I truly appreciated all that Chef Toni has done for my son. He was in his shell for so long, I…read moredidn't think he was interested in much of anything. It had been months of him doing the most mundane things until he started cooking with Chef Toni. After the first class I saw his face light up and his demeanor improve drastically. Cooking excited him very much. The program changed his life and had a huge impact on the person he is becoming. He wants to own a restaurant someday!

My son Jeremy has been learning from Chef Toni for nearly five years.  He has come such a long way…read morefrom never having tried cooking to becoming an independent and creative aspiring chef.  He has had tremendous learning opportunities over the years, starting with break and summer programs. As he progressed, he joined her Sunday master classes where he learned independence in the kitchen. He also had an opportunity to volunteer at a charity catering event and to work with the younger students in a summer counselor-in-training internship. Chef Toni has provided just the right combination of encouragement and challenge. During the COVID crisis, he has taken inspiration from Chef Toni to do research of his own and make his own dishes. Working with Chef Toni has been a tremendous confidence builder for my son.

I think MOPAC is a great concept. You don't have to do the shopping or the cleaning - just come,…read morechit chat, cook and eat. Genius. I attended Thai, Thai, Thai with a friend and we had a great time. The food was delicious, easy-to-make and something I could remember how to make at home. But, I probably won't because I don't cook... ever :) That's why I came to MOPAC - they basically do it for me. I subtracted one star for three reasons: 1. There were some games involved that not everyone enjoyed. I really loved them because I'm an outgoing and particularly loud person. However, it was obvious that a few chefs were uncomfortable. I say just stick to the cooking. 2. I wish we made a dessert. We made an appetizer and an entree, but no dessert. I wouldn't have minded paying a few extra bucks for the event to include a dessert as well. We certainly would have had enough time if we hadn't played the games. 3. Manhattanites - watch out when you get off the subway. I've never been to this neighborhood before and my first thought was just, "where the F am I?!" There's no signage outside, so be sure to look for the big black door at 47 Thames. If MOPAC was in Manhattan, it'd be awesome.

I had a lot of fun at the MOPAC event I went to! I signed up for the Irie Jamaican cooking night…read moreand it was so much fun! We had a chance to chat with other participants throughout the event. Our group was a really fun group I must say! The food was great..and even though I consider myself a great cook (and a food television addict)..I STILL learned a some cooking techniques that I hadn't used before. You have your own cooking station, but you are sitting in a "group" style set up. You are assigned your own set of tools and food portions at your station and the place is very clean. Another review mentioned that there was no wine, but you can bring your own if you choose to. I think someone brought a bottle of rum that they shared with the whole group when I went...I definitely had rum and coke that night. It's definitely a great experience!

De gus I finally…read moremade my way to De Gustubus and really happy that I did! My friend was doing the cooking demonstration and although I got there a few minutes late the staff and crowd was very welcoming. Chef Ayesha is amazing! She is from Shukette which recently opened in Chelsea, a part of the restaurant group of a few other restaurants including Shuka, Vics and Rosies. Also, to have your food prepared by an incredibly high level talented Chef with quality wine pairings is very lovely experience! Sal Rizzo, the owner is very accommodating and very entertaining as a host. he was the perfect energy for the group with very positive and entertaining comments. The space only fits about 30 people and the alcohol was refilled. While the cost might seem high ($145 with fees) for 90 minutes it went a bit over and they did not rush you out. I had five drinks (One proseseco, two white, and two red) so it was well worth it. Service was top not h. The staff were en pointe and attentive. They were always cleaning up after you're making sure that you got your food at the right time. I was also lucky enough that our chef made us laugh the entire time because she has a fantastic personality. Furthermore, every dish was created to perfection and visually appealing with very different interesting flavor profiles. I've been to several of her restaurants and not let down. I will enjoy returning!

Shame on me for not reviewing DeGustibus sooner. I attended several cooking demos pre-COVID and…read morejust attended one last night (the first in years). The format is wonderful. Excellent award winning working chefs make meals or specialties and talk about the food and ingredients. You watch, you eat. The video screens enable you to see techniques. The chefs answer all your questions and you get the recipes. But wait! There's more!!! There are wines paired with each course and a rep (or if you are lucky, the winemaker) tells you about the wine, the flavors, why it goes with the food etc. what a perfect night. You are always among a friendly, diverse, foodie crowd and it's a blast. I went alone last night and enjoyed crispy caper and eggplant campionata with potato chips, baby lamb chop with a delis glaze and pomegranate, crispy duck with plum compote and goat cheese cheesecake with macerated berries. Chef was Adrienne Cavalo from Miami and the wine was Trivento from Argentina (i am now a Malbec fan). Another time I went and it was Passamore caviars with great dishes and champagnes. The staff is amazing--go on the website and look at the upcoming demos and classes. You will not regret it. It's a foodies dream! And one more thing. It's on the 8th floor of Macy's Herald Sq. Yup--who knew?! It's tucked near the elevators by the exit to Santa's workshop.

Karl's Chef at Home cooking class is truly something special. His classes are by nature small,…read moresince he holds it in his own home kitchen, so it felt more like a private cooking session with a chef than a cookie-cutter class. My boyfriend and I were lucky enough to have a private session with him and we ended up staying almost 4 hours cooking, eating, and chatting. The format of the class is refreshing compared to other cooking classes. For one, you get to bring mystery ingredients (we brought greek yogurt and avocado), and Chef Karl will decide the menu based on what you brought and what's in his pantry (the options are vast!). Secondly, you do all the cooking - Chef Karl is a great teacher and rather than tell you what the ingredients in a dish should be, he asks your opinion of what might go well and brings your suggestions into the dish. As an amateur cook, I actually felt like I was learning something I could takeaway and recreate at home. With our ingredients, we made a delicious chilled avocado soup with pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and some spices. Then, we created pork meatballs reduced in red wine topped with pink sauce, which is greek yogurt mixed with chili spice (our favorite). For our main, we did lightly breaded fried rabbit Harlem-style and braised bok choy. Finally, we ended with a bananas flambee using greek yogurt instead of ice cream for a healthy option. Chef Karl provided a beautiful Chianti with our meal and gave us our leftovers to take home. An all in all wonderful evening. Would highly recommend!

Triple a Diner is a long standing E Harlem favorite spot...perfect for my tasty afternoon French…read moreFries & a Coke -- not to mention Cashier Maiba's winning personality.

I had a great time cooking with Sandra Catena. She was engaging, entertaining, and fun. It was…read morelike having a 5th friend at the dinner table! I would say that this a great activity to do with a few friends and would highly recommend taking one of her cooking classes!

My wife got us a class with Sandra and we recently had a blast cooking the"Hot Italian" meal from…read moreher "In-House Southern Italian Cooking Class". Another couple joined us, so four of us had a fun time learning new knife skills, simple tips on food preparation, and new ideas to cook food. It was a fun, informative and most of all tasty night. The end result was not rocket science and turned out great! We are looking to book her for another night in the future.

Best. Pork Belly. Ever. Black garlic and tons of umami goodness, along with extremely fragrant rice…read moreand a ton of other goodies. Pork belly has never been the same for me again.

Ryan (Fork & Saber head chef) catered our wedding just about 4 years ago. In the past four years,…read morewithout fail the first or second thing any wedding guests say to us is how good the food was. Ryan created an amazing family style 3-4 course meal that tasted and looked so good. This is hard when you are catering for 140 people. Guests have told me they have tried to replicate some of the dishes - brussels sprouts salad, brisket, etc. Ryan had the amazing idea of setting up a meats and cheeses station outside the ceremony room so people could nibble before the wedding began if needed and then continue on with that station at the cocktail hour. Ryan was a pleasure to work with - super easy, reasonably priced, and so much fun and creative energy. You never have to worry because you know Ryan wants it to be awesome so it will be.

Jeff at Hudson Heights Art Studio is fantastic in all the ways--he's kind, supports each kiddo and…read moretheir interests, and has created a welcoming space for families in the neighborhood. Our daughter asks to go as much as possible and we feel so fortunate to have Jeff and his studio so close.

My 6 year old daughter has been attending this art class at least a few times a month for the past…read moreyear, and she enjoys it very much. She loves the variety of projects, her favorites so far have been weaving and ceramics. She also likes meeting other children while they work on their individual art pieces. In her own words - 'Jeff is really nice and the class is so fun!'. Would highly recommend!

Founded by two lovely ladies, Becs (from the UK) and Lisa (from Ireland), the school offers many…read moredifferent types of cooking classes showcasing all the traditional recipes that the British are renowned for. From traditional three course meal to British summer puddings to traditional afternoon tea - you can take your pick. Run in a home kitchen and completely hands-on by design, these classes offer you an opportunity to learn by trial. At the end of the class, you get to sit down at a beautifully laid table, with your fellow classmates and enjoy the delicious spread that you helped prepare.

Had my sister's bachelorette here, as she married a guy from England. Becs and Lisa were so…read moreaccommodating and helpful in the planning of the evening, and it went more perfectly than I could have imagined! Cozy home, friendly women, and delicious food! Perfect for a night out with friends.