At home with Chef Laurence Literally. My wife and I---and…read moreanother lovely couple---spent a morning and afternoon in her home, where she treated us to an east-going culinary adventure. In a handful of hours she shared her years of cooking experience in such a cordial, pleasant manner that even a kitchen novice could be comfortable. The more experienced in the kitchen gained tips and skills. (I can now confidently make a Beurre Blanc sauce, one of the French Master Sauces, to which we added a few strands of saffron and a generous dash of cayenne.). Beyond the food---a soft and tender halibut with the aforementioned Beurre Blanc, a fricassee of vegetables, a fresh garden salad with homemade ricotta sprinkled on it, and a blood orange upside-down cake----we dined on the presence and persona of Chef Laurence herself. Not only is she a chef extraordinaire but she is a wonderful person who shares her life as easily as she shares her home. When you sign up for her session, you get a four-course meal that consists of great food, culinary knowledge, exceptional hospitality, and an experience with a pleasant beautiful person who reminds you of the pleasures life has to offer.

We attended Market Foray's cooking class in January, and it was one of the most enjoyable and…read moreeducational experiences I've had in the kitchen. We started with a trip to the farmer's market, where Laurence pointed out different items and talked through the differences in different types of food (green garlic was new to me!). We later met at her home, and the cooking began. She did a good job of rotating the tasks throughout the group, and explaining the techniques as she went. We got to taste as we went, and after all the chopping was done, wine was served. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the other participants were friendly and engaged, making it a fun, social experience as well. And, of course, the best part was sitting down at the end to enjoy the fruits of our labor. The dishes we prepared were full of flavor and creativity, and I walked away feeling incredibly satisfied and inspired to keep cooking. I highly recommend this class to anyone who loves food and wants to expand their culinary horizons. Whether you're looking to learn new techniques, discover fresh ingredients, or just have a fun day out, Market Forays is a fantastic choice.

I'll be the first to admit that cooking classes aren't really my thing, but for a friend, i'm…read morepretty much down for anything... We were working with Chef Gregorio and he was amazing! Super patient and kind especially with a group of 20 girls who were hungover and hangry when we first got here. Our event started at 12pm and went to 3:30pm and we made fresh pasta from scratch! We made the following: 1. Butternut Squash Ravioli 2. Spinach Ricotta Ravioli 3. Fettuccine with a bolognese sauce We got a hands on experience making the pasta dough, kneading it, rolling it out and making both ravioli and fettuccine! Kitchen was beautiful, the lessons were informative with history and common cooking faux pas sprinkled throughout the class, and I can't say enough about the Chef's professionalism and how he was able to capture the attention of our giant group for 3 whole hours. He was so thorough in his explanations and was so encouraging even as some in our group (aka me) had severely limited cooking experience. Last, but most importantly, Chef Gregorio made us the BEST TIRAMISU everrr! It was light, fluffy and reaaallly frickin good. Thanks Chef!

It was the weekend and walking 'round my hood I didn't want to wait a long time for food. CTC had a…read morefew people seated but wasn't so crowded that I would faint from hunger before being served. The concept is quick Italian. With pasta dishes and different main dishes along with sides. They run a deal if you build a full meal and it runs about $15. The staff were nice and I could tell they really wanted to do a good job. The problem really was the food. It lacks fresh flavors and reminded me of an airport restaurant. Everything is clearly pre made, which in itself isn't awful. It just really tasted reheated. Risotto: what was touted as "yellowtail" was canned tuna. Very fishy smelling and even worse tasting. I thought it was a bold special and imagined a seared sliced fish over the risotto. What I got was akin to cat food. I couldn't even choke down a small fork full so I did something I freaking hate doing, I complained to the manager. He did end up taking the dish off of my bill which I appreciate, especially since I honestly found it so awful I couldn't finish a bite. When I gave my reason he did say something troubling. He said the chef uses fish stock in a lot of his dishes which A) should be noted for those who are allergic and B) still doesn't account for the canned fish overwhelming the dish. Hopefully he saw I wasn't being difficult and giving honest feedback. Anyway, I'm happy he did the right thing. Mozzarella sticks were free with yelp check in and average. Roasted potatoes were good but are more like potato wedges and not fingerling are small whole roasted potatoes. Which is fine but unexpected. The tiramisu comes in a cup and tastes mostly of whipped cream. The set up and outside are cute. The staff work hard and really tried to give a great experience. The problem really is the food. It's bland at its best and inedible at its worst. With more restaurants opening in the area soon I would not bet on CTC for the long haul unless they start to put better food on their plates.

Chef Kevin was such an amazing addition to our bachelorette weekend! He did a plated menu for 10…read moregirls at our AirBNB in Malibu. He was extremely personable and we had lot of fun with him. The dishes were amazing, he was flexible with our one vegetarian friend and with the dishes especially not knowing what kind of kitchen the AirBNB would have! Each course was absolutely fantastic with several components and a lot of thought and complexity. The ingredients were quality and we let him have fun with our menu which included jack fruit carnitas (amazing!), stone fruit salad, halibut and amazing chocolate cake for dessert. We loved all of it! We highly recommend Chef Kevin!!

Chef Kevin is an amazing chef. He skillfully and expertly prepared Dinner for 12 people at my home…read more His culinary skills are exceptional. It was a pleasure working with him to decide the menu. He has a so much knowledge in all areas of cooking, with an emphasis on fresh and organic produce and meats and tremendous skill in pairing a custom meal. My guests all enjoyed speaking with him during the dinner. Chef Kevin is jovial, friendly and engaging. I also truly appreciate that after the dinner, the kitchen was cleaned and left in the same condition it was before he arrived. I highly recommended Chef Kevin. I plan to have many dinners and future celebrations prepared by Chef in the future.

The question is what could improve. There is quite a lot…read moreyou can improve from. Communication, you had no communication with your own quest before, during, and after the service and still to this day we get a cold shoulder. Being two hours late to our wedding with no word from you or your staff with any idea where their own chef is with our food for 100 guest. Making the bride cry, on her wedding day because the service "provided." We were hesitant to pay the full amount before hand and was told "this is the new thing now a days," man do we regret our decision and trusting our gut. Told they were in business for 15 years and well did the truth really shine. We had our venue until 10 and the desserts came at 9:45 as the bride and groom were already leaving. Just poor, truly sad and disappointed on what a horrible service was provided with such big hopes and talks from the chef. Do NOT RECOMMEND, you will get a plethora of excuses and lack of transparency and honesty.

Excellent food so far , good delivery, punctual , as ordered, good communication , good variety of…read morefood

A hidden gem in Ventura County. We enjoyed one of their buffet dinners with a nice selection of…read moredishes and deserts. The menus are planned, conceived, prepared and served by students in the Oxnard College Culinary program. Reservations are a must and they are only open on Thursdays during semesters with seating from 5:30-6:30 in 15 minute increments. Prix fixe dinners are $33./person We began with two salads and House made rolls, several small very tasty appetizers followed by a delicious cioppino. There was a very tasty shrimp cocktail/ceviche with avocado. Entrees included grilled shrimp and pineapple, miso mahi mahi and hand carved prime rib. Deserts included madelines dipped in dark chocolate, creme brûlée and mixed berry crepes flambé. There is complimentary sangria and 2 buck chuck, iced tea and coffee. Great food and a great way to support hard working young people.

Enjoyed a lovely lunch. Had a late reservation and one of the entrees was already sold out. The…read morechoices were terrific and delicious. Service was good. Not enough signage and was difficult to locate the building. The ambience was great and the dining room very clean. We will definitely go back!!

I'm not surprised the cafe has closed. They made it soooo very difficult to buy anything.read more

The food is delicious and well-balanced. The dessert menu has plenty of options. Service is…read morefriendly and efficient. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming. I tried the chicken bowl, and it was great!

Saute Academy was such a fun experience. I went for their knife cutting technique class and…read moregenuinely learned a lot. Everything was clean and well organized, and Chef Tony was amazing, knowledgeable, helpful, thorough, and really insightful throughout the class. I cook often at home and across a wide variety of cuisines, so it was honestly a little humbling in the best way to realize how much optimizing your cutting technique can improve your cooking overall. The class felt approachable for beginners while still offering value even if you already cook regularly. I'd love to see this kind of class expanded into multiple stages or levels so people can continue building their skills over time. We'll definitely be back, especially because they offer full cooking classes across a variety of international cuisines. Overall, a really great experience.

SO MUCH FUN!! Thanks to Yelpers for suggesting this place -- we had a cozy group to make a St…read morePatrick's Day meal. The chef and staff were excellent -- helped everyone prepare their dish and provided lots of great hands-on tips as we prepared the meal. The facility is top notch with great equipment, and the ingredients we used were very fresh. You can bring your own beverages and the best part is sharing the meal afterward that everyone came together to prepare, which was delicious! I will definitely be back to learn some new and interesting dishes. I highly recommend this class for all skill levels.

I would hire a chef Steph again. It was my first time to hire a personal chef for a dinner party. I…read morelearned a lot and next time I'll have a few different requests. But overall food was delicious. She was very gracious and professional. She did not clear dinner dishes until everyone was finished. I felt like we had all the Time in the world and we're not rushed . Her chocolate lava cakes were amazing !When dinner was finished, all the dishes were in the dishwasher and the countertops were all wiped down. Everything was taken care .

Steph's the best!! Plain and simple. Her experience as a professional chef and her attentive,…read morehelpful approach are amazing! Great chef!!