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Cook Au Vin
Categories: Restaurants French Education Specialty Schools Cooking Schools French, Cooking Schools [Edit]
2256 N Elston Ave(at Honore St)
Chicago, IL 60614
Neighborhood: Bucktown
(773) 489-3141
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7:30 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
68 reviews for Cook Au Vin
Review Highlights
"and of course cafe au lait."
(in 3 reviews)
"...Class - we made French Onion Soup, Potatoes Dauphinois (sp."
(in 5 reviews)
"...the atmosphere is cozy and our chef, Vincent, was perfect."
(in 8 reviews)
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68 reviews in English
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Review from sandra t.
Chicago, IL
12/14/2011
Here, you get to make the full menu (unlike another place we'd attended, where you are stuck on one station for the whole night. I will never peel the pith off another orange again.)
The champagne menu class was amazing -- the lobster sauce pasta has won over many dinner guests.
And it was FUN! -
Review from David L.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2012
This was a great evening with my girlfriend. We did the the 2-star Vuitton menu. The night was interactive, light-hearted, informative and delicious. Our chef was very knowledgeable and was quite accomplished. He had worked at some top Chicago kitchens and was in the process of opening his own restaurant. He was was patient and a good teacher, w/o pandering to the lowest common denominator with mindless jokes. Was humble and is someone obviously committed to his craft and enjoys feeding people. I'd have a beer with him.
The venue was very unassuming. Located in an industrial corridor along Clyborn, the kitchen/dining room was a surprisingly cozy little combination of professional kitchen utility and country French dining room warmth. Parking was not an issue. Edit Piaf played in the background all night. When we got there we opened one of the bottles of wine we were encouraged to bring and sat down at a large dining room table with seating for 12 and shared some cheese and bread provided by CaV with our classmates. This was a good start.
The menu was scallop baked in a shell with a mornay sauce, rustic hunters baked chicken in a vegetable wine and cream sauce, a vegetable side of carrots, potatoes and turnips, and far bretand or prune pudding. The process of preparing the meal was a bit of a surprise to me. In my head there were individual stand-alone cooking stations for each couple where we would be completely responsible for our own dishes throughout the evening. Instead, the dishes were prepared "family-style" for lack of a better term. Far bretand was first up. The ingredients were all already measured out and the person closest to the induction cooker began mixing ingredients. I watched as this happened and sipped my wine while I processed the truth that this would be a team effort. Next up were eggs and sugar so I grabbed some eggs and started cracking them so that I felt like I was helping. My girlfriend did the same. It felt like a bit of hand holding was going on. But I was ok with this as soon as I decided that this was going to be fun first and foremost and educational secondly. I endeavored on a wine buzz determined to stir a pot here and there. Next was the prep of the scallop, the prep of the vegetables and finally the prep of the chicken. After it was all done, we all sat down at the table, and the chef brought out our food a course at a time. We dined family style. The food was delicious. The conversation had its' moments, but was unfortunately dominated by "that guy" who showed up buzzed and proceeded to drunkenly tell us about how all he wanted to do was shop on his most recent trip to Rome. I'm pretty sure the eye rolls were obvious, but he didn't care. I think his boyfriend is going to break up with him after the performance though.
Anyway, the food is delicious. The atmosphere is light and fun. The company is hit or miss. But my girlfriend and I had a great time together. Just get a spot in the middle of the cooking table if you want to be part of the action. -
Review from Nathaniel W.
Chicago, IL
1/17/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
I am basing this review off of Dior menu with Chef Scott.
Overall, the glass is a lot of fun for anyone no matter what your culinary experience is. If you are a novice, then that's fine, you will learn a lot. If you're an experience cook, then this may produce some knowledge you haven't been exposed to before, but in the least it will still be fun no matter what.
Things to note: Bring 3 bottles of wine; two is too little and four makes you look like an alcoholic. Also, DON'T DRIVE! You're going to be sporting a pretty heavy buzz and drinking and driving is just very stupid. The cabs are VERY accessible on the corner down the street.
We started off the night be opening our first bottle of wine while we ate some VERY tasty cheeses and bread and cured meats. It was a good change for everyone to get to know each other and get settled in with a glass or two.
We started off by making our desert first, basically a French version of an upside down apple pie; a tarte tatine, however I digress at that description. Scott was very informative on how to handle the dish and how to prevent common errors.
We then moved to making a Flamekuche (think of a personal pizza) with bacon, creme fresh, herbs de provence and parmesean cheese.
Ratatoullie was next.Simple and very easy to make for the most part.
The muscles marinieres was pretty damn good. Granted I don't even like seafood that much but for some reason I felt to take this class because of that dish. Turned out very good. -
Review from Kerry S.
12/18/2011
My husband and I took the Champagne and Truffles class. We were given a Groupon as a gift. My husband's work is tricky for scheduling stuff like classes, but they were BEYOND accommodating, which was really nice.
Our class was on a Saturday from 3:00-7:00. We started late because a few people were late, but that's ok because when you arrive, you open your wine and they have a long, beautiful table set with amazing bread they bake in-house, cheeses, great butter, nuts, cornichons, etc...We spent that time getting to know some of the other couples.
Once everyone had arrived, we jumped right into the cooking. Our instructor was Scott, who was funny and knowledgeable, and also very casual, which played well with our crowd. We made vegetable soup with truffles and puff pastry, shrimp in a lobster veloute with homemade linguine and molten chocolate cakes. This class compared with others we've taken was much more focused on cooking and didn't dumb anything down. Also he wasn't trying to sell us anything - I know, shocking! We did a bunch of chopping, separated eggs, mixed some stuff, made pasta dough by hand and drank A LOT.
We sat down to eat as a group. The soup was good, but let's face it, it was vegetable soup with puff pastry on top. When you broke through the flaky pastry, you got a whiff of truffle. Kinda nice. The pasta was yummy, the shrimp were perfectly cooked (though Scott cooked those while we were eating soup.) The veloute was finished with champagne. We're still trying to figure out how homemade pasta is French, but it was good none the less. The cakes were a bit dry. The melty ganache inside was nice and gooey though.
Our group is really what made this a great time. We all laughed and gabbed like we'd known each other for ages. Scott was a great instructor. We are pretty experienced home cooks, so for us nothing was "new." We make homemade pasta all the time, and that seemed to be the star of the show. So I think if you have some knowledge of cooking, this could be a really great experience. Two things stood out as troublesome: in the confirmation email they send, they recommend bringing 2-3 bottles of wine per couple, as the class is four hours and sometimes runs long. They say it's better to have too much than not enough. While this is true, and we did bring two bottles, there is no public transportation to speak of, and you're definitely driving home impaired. Quite honestly I'm not sure how cops aren't scouting this place out. The second concern is the cost. Our night out was a gift, and it's my understanding that the Groupon was $150 (the original cost being $300.) If we had paid for this, it would have been a different experience entirely. If you haven't chopped shallots before, if you have a lot of money and if you plan ahead and take a cab, this is a great night out.
PS Wear a very warm sweater. Even with the ovens on and all the chopping and booze, it's ice cold freezing in there. -
Review from Jessica O.
Glenview, IL
12/15/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Ok.
First let me state that I cook a lot. So, I might come off as a complete and utter snob. If you are a beginner, by all means please take these classes you will enjoy.
I took the class with my step-mom who is also a cooking fiend and therefore is no stranger to the kitchen. We were there with three other couples, and made a complete menu.
We started off with wine and cheese and bread. Which was a good thing, as we weren't done cooking until about 11:15. But then again I don't think we should have had about 45 minutes to sit around and eat cheese as they prepped in the kitchen. I would have prepped ahead of time, and gotten out of there earlier on a weeknight.
The food was good. The scallops that we made were genuinely amazing and that was a dish that I learned on the spot. The chicken smelled ok, but I don't eat chicken and I was told by fellow classmates that it was under=seasoned.
The chef was helpful, however most of the knowledge that was being passed on was not very high level stuff. Again, if I were a beginner I would have enjoyed this class a whole lot more.
Overall a-ok. A good gift for people who are still learning their way around a kitchen. But plan for a late evening. -
Review from Amanda G.
11/20/2011
Over the Summer, Nick and I took the leap and participated in a cooking class. Since I consider popping a frozen dinner into the microwave cooking, I was slightly nervous to say the least. As soon as we arrived, my anxiousness began to subside because the space is so inviting and quaint. Also, the class is BYOB, so I am sure the few sips of my red wine helped a bit too!
As the class started, there were about five pairs and the instructor. The instructor was very informative and patient with the students. He was quite funny too. We had the opportunity to stir, whisk, chop, slice, etc...(the correct ways) in the course of the three-hour class. At the end, we made a three-course vegetarian meal that was to die for! Double YUMMY!! After we finished cooking as a team, we all sat at this French country style dining room table and enjoyed the rest of our cocktails and meal by candlelight.
There was a feeling of accomplishment and achievement as we left that warm and stormy evening. Can I cook any of those items again? Not me...but I loved every minute of the experience and would love to embark on that journey again! -
Review from Amanda R.
Chicago, IL
1/16/2012
This class is amazing! I took the champagne and truffles class w a few friends and from the beginning bread and cheese snacks to the final bites of our made-from-scratch chocolate lava cake, everything was well executed and delicious. Scott our chef was incredible - a laid-back instructor that gives easy-to-follow instructions to make fancy complex-sounding dishes. I learned so much about everything from vegetable-cutting techniques to ingredient chemistry.
The kitchen area was had just been remodeled and the space was warm and inviting. We brought a few bottles of wine to complement the cooking process/dinner and had a nice little buzz when we sat down to our meal. There were ten people in our class, big enough to have a fun group and small enough to provide an intimate experience. I can't wait for recipes to be emailed out because I'm so excited to recreate it at home!
I would absolutely do this again and am looking forward to trying out the other menus! Scott is a fabulous chef to learn from and I highly recommend the entire experience from start to finish. -
Review from Nick M.
9/1/2011
So not to diminish my 700th but my real 700th is this... Seems like every 100th I'm talking about my hobbies, the things that bring me joy, my passions in life, things that wet my whistle, and this one will be no exception. So without further adieu, I give you... COOKING!!! I dig it! Cooking for me is like a combination of things, an expression of who you are, it can be a form of art, it has the precision of dance, and it has the thought and preparation of a play.
As like most hobbies natural talent will only take you so far, this is where Cook Au Vin comes in. Just a little sample of French cuisine and how to prepare it. Though, if you have few amateur chefs in the group and or are smart enough, you will ask a lot of questions beyond French cooking.
I'll be honest, I came in here with a Groupon and expecting one of those watch them prepare the meal, then eat it kind of deals. But at Cook Au Vin, you're all hands in. Chef Scott is hilarious and yet professional. He was fearless with letting us all handle knives and made it a point to have every one involved and everyone getting their hands dirty. He was playful yet descriptive when explaining the do's and don'ts of French/ cooking overall. I can't even begin to explain how much fun was had by all and then we got to eat. We went with the French Riviera Menu which was vegetarian.
Starter - Vichyssoise Classic: French-American soup made of leeks and potatoes with crème fraîche. We actually made this two ways, cold and hot (a real Vichyssoise is cold).
Entrée - Napolenta: Polenta-based Napoleon with layered of roasted vegetables and topped with a fluffy tomato and basil emulsion.
Side - Tomates Provençales: Roasted tomato halves topped with garlic and herbes Provence.
Dessert - Tarte Tatin: Upside-down caramelized apple tart.
The class is three hours and they encourage you to bring some wine or whatever you want. Before the class even begins they set out a cheese and bread platter. The cheese was great and the bread is actually made fresh from their bakery of which they also have a bread making class. I'll admit the classes are a little pricy but you do get a lot out of the class. You leave stuffed, a head full of cooking, also they email you the recipes the next day, and a big smile on your face from having a good time.Listed in: I bored take me to......
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Review from Falon G.
Chicago, IL
10/17/2011
Bread making class.
What a disaster. When I arrived to the school, I was 20 minutes early for my 7:00 pm class. The door at the front was locked, so I flagged down the person mopping inside, who instructed me to go to another door. I apologized profusely for being early, since the man was acting so put off about it. He pointed out that I was early about 7 times before offering me a place to wait. I felt very unwelcome.
The class was...well....strange. I love to cook and was really hoping to learn how to make bread at home, but took with me absolutely nothing I could use. The instructor seemed uncomfortable, was awkward and unorganized. The first part of the class was mixing ingredients listed on our recipe page (HUGE, unusable portions--5 kg flour, 6 liters water, etc). This consisted of "ok, now who would like to add the flour to the mixer?" and we took turns, standing around drinking wine and talking in between. I tried to pick up tidbits I could do at home, mostly asking questions, since the instructor offered nothing up willingly. I asked if I do this at home with a dough hook on my mixer and he said "Yes, but it doesn't work very well in a small mixer." So, I asked about hand-kneading. He smirked. "You would have to knead for 40 minutes!" So much for trying...
After about 90 minutes of this, the 3 types of bread had been mixed and given time to rise. We all pitched in and shaped the bread, which was fun. Around this time, the guy that criticized me for being early came into the class. I shall call him "the Frenchman." He showed some people how to roll the dough, then caught me over by the sink rinsing my hands.
He said "oh, you are the girl that was early."
Uh, yes.
"Did you come by yourself?"
Yes.
"Well, most people come here as a couple--it's a very couply thing to do."
Ummm....what do you say to that? And what business is it of his?
Once the bread was shaped and ready to be put in the oven, the Frenchman scored the top of a loaf and offered me a try. I swiped the knife across the bread and he said "NO! That is wrong! You are cutting at the wrong angle!" Ok, so I tried his angle. "Now, look at the way the bread puckered! You are going too slow!" Jeez! After practically being yelled at, I figured I should give back the knife and step away.
By this time, it's around 10:00 pm, we have all consumed copious amounts of alcohol (mostly out of boredom), and have eaten NO bread or food of any kind. I am starving and spot a large chuck of cheese on a side table. Of course I went for it and cut myself off a piece. No sooner did the Frenchman come over and slap my hand! He slapped my hand like I was 5 years old and took the cheese away.
I didn't get out of there until 11:30. They didn't bring out a cheese plate to enjoy the bread until 11:00 pm. From 7:00 to 11:00, the only activities anyone participated in were adding an ingredient, rolling dough, loading the oven, and getting yelled at. Every other excruciating minute was spent standing around and drinking, like a bar. Oh, and did I mention this room was 80 degrees the whole time? -
Review from S. E.
Chicago, IL
8/9/2011
What a great way to spend an afternoon/evening. My husband signed us up for a class, and we made the Cordon Bleu menu: Quiche Lorraine, Salad, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Ratatouille, and Creme Brulee. Our chef was Scott, and he was a very fun, relaxed, friendly and informative leader. He explained the steps for each menu item and gave us helpful hints that would be useful in any kitchen. The meal was wonderful; my favorite was the Quiche. Hubby and I have been to other cooking lessons around town, including Flavour in Forest Park and Cooking Fools... All of these were enjoyable, but our experience at Cook Au Vin was hands down, the best. The small class size was a great advantage (there were 4 couples total), and the wine you are encouraged to bring helped loosen everyone up. In all, a fantastic afternoon, and one we would repeat!
Thanks, Scott and Cook Au Vin! -
Review from T L.
Chicago, IL
10/6/2011
Fantastic reviews here so we tried the french bread making class which was much below expectation
1- Timing: the class ran up to about 10:50pm which was way overtime and we were all starving at the end of it. Some students left before the baking started.
2- The chef did not speak English well which made the process much longer.
3- The ingredients sheet was passed out which had multiple errors and no recipe so it took pretty long to figure out what we were doing.
The experience was at best mildly amusing and not worth the money.
But we met some nice people and the bread turned out great :) -
Review from Bindi D.
Boston, MA
4/26/2011
Love love love this place! The food that we prepared was wonderful! The preparation tricks that I learned will go with me for a lifetime.
Scott was incredible. He was very helpful and made class fun! The people that were in the class were also very cool! We made some great friends!
I look forward to taking more classes here!
If you have not been, GO GO GO NOW! -
Review from chris g.
Chicago, IL
3/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Above my expatiation's is how i would start this review. I guess I wasn't sure what to expect since I had no part in the planning or booking a reservation here. But what I got was a good wine buzz from the BYO, some cooking knowledge, a fantastic meal and an all around good time.
Our chef / instructor (Scott) kept the class / dinner informative but fun. He had a good personality and is great at his job.
We went with a few other couples and joined two other couples there. The other couples were cool which always helps to the enjoyment of a group table dinner.
I would recommend this place to any of my friends. -
Review from Victoria L.
Chicago, IL
5/10/2011
We had Paris menu from Groupon.
The food was delicious and it's pretty cool to cook all the food yourself. But the session was too long for me. We started at 7pm and didn't leave until 11:30pm. I wish the session could be shorter.
We made French Onion soup--it took 2 hours to caramelize the onion alone.
Great place to learn how to cook French food---the chef made it really simple. -
Review from Maren B.
8/25/2011
I saw a Living Social deal for the classes here and thought it would be a great date idea, and I was right! Unfortunately my date couldn't make it but I brought a substitute and we had a wonderful time.
The classes teach you more than just how to make the dishes on the menu, they teach you some awesome cooking techniques. For instance, I learned that I had absolutely no idea how to hold a knife or cut anything. Our instructor also taught us a really cool way to quickly dice an onion which I will definitely be using since I literally stream tears when I cut up those juiceballs from hell.
The instructor did most of the "hard" stuff and made sure that everything came out the way it was supposed to, but it was still hands-on in a fun way. Everyone kind of cooks as a group and we all took turns doing different things.
After you finish cooking everything it's time to eat! Dinner is family style, which might not be your thing with a small group of strangers... but after a few bottles of wine during the course, you'll all be best friends. After all, everyone else is there for the same thing as you so it really doesn't matter if you're all from completely different worlds.
And remember, it's BYOB so make sure you bring a couple bottles. The cooking class is about 3 hours long so you're going to need them!
Also, if you are a cheese or bread lover, they gave us an awesome cheese plate and delicious bread before the class started, and you can snack on that throughout the class. In fact, I'm pretty sure I finished most of the cheese myself.
Try it out - even if you're not into cooking or being in a kitchen at all. It's a really fun experience! -
Review from Brad H.
Chicago, IL
2/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Putting the "Vin" in Cook Au Vin:
If you're already a gourmet chef and looking to learn a few new French cooking techniques, this probably is not the class for you. If you're more of a novice, and want to have a change-of-pace night out with your sweetie and meet a few like-minded others, then Bon Appétit! We really enjoyed ourselves here, and although my epicurean wife didn't learn much from the cooking instruction, I found the class to be quite educational, not to mention fun. I enjoyed preparing the French onion soup and wielding an uber-sharp knife to slice potatoes and onions, but the highlight of the night was brandishing a torch to caramelize the sugar on the crème brûlée. My inner-9-year-old-pyromaniac greatly relished in the opportunity to mix flames with food. Fire! Fire!
Be sure to bring at least one bottle of wine per person to this BYOB event, as the class runs at a nice, leisurely pace. You can always take a leftover bottle back home! Everyone in our class brought red wine, but they do provide an enormous ice bucket for those of you who prefer your Pinot Grigios and such. Good beer would probably be fine too while hard at work in the kitchen. I find myself craving a Sierra Nevada whenever I'm standing close to seared meats and sauteed onions while wearing an apron, but perhaps I'm in the minority on that one.
Chef Scott was informative and a lot of fun. The food was probably 3 stars at best (let's be realistic here...all of us amateurs had a hand in making this), but Scott made the class so enjoyable that I'm kicking it up to 4 for the experience. Returned home with a pleasant wine buzz and clothes that reeked of scorched olive oil and kitchen smoke. It was bliss!
Also, the baguette bread served with dinner was delicious. They prepare the bread here on site, but sell it out of the La Boulangerie Bakery and Café located at 2569 N Milwaukee Ave (Milwaukee/Logan Blvd). Good stuff! Have to go check it out next time I'm in the Logan Square neighborhood.
PS- taxicabs are a little sparse on this area of Elston, so be prepared to call a cab after dinner. Not to worry...they arrived quickly. -
Review from Karen A.
Chicago, IL
10/16/2010
We took a private cooking class here with another couple and it was a fantastic night. Chef Vincent was kind and generous and patient and provided his with delectable ingredients and superb instruction so we could create a wonderful French meal.
We brought our own wine (they recommended 2 bottles per couple) and so......let the games begin. We sat at a comfortable country dinner table near the prep table and were served a fantastic spread of cheese, meats, pate,fresh baked baguettes, french butter, oh yes, and did I mention wine?
It was comfortable and warmed us up for the cooking tasks that lay ahead. We selected 3 dishes and a dessert from the menu a head of time, and it was a difficult decision. I am sure that anything we would have selected from the menus would have been marvelous.
We prepared the dishes together at the prep table and it was fun and relaxed. This was not a 'hardcore' cooking class- this was a great night out with friends cooking together under the sweet guidance of Chef Vincent Guillaume.
We enjoyed sitting down and savoring the fruits of our collective labor; it was a night we all enjoyed thoroughly. There is no doubt that we will be back for another wonderful experience at Cook Au Vin as well as make the trip to the chef's bakery in Logan Square, La Boulangerie for some baugettes and other delectables....Listed in: More Better Life
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Review from Joe H.
Chicago, IL
3/15/2011
I went to Cook Au Vin with a groupon and it was great! The instructor was very informative and funny. He didn't just cook and show us how, he had us doing the cooking and was giving us some of the science behind what was going on. I'm more into the science side of things and my GF just likes to cook, so I don't know if we just lucked out, but it was great that he was teaching us both. The food we made was great and now that we have the recipe we are planning on making it next time some family comes into town.
Learning how to cook great food, then eating that great food, all while drinking BYOB.. it was awesome. We are planning on coming back for another lesson in the future. -
Review from Julia C.
10/27/2010
I got the groupon for the cooking class for my birthday and was absolutely psyched to learn french cooking techniques!
The date my bf and I went was definitely the first vegetarian menu. Chef Vincent was really cool about altering dishes slightly, and adding a bit of bacon for a 2 guys who were only there because their girlfriends were veggie. :)
I'm not a great cook by any stretch- the only thing I have in common with Julia Child is the first name/last initial combo... I learned a few new things about techniques and how to properly cut veggies. I also learned how LONG it takes to make vichyssoise. We had plenty of time to enjoy 2 bottles of wine... I usually don't have the patience to make so many courses, but chef kept it interesting and explained so many things about the dishes we were making.
I think we were defintiely one of the youngest and rowdiest groups for groupon dates so far- we got ridiculously into it. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present! -
Review from Dan E.
Chicago, IL
9/13/2011
What a great place to go for an evening out away from the kids.
Definitely put this on your short list. -
Review from Brook E.
Chicago, IL
12/21/2010
My girlfriend and I did the "Bubbles and Truffles" groupon class. We were impressed with the organization of the course, what we learned, and the overall knowledge of the instructor.
Some great things we learned included how to make our own pasta, strategies for de-glazing, chocolate cakes, and what a real truffle looks and tastes like! It was a super fun and informative evening, finishing with a delicious meal with the instructor and other students. Some fellow students got a little tipsy and funnier towards the end of the evening, but that just added to the entertainment! The whole experience was worth the money (even if we hadn't had the Groupon), and I would definitely do it again. -
Review from Ryan B.
Chicago, IL
11/6/2011
Had a fun time because of friends and wine...the classes are extremely basic. If you are really uncomfortable in the kitchen then this would be a good place to start. Otherwise I recommend looking somewhere else.
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Review from FAbienne L.
La Grange, IL
8/19/2011
This was so much fun...Last week with a group of friends we went for the second time and I would strongly recommend it. The food is great, the atmosphere is cozy and our chef, Vincent, was perfect. This is a perfect girls night out
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Review from Vince A.
4/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here on a cooking class groupon purchased over the holidays. I had high expectations based on the menu but was blown away by the staff and the excellent meal. Scott was the primary instructor and made things easy enough that a newbie chef could handle them or challenge a more experienced chef. We did a salmon in buerre blanc with a fresh pasta, chocolate souffle and a cheese based appetizer. All of the courses were great. It's BYOB so you can have a nice buzz going in a late class. You will be with a large group but in our class, it was 5 couples all in their 30's which made the atmosphere light and fun. If you can bring a friend couple, I would say do it. The place from the outside is easy to miss. It's very un-assuming. Parking is prevalent along Elston Avenue (and free).
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Review from erin k.
Chicago, IL
8/8/2011
Gainsburg Menu (Fish)
First, chef Cecil is awesome, that man has some serious skills in the kitchen (he also works at the Purple Pig). Second, this whole cooking class with strangers is amazing people watching/interacting adventures.
We began by making a chocolate souffle, then made the side: califlower gratin and appetizer: Salad Lyonsaiesomething then the main dish rolled tilapia with veg.
Chef Cecil made everything approachable for the unlearned cook. Heck I always wanted to learn how to poach an egg and Chef Cecil made the process effortless!!! his explanations of how things are done and the myths behind why some things are supposed to be done a certain way-but usually aren't, was really entertaining.
My only concern is that had I not used a LivingSocial the class would have been too expensive for me to participate, I wish the price for other courses at Cook Au Vin was brought down just a bit to make it more accessible for the poor people who would love cooking with flair. Maybe have a discount 'random parts of the animal' night? Just a thought:)
I wish I had the money to do a course regularly, the techniques are awesome!!! -
Review from ayca g.
Chicago, IL
5/20/2011
I have tried a couple different places and enjoyed them very much also, but this was the most FUN i've ever had while taking a class. Chef Scott is just a standup guy, period. He doesn't BS at all, he enjoys teaching and interacting with the group, and he makes some mean polenta (oops, I mean grits). We took the class with a few other friends as well as some randoms, and all had a blast. It was a vegetarian class, and while myself and my husband are both meat eaters, we found the end result tasty tasty tasty! If I still lived in Chicago, I'd go back for more classes. Hey, you should go in my place!
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Review from Tara V.
Chicago, IL
9/15/2009
This was an amazing find for the best sandwiches and bread. If you haven't stumbled upon this little lunch gem you will want to make it a point to go soon!
The food is beyond good... it is filled with flavor and is very fresh. We ordered the buckwheat crepe style sandwiches and they make the crepe just for you on this little old-fashioned looking crepe machine- so charming! They make their bread fresh daily.
The atmosphere is very charming too. It is small and there are only about 3 tables. But it was a late lunch for us so we were able to get a table. Simple decor as one would expect and adds to the "hidden gem" charm. The ladies that were working there are very sweet and helpful.
We will definitely be back. Actually, just writing this review has me thinking that I may need to make a stop for a croissant on my way to work tomorrow... -
Review from Sarah J.
Chicago, IL
6/7/2011
My boyfriend and I had a groupon for a couples class. We did the Paris Menu with Cecil a few weeks ago and had a fantastic time. We made some fantastic food and learned a lot of good, useful tricks along the way. I would highly recommend taking class from Cecil (he also is a chef at the Purple Pig...enough said). I can't wait to schedule our next class together!!
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Review from Ria C.
Chicago, IL
11/13/2009
I loved this place! The reason I am not giving it Five Stars is because we weren't provided the proper attire that is advertised online-apron instead of the chef's coat and burger king hat instead of the fluffy white chef's hat. The venue isn't anything spectacular, but has a very rustic Parisian feel. Also, if our dinner could have been done in 2-3 hours versus 5-6 this may have made my Friday and hangover less miserable.
When the bubby and I walked in, we were greeted with candlelight and the tunes of Nina Simone, Madeline Peyroux, and Edit Piaf, to name a few. Chef Vincent then brought out 3 types of fresh baked bread, fresh churned butter, duck mousse, country pate, french pickles, shaved parmesan, and cherry tomatoes. It took all of my willpower not to go to town on the bread. The best part is that later in the night Vincent was discussing how he wants to start a breadfix service similar to netflix, to deliver freshly baked french bread at home. I have never had bread as good as this-ooeeey gooooeeey inside and heartily crusted on the outside, I would definitely subscribe to this service.
A bottle and a half of wine goes by and we haven't yet started cooking, so we're all feeling pretty good. We then make our way into the kitchen and start arming ourselves with the proper utensils to start making our meal: Escargot, Sea Bass, Duck Fat Potatoes, and Il Flotante.
Il Flotante-We started off making this since it had to cool for a while. My "islands" of meringue apparently were awful since I accidentally let the milk and sugar heat too quickly so it became chunky---a big no no for the presentation of the dessert. Quite tasty though and a very informative demonstration. I'm not a huge dessert person and don't have much experience with sweets and pastries so I found this very helpful.
Escargot-We kind of forgot about the escargot so we had to do this twice since the little snails were burnt to mini coals. The bubby's arms were kind of tired softening the butter, but these were buttery and garlicky the second time around and I was really turned on watching him beat that butter to death. Anyways...I digress...
Duck Fat Potatoes-MMM...this was sooooo good. Golden russet potatoes cooked to a light crisp with duck fat, garlic, and parsley. This is O M G and the preparation seemed easily repeatable.
Sea Bass: We first started by charring red and orange piquillo peppers, chopped them, and added diced tomatoes and parsley and heated the mixture. We then deglaced the pan with a light wine and in parallel cooked the fish. Vincent then added Spanish chorizo and mussels for some added spice and variety.
All in all, this was a great meal and I am confident I can repeat each course at home-a very important quality to look for in cooking classes. Cook Au Vin is intimate and a good substitute for the group classes at the Chopping Block and Sur la Table-you're the only ones in the kitchen. While I did enjoy classes at the more corporate locations, I didn't necessarily like eating with strangers and sharing food. Cook Au Vin was so romantic-Oui Oui je t'aime... -
Review from Dan T.
Chicago, IL
9/14/2008
Stumbled upon this little jewel by accident. When entering you feel you stepped into a boulangerie in France.
The croissants are marvelous, same crunchiness and fluffiness you get in France, the selection of cheese is small but exquisite, the baguettes fresh and the ostrich pate delicious. -
Review from Jules D.
Chicago, IL
5/6/2008
This is the real deal. Walked in today and thought I'd entered a Paris cheese shop (I think that's a good thing). The sandwiches are prepared to order and exactly like those we get over there, down to the best baguette I've had outside of Paris and the right ratio of bread to fresh and delicious ingredients.
They've got the crepe wheels heated and ready and if we could have eaten there today, we would have ordered the ham, cheese and egg galette. I can't wait to go back for one of those and a croissant and a cooking lesson. The staff was warm and welcoming (even offering us tastes of perfect pate with cornichon). -
Review from Leslie H.
Chicago, IL
5/20/2011
I absolutely LOVE Cook Au Vin. Chef Scott is amazing. He keeps a great pace, is funny, and is a great teacher. The food that you cook is so delicious and then you get the recipes afterwards. I can't wait to go back try a different menu.
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Review from Brad B.
Updated - 2/9/2009
I forgot to mention in my review, that Cook au vin also does traditional boulangerie stuff and while we didn't get to sample the pastry side, the baguette showed me (having lived in Paris for two years, I know of what I speak) that they know what the heck they're up to.
Try it.
First batch comes out around 10AM, according to Chef.Listed in: French Around America
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/8/2009
The girl bought me a cooking class from chef Vincent for Christmas. It took us a while to sort out… Read more »
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Review from Cristina L.
Chicago, IL
5/31/2010
I took a couples class with Amanda as our chef and it was an amazing experience! The place was small but had a great ambiance. When we arrived, we were greeted with fresh (literally fresh from the bread oven) bread, cheese, and assorted meats. Once we ate those, Amanda was done setting up and we began cooking our four courses.
Amanda was knowledgeable, interesting, and helpful. We were a little intimidated by the menu that we had chosen, but once we started, we realized that it was almost easy with Amanda's guidance.
After lots of wine and a few hours, we were finished cooking. We sat down and were served our delicious home made meal! It was unbelievable; we were so proud that we had made this feast.
This is highly recommended as a date night, anniversary present, or even a different thing to do with friends. It is not overwhelming at all and you will be so excited with the results. I will definitely be doing this again, just with a different menu! -
Review from Andrea N.
Palatine, IL
5/27/2009
This is it! I don't understand why anyone would give this place less than 5 stars. I almost want to edit all my previous reviews for lunch/sandwich places.
After Sweet Thang closed, I thought I'd never see another amazing croissant again. This place beats Sweet Thang with their broad selection of French sandwiches and fresh baguettes to go...and of course cafe au lait. The "saucisson sandwich" tastes exactly like the ones I had in Nice. Cook Au Vin mainly caters and offers cooking classes, so don't be too picky if you want to sit down in their small cafe area or if you think service is slow (I thought it was fine). It's not Subway!
Okay, maybe the only downside for ME is the store hours and location. I live in the suburbs but work in North side of Chicago...so making it here before 6PM during the week will be a challenge. -
Review from Alicia J.
Chicago, IL
5/13/2011
This was an amazing experience. My fiancé and I bought a groupon for the champagne and truffles class. Chef Scott was hilarious and hospitable. He invited us into his kitchen, taught us the basics and made us laugh the entire time. We cooked, we ate, we danced...couldn't have asked for more:) We thoroughly enjoyed our time spent here and will return with friends!
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Review from Char Y.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 10/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
We came here for the cooking class purchased through groupon, and I felt that it was organized and informational. We made coq au vin, creme brulee, potato gratin, and they were all very good.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/29/2009
We walked in on a Tuesday morning when the place was dead. Our server/cook was brand new, it was… Read more »
Comment from Vincent C. of Cook Au Vin 11/30/2009
Dear Charlene, Thank you for stopping into our store over… More » -
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Review from rachel m.
Chicago, IL
3/24/2011 5 photos
went for our first time last weekend.
it was awesome.
fabulous chef, scott.
great bordeaux menu.
lovely people.
left wanting to go back for more.
enough said. -
Review from Cera S.
Chicago, IL
7/24/2009
The best sandwiches in town -for real ..I can have them for brekfast lunch and dinner ...also the Crapes are delicious - I go to the Logan Market every Sunday just so I can have crapes... My kids love the croissants .Also the catering by Cook au vine is phenomenal.
We have them at The Stan Mansion mostly for weddings - Vincent is a very interactive chef -we love him - he also offers cooking classes at his location -
Review from allison k.
Chicago, IL
9/18/2011
Had a great time at the cooking class. Such a different and fun date idea. The others there were also a lot of fun - huge age range! I've been making the pasta a lot recently - very easy :)
