We had my daughter's 9th birthday at Lil Chef this past weekend, and it was such a hit. The two…read morechefs running the party were awesome--funny, super interactive with the kids, and on top of every detail. They handled things I didn't even realize I didn't have to do--like setting up the goodie bags, cutting and serving the cake, packing leftovers--which meant I actually got to relax and enjoy the party. The kids had a blast making their own pizzas and decorating cupcakes, and the fact that the place comes already decorated with birthday banners and permanent balloons made it even easier. Plus, being able to bring in our own food and drinks (including alcohol!) for the adults was a huge bonus. Everyone kept commenting on what a fun and unique party it was. If you're planning to do goodie bags, I recommend ordering aprons on Amazon instead of buying them from the venue--it's cheaper and makes for a cute party favor. Also, I suggest putting a balloon on the directional signs in the shopping center by Dunkin' Donuts so your guests don't get lost, since it's a bit tricky to get there. Highly recommend Lil Chef if you want a fun, stress-free, and memorable birthday party.

We just celebrated my daughter's 9th birthday at Lil' Chef School, and I have to say, it was the…read moreabsolute best party we've ever hosted. If you're looking for a unique, engaging, and (most importantly) stress-free party venue, look no further! The moment we arrived, the staff was fantastic. They were incredibly friendly, professional, and had everything set up perfectly. They managed a group of twenty 9-year-olds with ease, keeping them entertained, focused, and most importantly, safe while they learned to cook. As a parent, the experience was truly seamless. The instructors handled the entire cooking lesson, kept the flow moving, and then--the biggest win of all--they took care of all the messy cleanup! I was able to relax and enjoy the celebration rather than running around managing logistics. The facility is bright, clean, and perfectly equipped for young chefs. This wasn't just a party; it was a fun, hands-on memory the kids won't stop talking about. Lil' Chef School is an absolute gem, and I highly recommend them for any birthday celebration!

We had an amazing class with Sara for her thai food night! Everything was prepped as we did the…read moreHipCooks mini 2 hour class but it was great! We learned the seasonings and flavors and got to enjoy our food after. Highly recommnd for date night or just a solo adventure

What a great, fun experience. My grandson has bern really interested in cooking so I decided to try…read morethe 2 hour cavatelli class here at Hipcooks. Sarah was entertaining, warm, welcoming, encouraging and a great instructor. Made the class so much fun and my grandson couldn't not stop talking about how much he learned in a 2 hour class. The school itself is small but neat, clean and vibrant. Everyone participated in making the meal and sitting down together to enjoy it. I generally do not enjoy classes that are structured like this, but in this case, everyone was able to participate in all aspects and all portions of each dish if they wanted. My previous experience has been that each team makes one part of the meal and it gets assembled at the end prior to eating. I always felt I was not getting a full experience that way. This was structured differently and it absolutely made the experience so much more enjoyable. I would not hesitate to recommend them or to take another class there. Thank you again Sarah for making this such a great experience.

Tried to enroll in a class. No classes available. Tried to contact someone for details. No…read moreresponse. Maybe they're out of business.

My daughter had her birthday party at this location for the second time. She absolutely loved it…read moreand her friends did too!

We had the most memorable evening at Chef Stephanie Chinchilla's chef's table. The experience was…read moreintimate, warm, and beautifully executed from start to finish...every dish told a story and every detail felt intentional. We began with the Aji tuna on crispy rice, topped with a delicate sliver of jalapeño and crispy shallots, a perfect balance of freshness, spice, and crunch. The second course was Stefanie's famous focaccia...one sweet and one savory. The savory version featured parmesan, her homemade bread and butter, pickles from her garden, and a touch of mustard seed. The bread, made simply with flour, water, and salt, takes two to three days to create. The sweet focaccia was equally impressive, topped with brie, honey, and a guava jam made from her own garden-grown guavas... truly special. Next came the sweet potato course, made from her garden's harvest and paired with roasted pine nuts and coconut-shaved gnocchi in brown butter. The flavors were rich yet comforting, and the presentation was artistic and thoughtful. The main course... short ribs with a stunning potato gratin, was a showstopper. The short ribs were tender and deeply flavorful, garnished with delicate edible flowers from her garden, while the gratin was layered beautifully and topped with a fragrant chimichurri. Dessert was one of the best I've ever had: a sticky toffee date cake with a caramel apple sauce made from apples in her garden, served with raw cream vanilla bean ice cream. The balance of warmth, sweetness, and texture was perfection. The wine pairings, thoughtfully curated by Oscar from Sequoia Grove Winery, elevated the entire experience, from the velvety Merlot to the bold Cabernet, every sip complemented the food flawlessly. What makes Chef Stefanie so special is her warmth and authenticity. She shares her passion for food and where it comes from in a way that's engaging and educational, never pretentious. She spends time presenting each dish beautifully, with an artist's eye and a chef's heart. Her artistry, attention to detail, and genuine love for her craft come through in every course. I'll absolutely be attending her future chef's table events, a beautiful evening of intentional cooking, soulful flavors, and gracious hospitality.

I can't speak highly enough of the incredible experiences we've had with Stephanie Chinchilla. She…read morecatered our daughter's graduation party, she catered an intimate COVID birthday dinner, and we've taken several cooking classes from her over the years. For Christmas one year, my husband gave me the gift of her recipes. Every experience is top-drawer, from the incredible food, the personal touches, the elegant yet casual atmosphere she creates around every event. Her entire staff has been wonderful. After every event, people flock to us and ask for her number. She's Orange County's number one best kept culinary secret.

The staff were quite cold and unhelpful throughout our visit and did not make any effort to create…read morea welcoming experience. What was most disappointing was how the situation was handled when another party arrived. Although the staff knew the space had been reserved for a later group, no one gave us any advance warning that our time was about to end. A simple 10-20 minute reminder would have allowed us to finish decorating our cake and clean up properly. Instead, we were suddenly rushed to wrap everything up, and our birthday cake was not even finished. A staff member came over and told us, "You have to leave RIGHT NOW, the party has arrived," and we were essentially forced out to make room for the next group. This was especially upsetting because the cake was for a birthday and the experience meant a lot to us. What should have been a fun celebration ended in unnecessary stress and disappointment. Better communication and a little more consideration would have made a huge difference. ---------------------------- Updating my review: although our experience in the store was disappointing, the owner responded very quickly, took our concerns seriously, and resolved the issue in less than a day. I really appreciate their professionalism and efficiency. Thank you for addressing the problem so promptly and for being willing to improve the customer experience moving forward.

Great place for kids to spend summer break!! It is an amazing place for both kids and adults to…read morehave fun creating pastries!

I attended a babka class with Javaria, who was an excellent teacher. I learned a lot about…read morebrioche, and most importantly I had so much fun!!! This is also a commercial bakery so check out the goods at their bakery next door. It's located in the source, which I will most definitely check out sometime for all the different restaurants!

I took a baking class here with Javaria. She is an amazing teacher! She explained the science…read morebehind every step. Very patient and thorough :)

I took a private class with Teri to bake a cake for my husband's 40th birthday, and it was the best…read moredecision ever. I've never baked a single thing in my life, but by the end of Teri's walk-through (and with lots of friendly guidance), I had a beautiful 4 tier cake to leave with. My husband was absolutely flabbergasted that I'd baked and I was shocked that it was actually delicious. He's eaten a piece daily since and can't stop talking about how good it is-meanwhile I can't stop talking about how much fun I actually had with Teri. She shared the recipe so I can make it going forward and I think I can actually pull it off thanks to the education I got at Chef Tech!

My kids have attended Chef Tech's summer camps for the last two summers and I couldn't recommend…read morethem more highly! They are able to manage a large group of kids in a very organized manner and are excellent and patient teachers. Each and every time that I pick them up I'm shocked by how much they were able to make in the two and a half hours that they were there. They are currently in the Italian week camp and have made homemade pizzas, pastas and sauces from scratch, flatbreads, salads, sorbet, cookies, etc. My kids are 9 (twins), but we also brought friends this summer. One is in his last year of middle school and enjoyed the class just as much as the younger kids. Truly, such a wonderful experience for them! Thank you so much, Chef Tech!

Great school. My daughter is thriving. Excellent teachers and staff. Could use a gymnasium though…read morebut other then that top flight education!

Found out this public school is not free. It is a lottery school, but it's mandatory that you pay…read more5k to 6k a year for your child to attend this school. They call it donations, and it is a tax write-off.