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The Chopping Block
Rating Details »
Categories: Cooking Schools, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, River North222 Merchandise Mart Plz
(between Lower Orleans St & Orleans St)
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 644-6360
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- Nearest Transit:
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Merchandise Mart (Purple Express, Brown)
Clark/Lake (Pink, Brown, Green, Blue, Purple Express, Orange)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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"woweeee, delicious!!! try the german riesling!!! it goes great with the spicy food... they start you off with free naan & this delicious…" read more »
35 reviews for The Chopping Block
I will admit I am a little sad because I loved the original Block that was on Webster, down the street from my first apartment in Chicago. But people change, they move, life goes on. End of rant.
Cooking classes, lemon zesters, apple corers, wine openers, juicers, nutcrackers, pizza cutters, spatulas, aprons, toques, tongs, kitchen shears, honing stones, butcher knives, cookbooks, corn cob holders, peanut butter, olive oil, EVOO, spices, bamboo cutting boards, cheesecloth, plaques, salt and pepper shakers, oil drizzlers, balsamic vinegar, steak knife sets, chopping blocks, plates, place mats, trivets, cloves, bread makers, food processors, serving trays, baking stones, citrus juicers, pouring spouts, fine wines of the world, gift sets, cheese spreaders, wine glass charms, decanters, diffusers, fish knives, sugar caddies, coffee cups, coffee grinders, espresso sets, cocoa, frothing vessels, cinnamon sticks, baskets, bottle toppers, roasting pans, sturdy skillets, colanders, pasta forks, veggie steamers, dessert ware, sprinkles, candy thermometer, basters, roasting racks, casserole dishes, souffle pans. End of rant.
So, my previous issue with Chopping Block was resolved!!! The manager called me later the next week and explained I was not charged for the event I did not attend (so perhaps this was why there was a delayed response in telling me the amount which was charged)?
My 4 stars are based on the one event I did attend and had a delightful time with my mother - it was a girl's night out with wine and appetizers. The only only only reason I can't give 5 stars is because while I know the entire recipe can't be posted on line, I would have like to know what apps were vegetarian friendly. We found that there were items I couldn't have because bacon was snuck in there...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/23/2009
Oh, Chopping Block, why won't you return my 3 calls?
I should mention this rating is 3 stars because… Read more »
Took a French demonstration class this past Tuesday and it rocked!
I debated between four and five stars....I'm going with a four-star only because I want to go back and try one of the hands-on classes. I think the knife skills and pastry classes are next on the radar. Maybe I will upgrade to a five star at that point.
The French cooking class was a blast from the get-go. I went with one of my girlfriends and we stopped by trader joe's before hand to pick up some two buck chuck, as the chopping block is byob (although they do have a nice selection of wines available). There is a $10 corking fee which we split. Anyhow, the class was held in a demo kitchen and we were served an onion tart as an appetizer. The chef was very thorough in his explanations and was happy to answer questions. He was also super cute; not that it matters, but hey, sitting there for a few hours it was nice to have some eye candy. And what about the food that was prepared, it was delicious. We had olive oil poached salmon, red-wine infused chicken, olive oil mashed potatoes, and the kicker, chocolate pots de creme with whipped cream. A fun evening, I can't wait to go back. Oh, and as mentioned in some of the other reviews, there is discounted merchandise for students in the class. Creme de la creme.
Worse than the food network. This is not a cooking school for serious cooks. The curriculum is sub standard and reminiscent of a high school home ec class. I have taken classes in numerous cooking schools for home cooks all over this country.
When attending a cooking class I found the most important question is to ask before signing up is where the instructors were trained. Most of these instructors went to third rate trade schools and have very limited experience. The owner herself went to a trade school in Iowa. How can one teach authentic Italian, French or even good techniques when they have not experienced the real deal.
The Chopping Block pushes cooking utensils from their shop, a poor selection at best They also allow drinking during the class if you bring you own bottle (with corking fee) or buy theirs. Usually all it takes is a glass to make people giddy and less attentive so the 'students' drinking were simply obnoxious. I was there to learn something not sit at a bar. After listening to the instructors babble about mundane things I asked questions and found them sorely lacking in knowledge.
The students did the grunt work, peeling vegetables, potatoes, etc. The 'instructors' cooked the food, which was below mediocre. This was something that anyone that could read could follow in a cookbook. In this class we supposedly were being taught some French recipes...NOT.
I took classes here from the original owner, Jill Prescott (Ecole de Cuisine) The classes were professional, well run with highly skilled chefs and I learned so much. She closed , from what I hear, due to financial reasons and was being forced to merge with the chopping block, which she refused to do. A loss for Chicago.
I attended several courses in France with a friend at Le Cordon Bleu that were taught with English translation, for home cooks. I also have taken two courses at ICE in New York and three at CIA in Hyde Park. The instructors at those schools also had extensive training.
If you want to experience a high school home ec class the Chopping Block is for you. If you want to learn how to cook try ICE or CIA.
Comment from Andrea M. of
The Chopping Block
9/29/2009
We are dismayed by your experience at The Chopping Block but…
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This weekend, I had taken the newly offered class, Oodles of Noodles, and had a great time. Plus I learned a lot!! The class was relatively small because there was only 7 of us. Right when I walked in the instructors introduced themselves and offered me coffee and a chocolate dessert cake/pie (I dont know what its called but it was delicious!). He even offered to make me something off their drink menu! Too bad I dont have any alcohol tolerance otherwise I would have taken him up on it.
I'm embarassed to say this but during this class I finally learned how to cut an onion correctly (north/south direction) and how to mince!! The instructor was very friendly and very patient. We finished cooking all our food early and the class gathered together at the end to enjoy all the dishes we had made. They have a little store adjacent to the kitchens and offer 15% off the items used during the class. I'm looking forward to signing up for another class!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/4/2009
I came here with a friend and was impressed with the cooking class. Of course I cant really compare… Read more »
5 stars for the atmosphere, my cooking companion, the equipment, and the other couples.
4 stars for our main chef
3 stars for the food
2 stars for our chef's assistant
1 star for black shirt getting dirty (it's my fault, I know. I just had to keep the countdown going ;-)
I bought a couples cooking class for Ryan & I this past Christmas. We both like to cook & based on Yelp reviews, it seemed like the perfect gift! I bought us date night, which consisted 6 couples cooking spinach artichoke dip, pork chops with an apple/onion/cherry relish, scalloped potatoes, and a pear gingerbread cobbler. Yum! The experience, however, was just kind of "meh".
Here's a rundown of the good & the bad...
Good:
-Fun, creative idea for a date
-You really do get to help with many of the stages of preparing the meal
-All of the equipment was top notch & fun to play with
-Clean, bright, and fun space
-BYOB ($10 for wine, $5 for 6 pack), so you can drink during your prep time
-Big meal at the end of the class
-Very good for extroverts
Bad:
-The two chefs were not in sync & tended to give conflicting orders
- We just prepped while the chefs actually cooked our food, which I didn't know beforehand
-The pork chops were overcooked
-The spinach artichoke dip came out last. I mean after we had begun eating our meal, so no one really ate it. ( I told Ryan we'd make an app to munch on while prepping so don't eat before, whoops!)
-Too much food & too much wasted
Overall the Chopping Block was a fun idea & wouldn't mind trying it again, but not if I'm paying as much as I did. The end product wasn't worth the price, but I supposed the memories were kind of worth it (gag!).
I might try the demonstration class because a) it's cheaper, b) it's basically what you do in a "hands on" class, and c) the portions are smaller so I won't feel as guilty about all the food that was thrown out.
Our Indian cooking class was super fun.
The Chopping Block had been on our radar since calling Chicago home, but when a gift certificate wiggled it's way into our stack of wedding presents our interest was ignited.
The Indian cooking class we attended was incredibly enjoyable. The chef had a great style. Her recipes were mouthwatering. The hands-on approach was great, and the culinary feast topping off the class was totally worth the money.
I do feel like we got our money's worth for our Indian cooking class, but I am giving 4 our 5 stars because of price. For two people to attend the total is $80-100 for demonstrations. Hands-on classes run closer to $150+. I wish there were some smaller engagement levels.
All in all, the Chopping Block is the bees knees.
Comment from Andrea M. of
The Chopping Block
10/16/2009
We heard your concerns about pricing and we're acting on it!…
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class + wine + all the sushi you can eat/make = crazy delicious
My parents had given my girlfriend and I a certificate for a cooking class of our choice at chopping block, and since we both love sushi, selected the class. Wasn't really sure how much we'd get to do, or really how much sushi we'd get to eat, but were happily surprised with the results.
Class started with orders for wine or beer (which you pay addt'l for, or can byob and they'lll only charge nomincal corkage fee) and then some miso soup (which they also give you the recipe for). After that was a little lecture and introduction to the history of sushi, and overview of the basic ingredients and prep.
Our lead chef had an interesting sense of humor, but she and the assistants were super knowledgeable and made the class fun. Walking us through selecting fresh fish and then how to prep it was probably the most interesting part of the class. They then teach basic rolls (inside out, traditional, shashimi) as well as how to make some of the sauces.
After the brief lecture and demos, they turn you lose to create your rolls however you'd like. Lots of fresh crab, salmon, tuna and shrimp to stuff your deformed beginner rolls with, but at the end of the time, you have a gigantic plate of sushi YOU rolled. sit down, eat it, sip your wine...all in all a great evening.
they do offer a 15% discount on anything used in the class to be purchased from the store, so that was great. We'll definitely be back for another class.
Fun kitchen items at reasonable prices. A good mix of essentials and frivolous items for your kitchen.
I really love this place. For someone who has a dream of attending culinary school one day, this place definitely scratches that cooking itch I have.
They have so many classes available for a variety of foods. If you aren't into doing things "hands on" they have demonstration classes available as well. And yes, drinking while cooking is allowed. I took their knife skills class and had a great time. It's clear that most people in the class come with friends. I went solo and still had fun. The instructor was sarcastic, funny, but serious all at the same time and did a great job demonstrating how to properly use knives. He was also available to answer any question you had whether it was to simply discuss food and restaurants or find out how to do a certain cutting technique.
The downside is classes can get expensive. I believe $40 may be the minimum and it can get up to $1500+ for their week long courses. Average classes run around $75 and I would go more often if I could afford it. If you love food, try it. I can bet you will enjoy yourself. And you can even pick up a few kitchen items on the way out of your class.
For the month of October, every time you go to the Chopping Block you can spin the wheel to get a discount (5, 10, 15 and 20% I think, which you can use any time in the month) or a free cooking class. The day I stopped in they had a trunk show - cooking demos and tons of little samples of pasta, cheese, chili, biscuits, toffee, and more. We spent about an hour sampling the food, learning about the products they sell, and I spun the wheel and won $40 towards a cooking class!
The store is fairly small, but they pack in a wide variety of specialty spices, pastas, mixes, salts, sauces, pots, pans, serving trays, decor , cookbooks and more. Some of the prices are on the high side of course, but did really expect to find cheap truffle salt? The staff is really helpful and friendly, and they clearly have a passion for food.
I love taking classes at the Chopping Block - what a great way to learn while catching up with friends!
The demonstration classes are a good price (typically $40) and though they're just demos I always feel like I learn a lot. I took a cakes class on a Saturday morning and enjoyed a tasty frittata and coffee while I waited for the class to start. The best part (in addition to learning how to perfect my cake batter) was getting to eat the cakes afterward!
I took a pizza making class here and was equally impressed. I went out and bought all of the utensils needed to make my own pizzas because I was so inspired by the class. I haven't made anything yet, but that's beside the point because I enjoyed myself immensely.
There is a discount if you purchase items used in your class at the store and it seems like Chopping Block has some wonderful sales throughout the year. I love the selection of gourmet peanut butters (curry pb?!) and salts. Sales people are very friendly and always willing to lend a helping hand.
In my former job I sold cooking classes internationally and they are expensive. Yes its a bit of a commitment to your pocketbook, but I think the experience is well worth it.
My friend took me here for my birthday and we did a hands on pasta making class.
The instructors were helpful and fun to be around.
The place was awesome.
I felt like with the hands on class there was just too much going on and you worked in groups of 6 but everyone had a partner so our group of six made a full meal but each group of partners worked on a different part.
I know how to make the pasta but I am not sure how to make the sauce or what it should look like as it is cooking because I did not do that part.
My friend and I agreed that we would just go to one of the demonstration classes next time.
I'm an executive assistant. There are not a lot of perks that go along with this position, but one of them is that I often get to join our teams on their group outings. Sometimes it's a fancy dinner, sometimes a baseball game, and most recently it was a hands-on cooking class at The Chopping Block.
Without a doubt, this was the most fun I've ever had with coworkers (well, except for that guy in the ticket booth when I worked at a movie theatre in high school, but that's a story for another day!)... Everyone pitches in and works with the professional chefs & at the end, shares a meal so delicious I could hardly believe that I was part of preparing it.
I learned how to make egg rolls that looked (and tasted) as good as the ones you can order in a restaurant. I learned how to dice tomatoes & mince garlic, and I learned how to fry things without adding much more fat than baking. I watched batter turn into spaetzel, and giggled as the guys bickered over who got to use the power tools (it's called a hand mixer, dudes). Everyone had an excellent time.
I took home copies of the recipes, and have already wowed my husband with my newly-acquired skills. I am now promoting TCB to the other groups in our office for their next outing, and fully intend to get myself invited anytime I succeed in piquing their interest.
This place gives me a culinary hard on! love wandering around and looking at all the cool gadgets and fancy knives while wishing I could whip out an Amex and leave with eight bags. My absolute favorite, and signature gift of 2007 were their "Already Been Chewed" gingerbread men cookie cutters that had a bite taken out of them. Adorable!
I have done about a half dozen classes here and I have enjoyed them all, but here is my problem with the place...
1. Too expensive. I understand that we are being taught and getting to eat the food, but I have never paid $75 per person for a brunch before.
2. Why'd ya have to go and get a liqour license and charge a $10 corkage fee!! Why not stick with the good ol' byob or at least make it $5. With the fees of the class and the alcohol that you have to buy there or bring in, you end up spending at least $200...i would rather have someone cook me my food and have it served to me!
3. Some of the teachers are just not very helpful or friendly.
I did however win a free class and that was splendid! And they constantly have special sales on their merchandise. They also offer incentives to sign up, such as a free bottle of wine if you sign up before such and such date.
I did take a wine class and that was very enjoyable. It was reasonably priced and very informative.
I am giving it a solid 3 stars because it is an awesome concept, but I just feel like they are getting greedy!
This was one of my favorite dates EVER. I love being in the kitchen, learning new things and most importantly, drinking bourbon. So, when we signed up for a 'Cooking with Bourbon' class, I could not wait!
The minute we walked in were greeted by friendly staff who sort of gave us the low down and showed us around. There were samples of everything we were about to make sitting out for us to snack on and a bar in the back serving all things Makers Mark related. After noshing on bites of the bourbon sweet potatoes, pork tenderloin with bourbon glaze, bourbony pecan pie..... we grabbed some drinks and got a seat right up in front. The table sat about 8-10 and filled up right away. We were in one of the stage kitchens with the mirror up above the counter so you can see everything going on. When we got started, our chef asked for a few volunteers and my arm shot up like a firecracker. I got to go up, put on my Makers Mark apron (which they let me keep) and get started mixing and tasting- along with our chef. She was great! Really entertaining, funny and knowledgeable. She let us drink and laugh and have fun while we were learning.
They printed out all the recipes for us to take home and we left with full bellies and quite a buzz I must say. It was a blast!! I definitely plan on going back and taking more of these fun classes.
I first visited the Chopping Block many moons ago for a holiday work outing with my team at my previous company. We drank wine, made a delicious meal, and ate so much that I had a stomach ache all night long. Didn't quite learn to cook (that's what happens when you drink a bottle of wine during a cooking class), but had a blast and have been meaning to go back and domesticate myself ever since.
I finally had an excuse to go back to The Chopping Block when my sister-in-law to be got my fiance and I cooking lessons as an engagement present. I think this was a hint that it's probably time for us to learn to cook.
Due to my hectic schedule the gift certificate has been sitting in my nightstand for the past few months, but after making turkey tacos for the 100,000th time the other night (there's only so many things I know how to make) I signed up for "Healthy in a Hurry" with Dawn Jackson. I'm always trying (trying being the key word) to eat healthy and i'm certainly always in a hurry so i couldn't think of a more perfect class for us.
I think my fiance was a bit disappointed that it was a demonstration class (rather than a hands on class), but I couldn't have been happier...I got to sit and enjoy my glass of wine while watching someone else do all the hard work. And then got to sample the 4 different healthy appetizers/side dishes/desserts that Dawn and her intern whipped up. I even learned a thing or two and plan on making at least one of the side dishes myself in the next few weeks.
Dawn herself was a very engaging teacher and certainly has her following. She teaches once a month and by the looks of it sure has a lot of regulars. And I can see why...I myself may become one of her regulars!
My fiance was rolling his eyes at first and threatening that I owe him a boy movie (the last movie i owed him was transformers- oy) for putting him through a cooking class, but even he admitted after the class that he enjoyed himself and wants to go back for more. And the great thing about the chopping block is that they offer such a variety of classes (sushi making anyone?) that we can go again and again...and always learn something new!
The GF took me here for my birthday, and it was wonderful. We are both obsessed with Italy, so signing up for the Couples Venetian Cooking Class was a no-brainer.
We were in a class room with 3 prep tables for 6 couples, so we were paired with another couple. We were instructed by a chef named Ariel and his assistant (whose name escapes me). He was very entertaining and insightful. I felt like I learned a great deal about everything from proper knife use to different cooking techniques.
We prepared a pizza first that we snacked on while cooking everything else. The rest of the meal consisted of a hearty Broccoli Rabe soup, Scampi, and Cod with Polenta. Everything was scrumptious.
When we left I wanted to buy several different seasonings and tools as well as some very expensive knives (wow - do they make all the difference - I'll be registering for some one day when i decide to actually get married).
I came away not only entertained and full from a great meal, but also more informed and prepared in the kitchen going forward. An absolute great date choice. I can't wait to go back again soon.
Awwww yeah! Now this is what I call FUN! Yes, it's on the expensive side but the classes they offer are fun, informative and allow you insight into actually cooking for yourself and others (something I can most definitely use when it involves anything above boiling some water).
I took a hands-on class here with a couple of coworkers as a departmental outting. We ended up learning to make different ravioli and gnocche, all of which we ate at the end of the cooking time. The recipes are fairly straight forward so even an idiot like me can understand it. Plus, they give you copies of the recipes to take home with you so you can (try to) replicate the dishes at a later date in the privacy of your own home. (That way, if you're covered in flour and have red hair thanks to pasta sauce being stuck in it, no one needs to know.) I didn't feel the class was rushed at all, though we did go into "overtime" past the allotted time we were supposed to be there.
They do charge extra for wine and a corkage fee if you bring your own but have free water to hydrate yourself with after scarfing down the creations you made. All in all, this is a fun time to learn new recipes and share laughs with friends!
A few girlfriends & I did a Friday night class at the Chopping Block a few months ago. Essentially, the theme of the night was that they were going to walk us through cooking an entire meal for the group & then we would eat. Definitely up my alley because it involves cooking, good wine, and my friends.
The staff that worked with us was great! They were very entertaining, informative, and got us to get involved in the cooking. The format of our class was more demonstrative, but several of us got the chance to make parts of the meal.
Our menu consisted of:
Caesar Salad (with homemade dressing)
Eggplant Parmesan
Lemon Cheesecake
It was all very delicious and I definitely think we will go again. This is a great idea if you need a group outing for a club you are a part of or for a work teambuilding event. It is a bit on the pricey side, and there is an additional cost for alcohol. I know they do this for private parties too, so it never hurts to call & inquire.
So I went here on Saturday for Bastille Day and I didn't know what to expect - after all it was my first cooking class and it didn't disappoint. One thing I would have done differently is made sure my foursome were people I know. I went there w. my Aunt and Mum for a girls night but the other person in the group was a single and she was a bit pushy and tried to do everything.
When we walked it, champagne and a little appetizer awaited us on our tables with the menu and instructions along with all the appropriate cookware and ingredients to make the chocolate rasberry creme brulee, then made the goat cheese souflee, tuna steaks with mash potatoes and truffle salt and hericot verts. It was delicious except the goat cheese souflee would have had more flavor but overall a fantastic way to spend an evening.
Chef Michelle was a great teacher who was funny, sweet and very informative. Although I didn't find the menu terribly complicated but it was a lot of fun and I highly recommend it.
This is a great place. I recently took a wines class here and I learned a lot. The "professor" had a vast knowledge of wine and was quite witty. She also gave us a few tips on cocktail party decorum. We sampled eight wines and left with a helpful handout.
The following week I attended a cooking class with an emphasis on Filipino dishes. Although I did not leave with any recipes I will duplicate, I did learn some general knife and cooking skills.
I took the Knife Skills class here last year and really enjoyed it. At times it felt like an advertisement to buy expensive knives, it was really helpful nonetheless. I liked learning about how to dice and chop correctly. The instructors were great, very hands on, and attentive to each student despite the class size. I'm going here for another class in August and have a free demo class to do as well.
Update: Seafood 101 class (in August 2007). My bf and I took the seafood class 101 class as his birthday present. This class is a lot of fun and very informative. Since it was a larger class, we had two chefs and two helpers. For the class, we made a nice menu of pancetta wrapped salmon, tilipia, ceviche, frejole salad, and greens. We chose our work stations and learned to prepare the menu with two other people. It was easy to divide up tasks and chopped the fish and other vegetables. The chefs and helpers walked around to assist. They were wonderful in explaining techniques when you looked confused. One of the chefs remembered my bf and I from a previous class.
After the cooking was complete, the tables had plenty of food to enjoy There was more than enough food for 4 people. There was no need to go out to eat after that wonderful meal. The menu gave you a great taste of how to prepare fish in three different methods as well as good sides to go along with it.
I can't recommend the Chopping Block enough. I've now taken a demonstration class and a hands on class. The hands on class was great and would recommend them to anyone wanting to learn more about cooking. The demonstration classes are nice to learn some techniques and generally just learn about food. The Merchandise Mart location is great and the staff is extremely helpful and nice. The Chopping Block is great for the beginner cook to really practice and learn cooking skills.
I went here for one of our summer outtings w/ my company.... we had a great time, it was probably the best outting we've had in a long time (and was significantly cheaper than some others we've had recently...).
They started us off right--serving us beer and wine. Then we started cooking things.... It was suprisingly hands-on. I was a bit skeptical when I heard about what we were doing, thinking we were going to go and someone was going to tell us what they're doing versus let us do it. It wasn't like that at all... Everyone was fully engaged in doing everything themselves. It was a good time, and the food turned out great.
First off, the space is gorgeous. Absolutely pristine, beautiful. Well done.
I went for a Guilty Pleasures, Girls Night out. Fab idea, really. Unfortunately, not well executed.
The grilled cheese was not melty, the pasta was undercooked the "truffle" french fries meant truffle salt, not oil. The chocolate soufle was good...but not great, and I could barely see/understand what they were doign witht he demonstrations.
For $40, I could take my undomestic self elsewhere and not have to pretend to pay attention as to how substandard food is cooked! I can cook my own crappy grilled cheese, thank you!
I arranged a work function here and it was a success. We had a business meeting in the morning in their big "demonstration" kitchen (overhead mirrors so you could see what someone would be cooking...however, we didn't cook in this room. But I did have pre-appetizers served to us and they were tasty (curried chicken skewers, crispy wonton wrapped shrimp, and grilled flatbread with rosemary and feta)
We then went to the kitchens and I had picked appetizers for us to prepare. We were divided into 4 groups of 7 and then it was time to prepare. We had a good time. The chefs (we had Ariel and Quincy) were fun. I think having some beer and wine was good to have as well. Kind of loosened everyone up. Our appetizers were samosas, southwestern spring rolls, Chicken in phyllo, potstickers and chocolate truffles for dessert. The ingredients and utensils provided were all top shelf. So much fun to cook when someone else has to do the dishes.
I think it was a great teambuilding place and the prices were not what I would call cheap but you do get your money's worth. I believe everyone else enjoyed themselves as well.
I took the knife skills course and HIGHLY recommend it. I've been afraid but they taught us many techniques and safety tips so I'm feeling much more confident regarding knife use. They also did a great job of teaching you about the knives and allowing you to try various knives. This is so beneficial as we will be registering for our wedding soon and now know exactly what we want and what we don't really need. The $40 price tag may seem high to some but I for real learned how to cut an onion correctly and without crying! I think that is worth 40 bucks right there! The store itself is packed full of hard to find and fun things!
I attended a class here a few weeks ago for a work Christmas party type thing. It was a great place for a Christmas party - it was my boyfriend's work and I was a guest so it was nice to busy myself cooking after I ran out of small talk... Overall a nice place and who doesn't love tapas? My one complaint is that they gave us recipes to bring home which were slightly different than what we actually made. The recipes were good and dish I made from one was great just not what we made before.... oh well. A nice party idea.
My friends and I took a cooking class here for an evening and had the best time! i don't think I could ever make the meal we made again because it was pretty difficult, but it was really fun! I'm tempted to go back and seriously learn how to do some cooking for beginingers!
My friend and I did the Iron Chef cooking night here recently and it was awesome! There were about 25 people total in our class. We were divided into two groups, each headed by a different chef. We made awesome food -- our group made homemade flatbread, ribeye steaks, fingerling potatoes, manicotti topped with lamb ragu -- and we had an incredible time doing it. There was tons of food for everyone, the chef was really friendly and nice, and we had the satisfaction of making amazing food from scratch. Even my friend, who is a total non-cook, felt like he contributed. I would recommend it to anyone. Sure, $75 a person is pricey, but the experience was worth it.
This is such a fun place! They offer a number of classes from basic recipes to knife handling! The classes are always full and there's always an awesome crowd! The chefs are super friendly and patient so even the worst and clumsiest of cooks can make something wonderful!
I went here for a work event and it was so fun! We started off with appetizers, beer & wine before the class. Our set up was a competition, so we were in 4 teams, each making 2 appetizer or dessert dishes. The chefs were friendly and helpful, but definitely let us do everything on our own! Everything we made was amazing and I even learned some things too. I want to try it again soon - which is amazing since I am someone who HATES to cook!
I went to the Chopping Block for a wine tasting party and absolutely loved it! Although we did not do a cooking class, the wine tasting party made me want to come back to do a cooking class. It is the perfect space for a cocktail party or for having a class- the people inside the cooking studio looked like they were having a great time and the smells coming from that room were amazing! Next time I'm going to go there to learn how to cook!
I took a beginner wine tasting class here and had a great time. The instructor was very informative, and you could tell she was passionate about being a wine connoisseur b/c she kept the class very interesting. We sampled a variety of wines, and the instructor guided us in the deciphering the different tastes of each wine. (very helpful) I look forward to trying some of the cooking classes!
