Succulent steaks and chocolate class tonight was sooo Fun! Chef Rahm was funny and taught us everything! Yes the class was FULL and we started late due to folks arriving late but we left FULL, Fat and Happy! We met great people and the food was excellent! We have two new side dishes for thanksgiving now! Since we don't drink wine, they said we could go to sprouts to get beer but I knew if we started drinking before we had to learn and cook and eat, we would never make it past 7 pm. We can't wait to go back again! Fun Fun Fun!!! All the employees were helpful and friendly. Best Date Night in a long time! read more

See all

We hosted our daughter's 6th birthday party here because she is so into kids cooking shows right now and she LOVED her party! And I loved it because all I had to bring were a few decorations. Chef Elizabeth and her assistant kept the kids excited and engaged for 2 full hours, everyone left full and happy! read more

Chef Rhama is the best!!! With that being said this was our second time, my wife's' third, at Prep and we will definitely be back again. We took the Fish On class and we not only learned how to prepare the food but what we should be looking for while purchasing it for ourselves. We signed up for another class as we left and we love going here as a nice date night. Of course we can not forget Sung. She is amazing and runs around while helping everyone. read more

Ouch. Some of the reviews for this place are bah-roo-tal. Since I didn't take a cooking class (why bother cooking when food can be delivered to your door?) We went there looking for some odd kitchen utensils, including a round metal mold and a mortar and pestle. Found what we needed, although they were pricey. The employee we dealt with was helpful. No complaints, but we were only there for products. read more

Had a great class and experience at Prep. Everything was as described and we all enjoyed our time learning and cooking. Can't wait to return for another chef and recipe. read more

Awesome establishment! I attended a cooking party here for my best friend's birthday. The food was delicious. The instructors were great! Lisa headed up the class and she and her team were awesome! They were interactive, thorough, and saw to it that we had a great time. Bobby ran the front of the store and provided excellent customer service, not to mention he's an awesome DJ too! Lol! We loved DJ Bobby! Our entire party had a blast. Fond memories and not doubt plenty of referrals. The pictures alone posted on social media sparked several inquiries. So while we'll tell those we know the PREP Kitchen Essentials is awesome, I'm hopeful this public review will spread the word as well. I personally will be back! read more

PREP Cooking Classes - Risotto anyone? - Cooking Classes Near Me - Seal Beach, California

See all

I took 3 cooking classes at this store and it was a great experience. I took the sliders class - at first I thought - OH JEZ sliders how special can you be. But after the classes, I have different view of sliders. I made the sliders at home for the SuperBowl and my boyfriend and friends were in love. Then last Friday my boyfriend and I took the Steak and Chocolate class with chef Martin Gilligan. My boyfriend loves the steak. He also agreed to sponsor me to go to more classes in the future. I am a beginner in cooking. I have no experience whatsoever but coming here, I learned the techniques in kitchen and the knowledge that I can't find anywhere. The class is hand on, great ingredients, great staffs and they are willing to help you as much as they can. read more

Today I took a bread baking class with Chef Martin. The class was completely full. Chef Martin was sweet and really fun. He mAde it a good time. Overall, I had a really fun time! We learned how to make a variety of different types of bread. Unfortunately we each didn't get to make every kind of bread. Class went very fast. And, we didn't necessarily get to take home the bread we made. They did a lottery at the end and we got to pick breads to take home. That was cool though. I got to take home about 6 different breads. Overall, fun! Kinda pricy for what we did and what we took home. I still would take another class there and definitely from Chef Martin. Great store too! Thanks! read more

See all

I've taken quite a few classes here and really enjoyed them all - the atmosphere is always casual and fun and I always learn a lot. The instructors are all great but Chef Elizabeth is my favorite. I took her Learn to Cook series, her herbs/oils/vinegars class, Instant Pot class, and Healthy Eating series. Her recipes are delicious and easy to make at home, and she's really fun to cook with. I've cleaned up my diet with the skills I learned at Prep, and cooking has become a really enjoyable hobby. Thanks, Prep! :) read more

We LOVE chef Elizabeth! We've tried other chefs. Elizabeth is our hands down favorite. Simply amazing doesn't begin to describe an experience in one of her classes. Informative and fun! Thank you we love chef elizabeth! read more

My favorite place to take cooking classes! Chef Elizabeth is the best! She is relaxed and super informative, not pretentious or intimidating no matter what level of a home cook you are. She clearly has a passion for both cooking AND helping others. I have learned a lot from her, including how to relax when entertaining. The information she offers is science based as well which makes the classes exceptionally educational. I would recommend taking a class from Elizabeth - or 5 as we have! Great date night too - or bring your grown kids! read more

The pizza class with Chef Martin was a great time and worth every penny! The class had us making dough from scratch and taught us some basic and advanced culinary skills. Chef Martin came with high energy and explained the "how and why" you do what you do to make an excellent grilled or oven pizza. My wife and I walked away knowing how to make the perfect pizza with the knowledge and inspiration to experiment until the next class we take! The shop located in Rossmoor Shopping Center near the 405 fwy has a nice selection of fine kitchenware to purchase at discounted prices on one side and the other side offers superb Antica olive oil and balsamic vinegars... which are a true gourmet delicacy! Needing a quick gift idea? Nothing makes me happier than making others happy. I needed two gifts in a hurry and Jill walked me through the many tastes of olive oil and balsamic selections... I chose tarragon olive oil and lavender balsamic vinegar for one gift set and roasted almond olive oil and black cherry balsamic for another. Both gifts went over big. Thank you for making my gift selections so easy and wonderful! read more

The two classes I have taken here with Chef Martin Gilligan have been great - I did the Cheese making class last week and really enjoyed it, learned a lot and had goodies to eat and bring home, which I used in several recipes throughout the week. I gave me husband the Steak & Chocolate class as a Christmas gift, it was fun although not a completely hands on workshop like the cheese class. We divided the different dishes between the students and each worked on our own. Chef Gillian is knowledgeable and humorous. I look forward to taking additional classes By the way this is a great "date night" thing to do - I noticed several young couples attending. read more

Went back for another class 2 weeks ago-Parisiaian cooking A great group-and way too much very fattening food. We partied til almost 11, and I bought more stuff. I'd go more often if they had more veggie type classes read more

Class with Chef Rham Fama was outstanding! I am a very good cook (been eating for many, many years) and I learned so much in 2-1/2 hours of hands-on team prep and cooking in the Chef's Red Meat class. I had a Groupon and selected Chef Fama from the schedule: I couldn't have chosen better! He is an enthusiastic teacher and managed the 16 (or so) of us flawlessly. The only drawback is that each team makes a different dish (or three), so you do not experience creating everything that you receive a recipe for. Regardless, I had a wonderful time. I did buy Chef Rama's book that was for sale (10% discount when you buy while attending a class), and I also purchased a Japanese Shun knife that will require a good amount of practice to master (and one 10-pound bag of potatoes to experiment my new techniques with), but since it was purchased during the class, I will get additional one-on-one instruction from Chef Fama when our schedules permit. I guess that this justifies the cost, not to mention that I finally own a knife that tomatoes will not laugh at. Just a note on the store itself: quite pricey ($84 aprons?) but an excellent choice of cooking tools are available. You can also purchase a (small) glass of wine for $5 or a bottle for $9.99 (bottle is a much better deal) for sipping during a class, and assorted beers. It is easy to go a little crazy, especially when you can "play" with the items in the class, so be forewarned. Yes, I do intend to take another class; however, I have only experienced Chef Fama's class and I cannot make any statements regarding any other teacher. read more

I would like to thank you for taking your time and teaching our kids how to cook. It was a wonderful experience for them and they thoroughly enjoyed it. read more

Cannot say enough goo things about thos cooking school. We took our second class with Rham last night. It was so much fun and despite COVID19 precautions I feel like we learned a ton and am ready to try making dim sum at home. We will be back many more times! read more

Best store ever!!! I was apart of the leadership academy as a kid and it impacted my life immensely. I appreciate everything this store has done for me and will definitely be back to buy some more top quality cooking supplies. Thank you to the youth center and thank you to the Prep Kitchen! read more

I have been a customer for a couple years, but my recent experience has convinced me to take my business elsewhere. What made this change? I met the owner. My first clue should've been when I walked into the store to try and resolve an issue, the manager couldn't give me an answer and that I needed to talk to the owner. He warned me that this might be an "f-u-situation"... I didn't realize at the time he was telling me how the store owner treats people. First of all, I don't know why people use that kind of language at all, but especially a business with a paying customer. He used the f word four times before I finally just removeod myself from the building. My correspondence with the owner has been a clear indication that I should take my business elsewhere. She exaggerated her situation greatly as she tried to make her point as to why I was in the wrong. She asked for compromise, and I offered a solution, and she threw it in my face. The products and classes at this store are fine. Nothing negative to say about those. But should you encounter any problem, returns, Groupon issues, etc., you will likely have a negative experience, because this owner "is never wrong". read more

If you are looking for a fantastic cooking class, look no further than Prep in the Shops of Rossmoor center in Seal Beach. There is a class for everyone's tastes. My friend and I took a class last Wednesday from Chef Elizabeth that included roast chicken Provençal, a yummy spinach artichoke pasta gratin, a mixed green salad with fennel, and for dessert-flourless chocolate cakes with salted caramel! Chef Rahm had a class on cast iron cooking. You may never turn on a BBQ grill again. This evening included pan seared salmon with crisp Brussels Sprouts, asparagus with mint Hollandaise, and caramel pecan skillet brownies. The tips I learned will be put to use and I can't wait to make all the dishes from these two experienced chefs. Your evening will fly by with friendly fellow students and a bottle of wine. read more

My Girlfriend and I were running about all day looking for cooking equipment to fill up our apartment. We had many silly questions and a need for everything from measuring cups to a food processor. And to our delight Susan, the larger than life associate, answered all of our medial questions readily and effectively. Cheers to you, PKE! read more

I was so excited to shop here! I love to cook & bake my dream store :) Unfortunately, the older woman working in the store yesterday was horribly RUDE!!! It was mind blowing!!! She had such a bad attitude. I asked her if they carried an item I was looking for, she made this annoyed face, and before I could finish my sentence she said "No! We don't" It's unfortunate for the store owners, because I was ready to shop! They lost money & a customer. I will definitely tell people I know about my experience with this woman. read more

I am not a fan of Prep Kitchen as I took one mediocre cooking class there, and the other class that I signed up for was cancelled and I was not given a full refund for that class. I called the store and got the run around, and finally I had to get a card card dispute for the remaining amount owed to me. Then, the owner of this store e-mailed me that she did refund the remaining amount to my credit card, but actually she did not according to my credit card company. The class that I did take had a substitute chef who complained that she had been up since 4:30 am catering for SpaceX and the class was disorganized. The cooking utensils that you needed were not set out, so you needed to ask for graters etc. One of the students took out a cast iron pan from the oven and dropped the hot pan on the floor nearly hitting other students, and then she said it happened because she had only one oven mit, the rest were in a drawer and not available to her. Then the chef said that students should not put anything in the oven. It was lucky that no one was injured. This class was disappointing so I was not unhappy to have the other class canceled, but it shows a lack of ethics and professionalism on the part of the owner that I have not been given a full refund for the cancellation in more than a month, and there have been several phone calls and e-mails about getting the refund. read more

Great cooking classes. Fun for any age. Heard about Prep from The Youth Center and glad I checked this place. Perfect for anyone who loves to cook and wants to learn how. read more

Just finished the 'Provencal Feast' taught by Chef Elizabeth Whitt. Wow! Just loved it. Had some great tablemates. The hands-on was what I really needed. I've heard others comment on being pushed to buy kitchen utensils while at class. My take: 1. What did you expect? This is a store and that's how they make their living. 2.Look at your kitchen! Does it need a few little upgrades here and there ? I really did appreciate all the suggestions regarding utensils and will be back both for some upgraded utensils and more classes. read more

Customer service is atrocious. The woman who answers the phone is rude and cannot multitask. All I wanted to do was book a cooking class. The woman was extremely short with me, talking very quickly, and let me know I was not her priority at the moment, then put me on hold until I couldn't take it anymore. No one deserves to be treated like that. Advice for Prep Kitchen Essentials: if your employees can't multitask, stop answering the phones during business hours. read more

I absolutely love this place. After retiring in December I decided to finally learn to cook, and this was the place to come, Chef Elizabeth Whitt, has changed my life forever. I have taken several classes and at the same time suggested them to my friends. The day time classes seem to be smaller and more hands on then the larger evening classes, But I still enjoy all of the classes and when I come hoe I have learned something new each time. I have now signed my husband and myself up for the Pro 6 week class with Groupon. Each Chef I have taken a class with have been great. read more

We had a work team building event at PREP back in June. Lisa, the owner, and her staff were absolutely wonderful! Everything was well organized and the food was absolutely delicious! Communication and booking were quick and simple. At first we were a little hesitant since we've used to having sports related team building events but our doubts were quickly dispelled. Our team had a blast! Thank you PREP Kitchen! read more

I've only written a couple reviews in my lifetime, but felt compelled to write one about my experience at Prep Kitchen. I took a Meat and Potatoes class with my girlfriend awhile back (using a Groupon). Chef Rahm Fahm was the instructor and suffice it to say, we really enjoyed the class. The attendance was high (around 15 people) so not everyone got to be hands on with every dish, but we did get to help make a few dishes and learned a lot from the cooking demo. The Chef had a great personality and made the class fun! The meal at the end was fabulous and I have since recreated the meal a few times times....with great success. I liked the first class so much.....that when I saw a Pro Series cooking series offered on Groupon at Prep Kitchen, I jumped at the opportunity. It's a 6 week series and I just completed my 4th class. Just 2 more classes to go. I thought I knew what I was doing in the kitchen before taking this series, but have since realized how little I know about cooking. I have learned so much in just 4 classes......starting with knife cuts on vegetables and fruits, breaking down a raw chicken, trussing a chicken, reducing sauces, baking bread, rolling out fresh pasta, gnocchi, making stocks, using stocks in various dishes, gumbos, making rissotto, various soups, salad dressings, etc. My instructor is Chef Martin and he is extremely talented and really knows what he is talking about when it comes to food. I feel so fortunate to be taking his class. It's worth every penny and my dealings with Lisa (the owner) and her staff have been great. I am having lots of fun with my teammates too. I think there's just a lot of people in this world that are miserable and not happy with anything, no matter how good something is, so read the negative reviews with a grain of salt. I am not saying that all the comments are inaccurate, perhaps there could be some valid complaints, but I think for the most part, this kitchen/store is fantastic and I would recommend anyone interested in cooking or food to take some classes! I can't wait to sign up for another series! Thanks Chef Martin! read more

My daughter and I both have taken cooking classes here and have loved them! She did a week of teen cooking classes last summer and learned a LOT (much to our delight)...and she was very happy to eat the bounty they produced each day! She learned great basic cooking skills that are lifelong. I recently took my own cooking class with a friend, a Dim Sum class. We had a blast! The staff was extremely fun, friendly and professional. The instructor was a complete hoot and we laughed a lot. Lots of hands-on experience and techniques. And of course we enjoyed eating our bounty as well! :) I highly recommend their cooking classes. I'm hoping to take one WITH my daughter soon. read more

One of my favorite kitchen stores and great classes. A must for any serious Foodie or culinary professional.

Terrific cooking classes -- to which I've been to several -- and an excellent selection of All-Clad at very good prices, along with a really friendly staff. Owner Lisa Dohner has made a great store that's unique in the east Long Beach/Los Alamitos area. read more

I've been to PREP several times and each person working there has always been so very friendly and helpful. Just walking around the place, it has a great relaxed feel and the folks who work there seem to enjoy what they do and have a good time doing it. The "new" owner (Sydney) is especially helpful and kind and, indeed, wants to make sure no one has a negative experience at her place. An example to other business owners, she honors gift certificates purchased from the previous owners, and welcomes them to her current cooking classes. So... If you don't already know about this local gem, or you were here in the past and it's been a while, do yourself a favor and stop by their (soon-to-be-updated!) place at The Rossmoor Shops in Seal Beach. Heck, stop by now AND later, so you can see the "before and after." You'll be so happy you did! read more

I adore this place: from corky and fun employees to great products to the "piece de resistance" - the cooking classes. I've had at least 5 classes in the past 2-3 years and each one offers smart tips, a great time, and killer food! Today we made buttery, flaky, chocolaty croissants; next class I'm learning to make fresh cheese! (Try the pie class which is cleverly scheduled the day before Thanksgiving) (PS If it costs too much check groupon for discounts) read more

My grandchildren have attended two weeks of Kids Camp this summer, and they had a blast! I observed the start and finish of several classes and was really impressed at how well-structured and fun they were. All the kids can do is talk about going again next year. They came home with lots of stories about cooking and all the things that they made and all the new friends they had cooked with. We all really enjoyed looking at the pictures on the FB page posted by the enthusasitic and friendly staff. They love talking about the camp to all of their friends and family, what great recipes they made, "like real chefs". Their mother is a chef in Venice and has many famous chef friends, so the children have grown up around an Italian kitchen and many professional kitchens. I was partiucalary impressed that they had such a rich experience, although I would not expect anything less from PREP, as I have had the pleasure of attending classes for adults there. I even like seeing the pictures of other kids working, the recipes look so well thought- out and fun, I wish I could go to camp too! read more

See all

Update! Just got an email from the owner, Lisa, and they have moved to the Rossmoor center. They are NOT closed, just in a better location!! **************************************************************************** This kitchen store in the marketplace is great for finding those things you need like cherry pitters and short bamboo skewers. This is the place that I would spend all of my money at if I were rich. All clad pans, staub enameled cast iron, chilewich place mats, ohhh.... it makes my head spin. This store, in addition to being well-stocked with awesome stuff, is also beautifully presented in a modern and minimalist style, which makes browsing all the more easy for me. Plus, they have cooking classes in the evenings with some awesome chefs (michael recchuiti, for example) and the kitchen is beautiful and big. I am lucky enough to cook there and trust me, it's a delight. The only thing that holds me back from giving it higher ratings is the fact that their prices are a bit high. I don't make tons of money so it's hard for me to justify spending the prices they charge for some stuff. Other things they sell are fairly priced, like skewers and the like. Check it out if your'e over there, or if you need a new spatula. read more

So much fun! This was a birthday present for my husband. He is a great cook, but even he learned a few new tricks!

Decided to check this place out based on the super Yelp reviews, but I should've paid attention that the high reviews were mostly for the classes. Went in and immediately smelled that a class was happening. Unfortunately, it wasn't a scent that was appealing to me, but the ladies in the class looked like they were very involved and having a great time. The woman at the counter was very friendly and offered help but I was just browsing. I picked up the class schedule and was put off by the pricing. $75 for a 2.5 hour class seems a bit much, even when it's hands-on. Selection around the store was lacking, but I was just looking for a ice cream/cookie scoop, so I figured they would have them. They did...for $20 each. Now it was a strong quality, but that's way too much. I asked my mom what she thought and she said she'd take me to Home Goods, which was just a few doors away in the same center. Found two sizes of scoops at HG for $5 each, so I bought 1 of each and still only paid 1/2 of what it would've been for 1 scoop at Prep Kitchen! And the quality wasn't that different. I don't plan to return because the selection really isn't much to speak of; would rather travel out to Sur La Table or shop online. read more

I've always wanted to learn how to cook (in general, how to do it properly, and with the correct tools and techniques). I tried learning from a cookbook, but that just wasn't enough for me. I first learned about this store online after doing a Google search for cooking classes near my hometown (Cerritos). I had a feeling that this place would meet my need for learning how to cook just by reading the plethora of information the store had regarding classes for different types of cooking/specialty cooking. I decided then and there to visit the store in-person and enroll for my first class. My local adult community education school no longer offers any cooking classes, so this was the only alternative and I'm glad it was! The great perk about this place is its location because I'm familiar with the Los Alamitos/Rossmoor/Seal Beach area since my dad works there. The store is small: the front portion of the store has merchandise and the back portion is a kitchen with 3 cooking stations for the cooking classes. The cooking area is clean and there is plenty of tools to use according to what class you are taking. I just took a Sushi Class (my very first class at this store) taught by a master sushi chef who worked at the Kyoto Grand in Downtown LA. I must say I enjoyed the experience of learning how to make various kinds of sushi. Learning "sushi basics" made me appreciate the delicacy and the sushi chefs who spend many years learning how to make it. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. They will greet you and are willing to help you find what you are looking for culinary-wise. The lady at the counter greeted me with a big smile and was very happy to know that I was the last person to enroll in the Sushi Class. Also, it helped that she knew that it would be a good class because the chef who would run that class is an excellent instructor. The lady who works in the Antica Olive Oil section of the store was more than happy for me to let me sample various Extra Virgin Olive Oils (EVOO) and Vinaigrette. I bought bottles of Almond Oil EVOO and Raspberry Vinaigrette after tasting a few samples. I just enrolled in the Learn to Cook (Beginners) Classes (3 Sessions, 1 Session each week) and I am looking forward to learning more cooking techniques! I would definitely recommend taking cooking classes here (especially if you are a beginner and want a "hands-on" approach/guidance to cooking in general) and also checking out/consider purchasing cooking tools here. I bought a lovely yellow apron adorned with dark pink/purple chrysanthemums and I have gotten a lot of compliments for wearing that apron! :-) The classes are be a bit pricey, but the cooking techniques that you will learn will outweigh the "tuition". Plus, you can take home handouts that contain the recipes taught at the classes. read more

Love, Love thier cooking classes! Elizabeth is the best, great teacher and tons of fun. Can't wait to go back!! read more