Appreciated his knowledge of Italian history - of the dishes in particular along w what're appropriate substitutions for ingredients. Mat initially seemed stern but it turned out he was a humorous fellow once he got going. He made sure to involve each of us in all the prep work. Professional kitchen with two sinks just for handwashing in the Oakland location. While I personally may not make all the dishes as prescribed, I will certainly use what I leaned for dish modifications. BYO wine to share. Seemed like we all left the place sated and happy. read more

I was super impressed by this awesome cooking institution! My team of 14 came here for our annual team building event and I was pretty excited because I love all things food-related. The location is right across the street from Cheeseboard on Shattuck and on the 2nd floor of a multi-business building so it's easy to miss it if you don't read the signs. The chef crew awaiting us was very patient and accommodating to our group (who was a little late). They provided aprons, name tags, bread/cheese platter, water upon arrival. There were different stations set up with all of the dishes we were going to make. They explained how the event works, what recipes we are making, showed us some cooking techniques, and then we all split up in the work stations to cook. We had a chef leading each station so we weren't completely lost. Menu: Potato leek soup Pomegranate salad Socca (chickpea crepe) Chicken cacciatore Chocolate soufflé I volunteered for the soup and socca stations and my coworkers and I had fun chopping, stirring, poaching eggs, and best of all eating our creations! Everything was so yummy and we even got to have the recipes emailed to us afterwards. Highly recommend it for a group event. It costs a pretty penny, but if you can have your company pay for it, you're golden! read more

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I attended a cooking class with my friends at the Berkeley location. Chef David was wonderful! Very encouraging, supportive through the entire process and his instructions had enough detail but not overwhelming to follow. The final product ended up looking beautiful and tasted great! Really enjoyed our dinner! Highly recommend! read more

I scheduled a corporate offsite event at Kitchen on Fire and the team of 22 people all had an amazing time! We made 5 different dishes in teams of 4 or 5 and ended up with great food, great teamwork, a lot of learning, and many laughs as well. I have gotten so many positive remarks from the team, one saying that it was her favorite offsite event ever. All the credit goes to an amazing KOF team, from coordinating on timing and selecting recipes to the actual execution on the day of the event. If you're debating on what to do for a corporate event, look no further! Thank you to the entire team at Kitchen on Fire! read more

Took an online cooking class and it was so much fun!! I learned a bunch of different things besides how to cook the particular dish we were making, the class was really fun, Chef Olive was awesome, and the dish was absolutely delicious! Worth every penny and I will definitely be taking more classes with Chef Olive and Kitchen on Fire. read more

Kitchen on Fire - Cooking Schools Near Me - Berkeley, California

Hands down the best experience! I booked them for my daughters 9th bday celebration. There was 20kids and 4 chefs! The food menu was amazing- Italian theme . Bruschetta, chicken parm, risotto, choc lava cake! The children had a blast and it was well run! They all got to sit down and eat and she even had time to open gifts. They even provide a charcuterie and bread and fruit for the moms that stayed. This was truly an all star experience!! The parents were blown away!! 10stars if u could!! read more

We loved our farmers market cooking class we took!! Walked thru the Berkeley farmers market picking out fresh items. Walked back to the kitchen and was shown how to make lots of different dishes. So fun, very informative and highly recommend! read more

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My lovely bf had surprised me by enrolling us in a cooking class back in December and I am so glad he picked French Cuisine. We had a blast and the class was very educational. One of the cool things is you can BYOB, well, wine since we were going to eat French dishes. We made watercress and leak soup with poached egg, lobster frisee salad with sautéed mushrooms in xeres vinaigrette, beef wellington with madeira wine sauce, potato duchesse, salmon en croute with sauce meurett and last but not least Frangelico crème brulee with champagne honey marinated strawberries. After watching master chef but the juniors additional, I was totally excited that we were going to make beef wellington. We forgot to sear the steak first but one if the instructor saved the day by using a blow torch the finished product. We met another couple who had taken the pizza making class and totally loved it and recommend we should take it. I think that would be our next date night plan. read more

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We went to the Moroccan dinner with Chef Olive and loved it. The food was delicious. It was just the right mix of structure and help but freedom to actually get involved with just the right flavor of a hustlin chaotic kitchen. Chef Olive and Anthony were charming and helpful. We thoroughly enjoyed our night out with them and will definitely go back. read more

On a scale of 1 to 5, I wish I could give Kitchen on Fire 6 stars. The 12 week introductory course is SENSATIONAL. Rush to sign up. It is that good. Today was the last day and many of us walked out of the class asking the chefs to offer more courses. I already have signed up for another class. I had never boiled an egg before I signed up and now I am cooking for other people - and doing so with pleasure! read more

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I'm such a smart mom. I booked 2 birthday gifts for my 2 adult kids and got to share an amazing day with them at Kitchen on Fire in Berkeley. Chef's Olive and Garrett helped us make a fabulous soup, 3 veggie sides and 2 entrees. During this prep and cooking , we learned to polish our cooking skills or learn some for the first time as we made food that was both delicious with great depth as well as healthful and nutritious. A fun, instructive and great day. read more

Kitchen on Fire . Great place to learn to cook! ( Across the street from the Cheese Board in Berkeley,Ca. ) class 1 Cooking of Southern France. A delightful evening of great instruction by Chef Olive. Fun fun fun.....all recipes were discussed in the first hour . Then we divided up into tables of 4 . We participated in making each recipe, so we got a feel for it. Learned how to use a knife, how to whisk properly, how to brown chicken to perfection. No pressure , no intimidation , fun learning and cooking even for newbees. Great simple recipes and loads of great hints i have never learned about cooking anywhere else from a real pro. We made French minestrone with fresh pesto and crostini , chicken on a tomato ragu, zuchini fritters with fresh aoili and a lemon orange cake. Then we ate dinner. So good . A very nice way to spend an evening and meet new people or just cook with a friend .You can bring your own wine if you like and you are all set. Class 2 The Art of Chocolate by Chef Gaby was a wonderful fun class , very professional but not intimidating. Good for anyone wanting to learn . The intro info used a mirror above so everyone could see . Classroom well organized and well laid out. We learned about the difference between good chocolate and yuck.All the recipes were gone over and discussed. Then we separated into different stations , 3-4 per table, each table set up to create one of the recipes. 18 of us created chocolate mousse, chocolate pot au creme, chocolate lava cake, chocolate raspberry tart with fruit, 3 different truffles, etc. then we ate.... way too much chocolate. Sooo delicious . I feel confident that i will be able to duplicate these amazing and simple and quick very doable decadent chocolate desserts! without being a professional read more

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I attended the Vegetarian Indian cooking class with Chef Veena today and I learned so much about homestyle Indian cooking. I can appreciate all the ingredients and spices that are thoughtfully prepared to create such flavorful, delicious dishes. read more

We came here for a company team building activity and we loved it! The chefs were amazing and made the experience really fun - and the food we made was delicious. Everyone involved in the organisation and booking process was super helpful and would really recommend this to anyone :) We will be returning in the future! read more

We had a company team-building event for our group of about 30. I've never gotten so much positive feedback about one of our company events! The food was delicious and it was perfect for those with few cooking skills and for those who wanted more of a challenge. The best part for our group was that in doing this activity, it was natural to move around and talk and learn with different people. It's not like getting stuck at one dinner table with the same three people all night. Our folks were energized and happy, even after a long day of meetings. It was fantastic! read more

Matt is a fantastic chef and teacher. Engaging, hilarious, and open to help answer any questions. He made the cooking experience lots of fun and informative. Would recommend considering kitchen on Fire if you want to learn how to cook! I Basics series is structures very well to hit on all the fundamentals in an efficient and effective way. I started as a complete beginner and feel more confident cooking coming out of it read more

Great time cooking in a huge open, clean kitchen. Learned a ton from Chefs Olive (O-leev) and Arthur about the chemistry of the food and healing effects on the body, with practical tips (did you know that you can whack the seeds out of a pomegranate with a spoon?) and delicious results. My husband and I had a great time, and only wished we had brought along wine pairings for the menu. read more

This course was a gift from a dear friend who knows how much I love Thai food. To be honest, I had reservations before going, but, since it was a gift, I had to go. I told myself I would leave early, but I had to check in. As soon as I arrived downstairs, I noted how nice the building was. I didn't know it, but the Chef had passed me up on the way in. He was so friendly and kind. He ran back and grabbed the door for me. I was the first to arrive, but wasn't treated as a pest. I was made to feel welcomed which put me at ease. There were 10 people in the class. Everything was neatly set up and ready for prep and cooking. Everything was so clean!!!! Huge plus for me. Chef O spoke to us about using quality food, and gave great examples on why it was necessary. I cook just about every day, but I learned so many new things. The food was amazing!!!! I enjoyed this class, and I didn't leave early!!! read more

My sister gave me a Le French Brunch cooking class for Christmas and it exceeded expectations. Chef Olive was warm, patient, encouraging, personable, funny, and a talented chef and teacher. Alongside teaching the recipes, Chef Olive helped us perfect our knife skills, gave tips on proper temperatures to cook different foods, and provided a mini cheese lesson on what to look for in cheeses and how to store them. The class went quickly but was not too challenging, and there was plenty of time to stop and ask questions. I will definitely be recommending these classes to my friends based out of the Bay Area and other places. Thank you Chef Olive and Kitchen on Fire! read more

Kitchen on Fire - Clafouti with Apples, Pears, and Brie. Savory, sweet, fluffy, rich, and delicious! - Cooking Schools Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I'd like to call myself a decent at home cook, but honestly after a lesson with Kitchen on Fire I realize I have a lot left to learn being still yet a young grasshopper in the ways of cooking. Had originally heard of their classes several years ago through my friend Laurie K. who signed up for their 12 session cooking classes, so when a friend of mine mentioned they were doing a special pop up pasta making class with Nommery in The Mission I was super stoked. Friday we get to the space and it's gorgeous. Chef Olive and Chef Mike are on hand for our lessons, and Olive has the best french humor as well as knowledge in teaching us how to pick vegetables. Hrm? There is more than 3 kinds of kale that aren't just used for my morning smoothies? Oh and smell everything you buy, if it doesn't smell like anything then it isn't fresh. The only thing you can be frozen that will still be good is peas, because they don't last long fresh. Olive also helped me correct my knife technique by showing me the pinch and claw. Chef Mike is the pasta expert, with this brilliant Brooklyn like accent (I really hope I placed that right, but if not sorry Mike!) I was separating eggs, needing dough and creating fresh pasta. Mike is the guy who keeps the trains running on time in terms of the lessons. He's extremely efficient, helpful and gives great instructions. In the end we had this amazing pasta dish, and broke bread (Acme focaccia my favorite) . I already love cooking but having a chance to learn from pros and have a fantastic dinner with humor and learning basic skills had me craving for more. At home I'm already great at following recipes, but the philosophy here is to have ideas of flavoring and proportion and understanding how to combine that into deliciousness. But remembering to always taste as you go along and especially before serving. I really wish that they had their cooking school in the south bay so I could partake in more of their classes, but I had a great time this night. read more

Kitchen on Fire - Lessons on how to pick veggies. - Cooking Schools Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Our team had a wonderful experience with Kitchen on Fire!! They were so accommodating during the planning stage and worked with me both over call and via email to make sure all of our guests diets were accounted for and were so flexible when we kept adding guests to the list. Those who attended the event only had great things to say about the experience. Our group was about 18 people and they were all able to cook together as well as enjoy a meal at the end as a group! Can not wait to work with Kitchen on Fire again in the future! read more

At the office this week, my colleagues were brainstorming ideas for team building. Showing my age, I recounted so many of these "Kumbaya" love-in sessions that were frankly, not a waste of time, but a day off work. Then, my "a-ha moment" recalled a well spent evening at Kitchen on Fire! The kitchen looks like one from the Food Network Channel (and they did have a show back in 2007). And, the two accomplished chefs, Olivier (one of the founders of Cesar's and a complete fool) and Mick C. (equally talented and a clown) are your chef instructors. You choose your menu ahead of time (cocktail or sit-down), show up with your closest friends or coworkers, for the next 3 hours everyone cooks every dish for dinner, and finally, eat the cuisine of your labor! A bonus, BYOB without a corkage fee! Even if you think you know how to cook, you'll pick up great tips with knife skills or the many ways (and the correct way) you can use a mandoline. It's a fun way to "break bread." read more

Kitchen on Fire - Cooking Schools Near Me - Berkeley, California

Took a class here last year "Seafood Tapas Party". The class is a hands on class but they prepare all the ingredients before the class so we don't waste any time prepping. All the dishes that they taught us were super easy to make and it was delicious. The instructor was really knowledgeable and fast on his feet. He didn't even get mad at us when we messed up frying the shrimp. Oops... They updated their calendar every 3 months so I always check back frequently for new updates. I would definitely come back here for another class! read more

My friend, Jeremy Townsend, arranged a Ghetto Gourmet dinner, to be hosted by entertaining hosts, Exec Chef Mike C. and Olivier Said (Exec Chef of acclaimed Cesar next door). Chef Mike C. showed us how to prepare all of our courses, ranging from a mesclun salad with cranberries soaked in grand marnier and topped with fresh strawberrries, bleu cheese and toasted walnuts to a puffed pastry with truffle oil and a myriad of mushrooms to a hearty spring lamb stew. We enjoyed their banter and showmanship as they flambed strawberries and crushed garlic. Both chefs were very approachable before and after dinner. They have a nice balcony that overlooks North Berkeley's famed Gourmet Ghetto. Kitchen on Fire is located right above the newly opened Epicurious Garden, and is next to Chez Panisse. They offer private parties, teambuilding classes, and more. What a wonderful place to learn how to cook hands-on! It's like being on a Food TV show! :) read more

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Where to begin??? Well first off this review is based on my experience during the 12 week "Basics" Series. WOW!!! what an amazing and fun experience! Not to toot my own horn, but I was already good in the kitchen and I thought my knife skills were pretty darn good as I used to sell kitchen cutlery for a living. Kitchen on Fire taught me that there is ALWAYS more to learn. Each class built on the last and deepened my knowledge and comfort in the kitchen even with 19 other people running around. Chef Olive and Chef Mike C. are some of the best instructors I've had in any setting, always hands on and willing to answer questions regardless of how stupid or repetitive, and they are hilarious! Their collective depth of knowledge spans most of the culinary world and it taught me one MAJOR lesson, once you have the essential techniques (ie saute, stir fry, bake, roast etc..) the style of the food falls into place ten times easier Each class was fun, informative and a major learning experience. Even the classes where i thought I had the technique down, I learned something new that made me more efficient or had the taste of the dishes coming out tasting much better! My Favorite classes were "Sauces", "Frying" and the "Iron Chef Final" you don't really get how much you have learned til you are forced to put it into practice in a timed, high pressure competition for bragging rights!! Every time I walked into that Kitchen I knew I was going to have fun and learn ALOT and I can't wait to get back in their!! Chef Olive and Chef Mike: Thank You for sharing your love of food with us so openly and honestly! read more

Kitchen on Fire - My teams winning Iron Chef meal! Asian chicken lettuce wraps and fresh pasta w/ a tomato fennel sauce - Cooking Schools Near Me - Berkeley, California

I had done two classes in kitchen on fire so far. And both were excellent! It felt like mini vacations being transported to a difference place while being local. I live an hour away. But still think it's totally worth it! My first class was a birthday gift! The rotation among different stations is very fun. The Chef explained the theories before class and let us dig in and get our hands on the dishes. I learned a lot of practical techniques to make the food taste and looks better in both classes. Both The grilling class and Secrets behind Michelin restaurant class are awesome. I had done many cooking classes in SF and the ones in kitchen on fire have way better instructions and facilities. The ingredients they use are top quality. Food is delicious. I could use what I learn in class in daily cooking and entertaining guests! read more

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Last night, I took my first Kitchen on Fire class, Dim Sum with chef Chat Mingkwan. I'm taken several baking classes from Sur La Table. So, I'll compare the two in this review. Most cooking classes cost $65, whereas the Sur La Table classes in SF seem overpriced at $85. The classroom/kitchen itself was in this quaint room dedicated for the class, just enough for 15 of us to move around. Sur La Table (SF) class was in the basement in the store, with shoppers as distraction. Once we walked in, Chef Mike greeted us and pointed out the snacks prepared for us--Thai ice tea and fried risotto ball. What a delightful surprise! Chef Chat gave us an intro on the origins of Dim Sum, various tips to help us with the recipes, and demonstrations on how to wrap and fold. Next, we decide which station/recipe we want to work on. Once we had set up the dough or filling, we were free to go to other stations to practice. It was a wonderful way to meet and mingle with your fellow classmates. At Sur La Table, you're pretty much stuck with your recipe for the entire class. That was not appealing to me. All ingredients were pre-measured by the staff (3) to save us time, which we really appreciated. I wish someone can do that for me when I cook at home! And do the cleaning, too... The recipes we made: *Shrimp dumplings (Ha Gow) *Pork dumplings (Sue Mai) *Pot stickers *Steamed BBQ pork buns (Cha Sui Pow) *Sesame ball *Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan) *Coconut egg tart One of the negatives for this class was that there were conflicting directions between Chef Mike and Chef Chat. The recipes weren't that great. The sesame ball looked as they should but the inside seemed undercooked and still doughy. The hot oil was probably at a temperature too high. The staff should really have taken care of this. The pot stickers were the most notable recipe of them all--with the seasoning just right and pan-seared perfectly. The pork buns were really good as well. Those two recipes are the only ones I'll most likely try on my own at home. The class was really fun. I'll probably try another class, but maybe with Chef Mike instead. He seems like a very fun and entertaining instructor to learn from. read more

Kitchen on Fire - Our dumplings from Dim Sum class--YUM! - Cooking Schools Near Me - Berkeley, California

We did a private party virtual event that was spectacular. Chef Olive was gracious and entertaining as well as being an exceptional teacher. Everything was well organized and he had a great command of the cameras, which helped me a lot. The event was a rousing success and the food was delicious! read more

Awesome and fun class!! Not that I'm an iron chef, but this class maybe a little easy for people who do know how to use a knife to chop and cook. However, it's still fun. My coworker and I took a southern cooking class, and everything turned out delicious. We started out with cheese sticks, then made cornbread, okra, fried chicken and some collard and finished it with a peach pie. If you're a beginner, don't worry, everything is measured out for you, and you work in groups. The atmosphere is very laid back, and they let you bring a bottle of wine to enjoy while cooking, and the class provides a light snack, so you're not trying to eat the food you just cooked. I would take this class again! read more

Kitchen on Fire - Cheese sticks! They were so addicting - Cooking Schools Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Chef Olive runs a good cooking course. He is extremely funny and talented and good at what he does. Also has written books and is a seasoned expert. Evening courses are tough when you're tired but he had a great ability to engage and entertain, which is not an easy skill. Very comprehensive teachings which I use many years later. Merci! read more

Lots of fun as a team builder. Chef Matt was awesome and I've truly used several of the tips (freezing my butter before making biscuits and making my rice in the oven). I think this is similar to other cooking classes in learning, however the food variety is greater because you have a large group splitting up to make several recipes. We did spicy foods! read more

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Kitchen on Fire is an ominously-named cooking school in the Gourmet Ghetto, right above the Epicurious Garden food court. I had the chance to take the Fiesta Mexicana cooking class with Chef Kevin and had a great time preparing the different recipes. After walking in and putting on an apron and name tag, we were welcomed with slices of watermelon, freshly fried tortilla chips, and homemade salsa. After a brief orientation, we split up into different stations and got to work! On the menu for the evening was queso fresco (an acid cheese made from whole milk), salsas (both red and green) made with charred vegetables, rice, beans, homemade tortillas, spice-rubbed pork tenderloin, and churros with a chocolate dipping sauce. As a fairly small group, each person got the opportunity to contribute to each dish--the tortillas (which we got to press from masa dough) were definitely the most challenging, as they broke apart so easily after being formed. But everything turned out delicious--the salsas had just the right amount of spice, the tortillas were so fresh that you'd never want to eat the bagged stuff ever again, and the spice-rubbed pork tenderloin was so juicy and flavorful! And let me not get started on the churros. The insides were so fluffy, creamy, warm, and tender, and they went perfectly with the chocolate dipping sauce spiked with Mexican chocolate! While the food was delicious and the experience fun, I did feel that there could have been a little more organization in the class. Once we started cooking, Chef Kevin had to point us in different directions, and we seemed to start different recipes at random times. In addition, for most of the dishes, we just seemed to be following the recipes as they were printed, and it would have been nice to have a little bit more instruction on the technique and/or the culture behind the food. That being said though, Chef Kevin was so kind, helpful, and patient, the kitchen was fully equipped with absolutely every kitchen tool you would need, and there was even a dishwasher who took care of the cleanup! After everything was prepared, we all sat down to enjoy the food we made together, and you can even bring your own alcohol to go along with the meal. Though the classes are a little bit on the pricey side, it's a great opportunity for a session of stress-free, enjoyable cooking and eating! read more