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Lil' Chef School

4.0 (69 reviews)
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Updated 1 month ago

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Their website and my confirmation advertised this menu, but they substituted with frozen cheesy fries without any communication.
M. Theresa C.

I'm comparing price, customer service, logistics, communication, and professionalism to the kids cooking classes we've attended at Sur La Table in Costa Mesa. PRICE: Lil Chef for today's Parent's Night Out is $192 for 3 kids ($62 per kid) with the sibling discount. We picked this place because our 4-year-old could finally cook with her older siblings that are 7 and 9. They were placed in a group of 7 kids, so my kids didn't get to participate in some of the steps since the group was so large. Sur La Table starts at $69 but you have to be 7 or older to participate, and you're only grouped in clusters of 3 or 4 people max. Instead of fresh ingredients, the kids were provided with frozen items and they were given plastic utensils to cut them, instead of being taught any knife skills or how to cook over an open flame. For a few extra dollars more, your kids could learn essential cooking skills, and fundamental knife handling at Sur La Table - as long as your kids are 7 or older. Customer Service & Logistics: Since it's our first time, we came in at 5:15 to sign any necessary paperwork, sign them in, fill out a name tag, help the kids familiarize where the bathrooms were, etc. Hannah told us to wait outside because she needed more time to set up and that she'd open the doors at 5:30. We're standing around while other people are walking right in. Maybe those kids paid extra for early drop off at 5pm, but it's literally 5:20 already. By 5:30 she still hadn't opened the doors, so we just walked in. I expected her to check my confirmation email or sign in to verify we're present, but she didn't. She didn't even introduce herself or the other cook until I asked. There were 14 kids and 2 teenagers / young adults trying to manage them all. My two older kids said the entire event was "CHAOTIC". Berry smoothies were frozen which I can understand, but the kids didn't even get to work with the blender. When I went to pick them up, I asked if I needed to sign them out, how the event went, but Hannah didn't give me any feedback. Communication: The website AND confirmation email I received said they'd be making FROM SCRATCH "Eggs in A Basket (egg inside a hollowed piece of toast), IHOP cheesecake pancakes, and very berry smoothies". Instead, they made toasted french fries with sprinkled cheese on top. I asked if they peeled fresh potatoes and cut them and my kids said no, they were previously frozen. What happened to the Eggs in A Basket? Fine, you'll substitute but can you at least please pick something where the cooking technique is similar to what they should be learning? I asked about the pancakes and my kid said she accidentally put ham in the pancake batter but Hannah said it was fine to eat. What if I was Jewish or Muslim or any religion that doesn't eat pork? Why wasn't it communicated that would be on the menu? And who serves cheesecake pancakes with ham bits mixed in? Why didn't Hannah just throw it out and start a new batch? Luckily my kids eat pork, but they said their cheesecake pancakes tasted weird. Professionalism: On the drive home my 4-year-old would repeat "What the hell?!" I asked her where she learned it from and she said from Hannah's brother, the other teenager / young adult that facilitated the event. Apparently, Hannah and her brother were play fighting a lot to the point where the kids were learning to chant at them "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" Boys were hitting girls, and there was a young boy with rainbow hair that took off his shoe during the class to hit a girl on the arm with it. He put back on his shoe and continued touching all the utensils without washing his hands. I'm giving Lil Chef 1 star because my kids said they'd want to come back just so they can play "hide and seek" again. That was their favorite part of the class - the free time. This place is NOT a Chef School, it's a babysitting facility. For a few extra dollars more, seriously go to Sur La Table if you want them to actually learn anything cooking-related in a professional environment.

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1 year ago

I hosted my daughter's birthday here. It was so memorable. Am they kept 6 year olds completely engaged and happy. They made pizza.

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7 years ago

Great cooking school for kids. The chef instructors were very nice and informative. They teach the kids step by step instructions.

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7 years ago

Outstanding experience my 9 year old had a blast with all her classmates

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Ask the Community - Lil' Chef School

For the baking classes that say "drop off", can I (the parent) stay? Not to bake just to supervise my child.

Hi Mari, Thank you so much for reaching out. We have a drop off policy so that children get a… Read more

Do you guys offer mother daughter classes?

Hi Juan, Thank you for inquiring about our culinary programs for children. We offer an Adult N Me… Read more

For those who have had parties there, would 4-5-year-olds enjoy a birthday party here or would this be a better venue/event for when they're a bit older? Considering as an option for a 5-year-old's birthday party. Thank you!

My daughter was invited to a birthday party here when she was 4. The little boy who's party it was was turning 5. They had so much fun making and decorating pizza! Two years later, she was invited to another party here and they made the same… Read more

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - Lil' Chef School

. We are so in love with these classes and Chef Piper has such a great vibe and connection with the children

Mentioned in 5 reviews

Read more highlights

Co-Lab Culinary Collective

Co-Lab Culinary Collective

(60 reviews)

$$$

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 am a home cook that wanted to deeper dive into cooking and to learn some new skills. I had a…read moregreat experience in the beginner cooking class at Culinary lab. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The class covered all the bases of what you could learn in a beginners cooking class. From potion, to fish, to veggies, to knifes skills it is a good balance. The pace was not too fast but not too slow. We would learn about a subject, watch the chef cook it and then do it ourselves. I really liked my chef instructor explained things thoroughly but not overly controlling. One of the best parts is you got to take your a recipe sheet home with everything you learned that day and the food that you made, my husband and my kids always loved that. Over all it was a great experience and I will be back for more classes!

Chef Stephanie Chinchilla

Chef Stephanie Chinchilla

(47 reviews)

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.

Lil' Chef School - cookingschools - Updated May 2026

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