Cooking classes in the Bay Area

[Batuta]

What kind of success have you had?

I'm interested in taking a few Bay Area "hands on" cooking classes to build my technique, and perhaps learn more about sauces, flavor balancing and so on. I'm a respectable and enthusiastic cook, but have a lot more to learn. And, my baking. and knife skills could also be improved. The e-Gullet classes have been wonderful; now I'm looking for "hands on" learning and some "educational entertainment".

I'm in the North Bay but have easy access to the city as well as the wine country. And, I'd be willing to travel to the East or South Bay for something worthwhile.

So, what have you tried and liked? Or hated? Are any of the cooking classes better than the others? Or do they have different specialties?

Edited February 4, 2005 by Batuta (log)

[winesonoma]

Ramekins in Sonoma is alright if you pick the right class. Whatever that means.

[PamelaF]

It was quite a few years ago since I attended, but the California Culinary Academy has half-day Saturday classes on various topics. It is really cool to work in the professional classroom kitchens. When I took a few classes they were taught by the same instructors as the professional programs.

SF Chronicle has a cooking school at the Ferry Building. I havn't been, but they feature their writers as the instructors, so if you like what you see in the newspaper you will probably like their class.

In Nugget Market in Vacaville, is Shallots, it has a nice, small classroom with evening and weekend classes. I have not been to a hands-on class yet, but have attended other tasting events there and they were great.

[fiftydollars]

Linda Moreno at Spun Sugar in Berkeley does some great classes on cake decorating, if you are into that sort of thing...

She is a great teacher and has classes ranging from cookie decorating for children to rolled fondant and gum paste.

[ludja]

Does anyone have any first hand experience with Tante Marie's in San Francisco? I know that the school has been around for awhile; I think it focuses on basic French Techniques.

Also, although it doesn't sound like exactly what you are lookiing for, Draeger's in San Mateo has classes on a wide array of topics. They sometimes feature well-known restaurant chefs and instructors. I think these are mostly one time courses.

Edited February 4, 2005 by ludja (log)

[melkor]

Does anyone have any first hand experience with Tante Marie's ?  I know that the school has been around for awhile; I think it focuses on basic French Techniques.

Also, although it doesn't sound like exactly what you are lookiing for Draeger's in San Mateo has classes on a wide array of topics.  They sometimes feature well-known restaurant chefs and instructors.  I think these are mostly one time courses.

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There are two older threads about tante marie, but neither have much in them - in the 2nd one JAZ says:

I know several people who have taken the pastry program. It's intensive and thorough and apparently fairly well regarded in the business. I don't know as much about the cooking side, but I imagine it's good. And I can't think of any alternatives in the area that I think are better.

The threads can be found here and here

[chezcherie]

Does anyone have any first hand experience with Tante Marie's ?  I know that the school has been around for awhile; I think it focuses on basic French Techniques.

Also, although it doesn't sound like exactly what you are lookiing for Draeger's in San Mateo has classes on a wide array of topics.  They sometimes feature well-known restaurant chefs and instructors.  I think these are mostly one time courses.

←

There are two older threads about tante marie, but neither have much in them - in the 2nd one JAZ says:

I know several people who have taken the pastry program. It's intensive and thorough and apparently fairly well regarded in the business. I don't know as much about the cooking side, but I imagine it's good. And I can't think of any alternatives in the area that I think are better.

The threads can be found here and here

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i believe jgarner53 is attending now.

[derricks]

i believe jgarner53 is attending now.

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I can't speak to their professional program, but I've taken a number of weekend classes there. My success rate has varied (not surprisingly) with the teacher. Linda Sullivan's a great teacher, Mary Risley not so much so (at least not from the one class I took with her, but it was bad enough that I swore not to sign up for one of her classes); her greatest strength seems to be a very well-indexed internal database of recipes.

I'm taking a class there this weekend, as it happens, the first in a year and a half (I've exhausted all their technique-oriented weekend classes).

I've also taken classes at the CCA, again just technique classes. They can't make you a star knife wielder in 4 or 5 hours, but they will give you the basics you can go home and practice with.

[Batuta]

Thanks so much for all the information!

I've only tried one class so far - Essential Knife Skills at Viking Home Chef - and it was okay, but not one that motivated me to "sign right up" for a 10 class series.I'll check out the options that all of you have mentioned.

Has anyone tried the Sur La Table classes? They sound interesting as well.

Edited February 4, 2005 by Batuta (log)

[SKinCA]

Thanks so much for all the information!

I've only tried one class so far - Essential Knife Skills at Viking Home Chef - and it was okay, but not one that motivated me to "sign right up" for a 10 class series.I'll check out the options that all of you have mentioned.

Has anyone tried the Sur La Table classes? They sound interesting as well.

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First, the disclosure. I have assisted at Sur La Table in Los Gatos for the past 6 years, so know their program quite well. I now teach at the Los Gatos SLT also.

That being gotten out of the way, I think for SLT, the classes quality depend highly upon the quality of the teacher. If Alice Medrich is doing hands-on chocolate, or Joyce Jue Chinese, or Chat Mingkwan Thai cooking, you will learn much while doing. It is also a good place to catch authors touting their books, if you are into that. While Chat teaches in Los Gatos, Joyce and Alice appear to be mostly in Berkeley in the next several months.

The downside - classes are usually geared to people who have little to no cooking experience, so might well be too simplistic for you. You probably know more than you think you do already. I doubt you'd get as much 'hands-on' as you seem to want. as most classes have 16 people and due to organizational constraints, you would only get to work on 1 recipe.

Other SF Bay area teachers that I have found excellent are: Linda Carucci, Jay Harlow, Cindy Race and Charlie Vollmer (Charlie does good hands on knife skills).

Some people really like Hugh Carpenter but he's not my cup of tea.

Another option - Emile Mooser of Emile's Restaurant in San Jose teaches an intensive multi-week hands on course based on classic French technique. If memory serves me right, it's not as expensive as Tante Marie. Perhaps something to keep in your back pocket, if not for right now.

Here are links:

Sur La Table

Emile's Cooking Classes

Good luck and I hope this info is helpful to you.

[Lisa J]

If you are interested in Thai food, Kasma Loha-unchit teaches Thai cooking classes in Oakland. I have not attended her classes, but a friend who did enjoyed it very much. For more info here is her web site:

Thai Cooking Classes

[NeilMalek]

I'm looking for all levels of education here, from full-on culinary training to those 'Friday night Mexican cooking with free margaritas' classes. What's good in the area?

Thanks!

[JAZ]

Here are some possibilities:

Avocational:

• Ramekins in Sonoma
  
• Sur La Table has classes at the San Francisco-Maiden Lane, Los Gatos, and Santa Rosa stores
  
• Some Draeger's Stores have cooking classes
  

Vocational:

• Tante Marie in San Francisco -- also has avocational classes and shorter courses
  
• California Culinary Academy (Cordon Bleu)
  
• City College in San Francisco
  

[annachan]

To add to the list above, Spun Sugar in Berekely has candy/cake decorating ttype classes. I believe that Chinese cooking classes are offered somewhere in SF Chinatown.

[Trishiad]

Husband and I have taken classes at both Sur la Table and Ramekins. Enjoyed both.

[NeilMalek]

Good stuff! That'll get me started, thanks.

[alanamoana]

The Professional Culinary Institute in Campbell (near San Jose) offers full time courses and also hobby classes. They are a new school, owned and operated by professional chefs.

[marlena spieler]

Relishes Cooking School in Healdsberg is marvellous. Donna who runs it is just fabuloso.

i'm teaching a class there 23rd sept, in fact, called:

Napoli is a state of mind.

pasta, pommodori, tons of deliciousness........

plus healdsberg is adorable little town, worth visiting.

and the sunday afterwards is the sonoma russian river food and wine fest, definately worth a visit. and then bovolo is a great place to breakfast, dustie estes about as cute as the proverbial button and they cure their own hams/bacons/etc there.

[Sararwelch]

I am looking to take some cooking classes. I would consider myself to be at least an intermediate level home cook. I was considering the weekend program at the California Culinary Academy - has anyone had any experience with these classes? Any other places I should look at? I can only do weekends.

[annachan]

I haven't taken any classes there, but have read people recommending Tante Marie.

Edited December 28, 2006 by annachan (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

It might be a bit of a drive -- but would ultimately be a nice trip -- to head to Ramekins in Sonoma.

[Jensen]

Here in Sacto, East Bay Restaurant Supply offers some cooking classes (one day things, I think). As they are also in Oakland, you might check to see if cooking classes are offered there as well:

East Bay Restaurant Supply

[alanamoana]

if you are in Silicon Valley the Professional Culinary Institute offers one day "hobby" classes:

old schedule, the new schedule should be posted soon.

[Sararwelch]

if you are in Silicon Valley the Professional Culinary Institute offers one day "hobby" classes:

old schedule, the new schedule should be posted soon.

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Have you taken the hobby classes at PCI? If so, what did you think?