I can only speak on the kid's cooking class as I know the reviews are a bit different for the adults. When I walked in, we were greeted very friendly by the front desk and instructors. It was our first time and they made us feel extremely welcomed and invited. That's a HUGE green flag in my book. You want to be around people excited about their job and what they do. When I went to pick up my friend's kid, he was very excited for what he cooked. I got to try some of the pizza he made and honestly, the crust was better than a lot of the pizza joints out there and the crust I've made before. He's in the older class (pre teens and teens) and seemed to enjoy cooking with them. Afterwards, the front desk told us about the different classes and programs. We got the recipe for this week and past weeks so we can try them at home as some of the items caught my eye. He loved the class and will be going back. If your kid has an eye on cooking and wants to learn, I'd definitely sign them up here. It's always good to have some hands on help to ask questions and learn. Wish they had more classes and we missed out on sign ups for the summer. It's $40 a class or 4 weeks is $145 I believe. 90 minute classes. Since they already have the ingredients and everything, it's worth the price. read more

Poor experience for an adult cooking class. I wish I read these reviews prior to spending $160. My vision was that it would be similar to a paint and sip where we all create our own masterpiece, but this is far from it. You only get to watch 2 chefs cook, and not really learn any new skills. Throughout our class I had the luxury or chopping 1/4 of an onion and tomato. Never was taught how to properly use a knife. read more

Our first time trying a cooking class here and the kids had a blast making crepes! My son absolutely loved it. He actually ate every single one he made. read more

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We had my daughter's 5th birthday party here, and it was such a fun and seamless experience! The staff handled everything from start to finish ; two amazing chefs guided the kids through cooking, kept them entertained, helped with serving cake, and made the whole time so enjoyable. The party package allows up to 12 kids (or up to 16 with an add-on), and honestly, 12 was the perfect number. The parent area is small, but it worked fine since the kids were busy and having fun the whole time. Everything ran smoothly, the staff was patient and great with the little ones, and the kids had a blast making their own food. My only recommendation is that I did feel like I needed more than 15 min to set up food for the parents ( since that of course was not included) but it worked out fine :) Highly recommend for a unique and stress-free birthday party experience! read more

I hosted my 7 year old son's party here. We opted for pizza, and it was a hit. We had kids ages 2-7, and parents were able to step in and assist as necessary. The instructors were awesome; very sweet, very engaging, and they kept the pace of everything going well. I really liked the added touches of "Happy Birthday" magnets on the fridge and writing on a chalkboard. They got the ice cream cake out at the perfect time, and even cut and served it for me. It was hands down the easiest birthday party of my life. Other parents commented on what a fun idea it was have the party there- and all the kids loved their homemade pizzas. 10/10 would come back again! read more

Claremont Chefs Academy - Birthday magnets! - Cooking Schools Near Me - Claremont, California

I booked the pizza making party for my daughter's birthday. We had a total of 15 kids and they all had a blast. The instructors were very animated and had the kids engaged the entire time. It was also fun for the parents to watch their little ones in action. I would highly recommend this to all families. read more

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I wanted to love my cooking class but it definitely lacked. I felt like I was helping my aunts cook in the kitchen lol the chefs were nice and very knowledgeable. However it's one stove and they do all the cooking while you assist with cutting an item or two. I wouldn't call this a cooking class. read more

This is for the adult cooking class. I bought this experience online for my husband's birthday. The chefs were engaging but kinda busy doing a lot of the leg work. You're not really learning how to cook per se, it's more like helping to meal prep. I didn't quite learn any new techniques or ways to cook things. For reference, I know how to chop up vegetables, meats and fruits fairly ok. I've been cooking on and off for about 21 yrs now, mainly pastas and Asian dishes. Since there are no burners (not permitted) you're just chopping items for the chef to cook on an electric pan. I found it a little unsanitary that a group of 6 people were adding all their chopped up ingredients into the same bowl. Yes, we all washed our hands but people def touched their face and nose at times. Kinda grossed me out, I had to think happy thoughts instead. The food we made was just ok, nothing too extraordinary. Kinda wish we were challenged more. The location was easy to find. Parking was easy. There's a bathroom inside. After the class, it's nice to take a stroll around the area with shops. I may refer this to a child or teen that's learning how to cook but not so much for an adult (unless you're in your early phases learning how to cook - which is perfectly ok! No judgements) The efforts of the team are appreciated but I don't think I'd pay as much to come back. read more

My daughters are 11 & 9 years old, they join summer camp for 1 week, they really enjoyed the classes. They learned how to make pizza from flour, curry, pretzel buns, beef empanadas..., they learned and actually can made them at home, really amazing! read more

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I took one of their adult cooking class, which was fun but mostly instructional. You get to measure and pour things in a bowl and sometimes you get to whisk! I don't think I got out of my chair once. I hoped for more hands-on activities, but I understand they lack stove tops. The class promised miso soup, edamame, California and tuna rolls, and green tea ice cream, but the ice cream was already made when we arrived which makes sense since it needs to solidify. I might suggest choosing a different dessert next time so people can fully experience cooking and enjoying what they made. We also didn't get the edamame. We got one sushi roll each (half california half tuna). We left hungry and went to Cafe X2O next door to eat. I think their classes are suitable for children, but not so much for adults. read more

Claremont Chefs Academy - Cooking Schools Near Me - Claremont, California

My boyfriend and I attended the French Country cooking class and one lady announced at the beginning of the class that she had just gotten over being sick. We watched her touching the food with her bare hands and even though you have to wash your hands this still was a little upsetting. Then halfway through the class another girl left because she wasn't feeling well (also touched the shared food). A day later both my boyfriend and I got extremely sick. The frustrating part is that you cannot cancel or reschedule the class therefore people feel the need to show up sick or they are out $75.00. The part that was even more frustrating is I emailed the website about this and never received a reply. Overall the class was okay and the women who ran it were nice but the academy's policies on not being able to reschedule is unacceptable. read more

We had our granddaughter's 11th birthday party. Chef Chloe and Chef Miki did an amazing job with the kiddos. They allowed the adults to hang out while the kids were "cooking" their cake pops and cupcakes. We had 12 guest children for $425. We brought in our sandwiches and salads to feed the guests. It was WAY BETTER than Chuck e Cheese - even according to the kids! I think we spent about the same as we would have at one of those bouncy places. So glad we explored our options! read more

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I've taken quite a few cooking classes all over the world. This was the worst. 80 bucks and you mostly just watch. You get a few pieces of vegetables to cut up and that's it. But the consolation is that there's wine and good food, so it's basically a dinner party right? Not here! No wine - just water. I've never been to a cooking class that didn't include wine for adults. Plus it's just following a recipe - what are we paying for exactly? No skills taught. Try Hipcooks instead. They actually teach you some skills WITHOUT following a recipe. read more

My son really enjoys coming here and cooking. I love that they give the recipes after class to take home.

Came here as part of a work retreat. Super bad attempt at "teaching" how to make pasta. The food was inedible, tasted horrible. Bad attempt at Italian food. My grandpa would say "Pezzo di merda". The lady will also single you out if you are anything but white, asking you non-cooking related questions. I do not recommend this place or at least I wouldn't take it seriously. read more

We had a great date night here. The chefs were kind, patient and, funny. A lot of fun and we learned a bit too!

We came here for a birthday party for my 8 year old and the kids really loved it . The staff was very patient ( we had a rambunctious bunch) and remained professional . We signed up for the pizza making class , with a total of 12 kids . I do feel Like there could have been 1 more teacher helping, just to keep everyone more engaged . They set up my sons happy birthday on the fridge, Everything in the kitchen was neat and clean . All of the kids created their own chef hat in the beginning of the class before learning to make their own pizza , it was a really nice experience . I would recommend calling months in advance if you're looking for a specific date . I called on two seperate occasions to follow up with a call back I never received and found out the date that was available was now taken . Be persistent because if you call during a class they will have to call you back. I probably called a total of 5 times before I was able to completely book the party. This was discouraging and a bit frustrating and is why I am giving the 4/5 stars . A booking site would be ideal. Also, be sure to bring refreshments for the adults before hand and additional food. They provide a pitcher of juice for the kids and the kids only, so the kids as well as adults were pretty thirsty . As you could imagine 1 pitcher for 12 kids is somewhat laughable. We do appreciate that they let us bring in outside food and drinks. We did order pizza from an outside source as well because the small personal pizzas they provide the kids were pretty small . Overall we had a great experience and I would come back. Tip is not included in the price so be sure to have extra cash on hand to tip the instructors . They offer regular cooking classes for all ages during the week as well. read more

Bought a gift certificate for grand kids they loved it! I am sure it all depends on the teacher and their engagement, but this class was great.... read more

I was not impressed with last Monday's cooking class for kids. The chef was not engaging at all. Very stone faced. The dessert was done before the meat pie, so naturally the kids ate it all.When the meat pie was done no one was hungry. We were told that we could not take it home, so it was thrown out. I will not recommend this activity to anyone or bring any more grandkids there! Disappointed!!! read more

I have been there multiple times for different events and have bought classes as gifts , the knowledge and patience that you see experience is worth the class .. The detail and thought process is very detailed and Would recommend ... read more

We attended a Bahn Mi class. We were satisfied with the instruction given and enjoyed learning about the history of the dish. Chef Kat was interactive and great at managing the class. Where we are feeling disappointed was with the timing of the class. The class was listed as 5-7pm. We have a toddler and paid for a babysitter. By 7pm none of the food was ready. By 7:05, I mentioned that we needed to leave to relieve our babysitter and asked if the food could be plated "to-go" once it was ready so that we could at least eat the meal we paid for. I was told no, as it was policy that protein can't leave the building. That's fine as I know the chefs have no control over policy, but it was communicated somewhat passive aggressively and without an alternative solution for us. If we had left at 7 when we actually needed to and were told the class would be done by, we would have gotten zero food. At this point we are having to call our babysitter and starting to figure it out since it's now close to my son's bed time and he is at someone else's home. By 7:12 the meat portion comes out and me and my husband eat our sandwich in 3 minutes without all of the full toppings, as they're still being passed around. I was frustrated that I even had to ask if we could get our meat first. It would've been fine if either teacher had said something like, "We will make sure to plate you two first since you needed to leave 10 minutes ago." Truly just any acknowledgment would have been all we needed. I get that things happen and we are pretty understanding/not the complaining type. But it's super frustrating to spend $140 to cook a meal that you only get 1/3 of. The cookies weren't in the oven when we left (didn't even learn how to make them) and the drink was still being mixed as we walked out. The sandwich tasted amazing but the overall experience was poor unfortunately. Anyone with young children knows how hard it is to get out and have a date night. We were really looking forward to this and unfortunately it was very rushed and ended with us having to run to our car and race home. While I'm sure this is likely an isolated experience and I know the chefs are managing a lot during a class, the lack of acknowledgment and figuring out an alternative solution for us was disappointing and I don't feel that we got an experience worth $140. read more

My nephew is taking cooking classes. He loves it. I love watching him learn. The instructor interacts real well with the kids. I especially like how careful they are and instruct the kids on safety. I would highly recommend it. read more

Claremont Chefs Academy - The kids prepping their meal. - Cooking Schools Near Me - Claremont, California

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Love this company! They teach you how to cook in large or small groups while having fun. We had my daughters party here. She had a couple of friends in tow and they made a pizza. Chef Leslie and Rob made it fun! read more

I like going there to the cooking class. It was so much fun. The chef was very nice to us she help us a lot I will go do it again

My kids attended a birthday party here, and oh boy, is this place a gem! Great location, environment, active chef teachers to engage the student chefs, etc. I would recommend this place for kids 2+. read more

This place is amazing! The chefs are excellent instructors & fun too. They are extremely clean & organized. My daughters learned so much & had a great time. read more

Claremont Chefs Academy - They're making fettuccine pasta. - Cooking Schools Near Me - Claremont, California

I held my twins 9th birthday here after attending a birthday party here the year before. All the kids had the best time! Both chefs were great! They were attentive and supportive. They kept things moving and managed 15 kids very well. The ages varied from four to twelve but they all had a great time and loved their burgers and fries! I would totally recommend a birthday party here:)) read more

Our homeschool group attends classes here during the school day for culinary arts credit (and for fun). We're going on our 3rd year and the kids love it and have learned so much about cooking and kitchen skills. read more

The adult classes are fun! Part instruction and part hands-on, the teaching chefs walk through the recipe and share tips while class members share tasks to complete the meal. At the end of the instruction time the class eats what it prepared together. A fun date idea. My boyfriend and I had a great time. Chef Maria and Chef Yoli are sweet and knowledgeable. We have already signed up for our next class. Tip - you can bring wine or beer (or any beverage) to the adult classes. read more

This place is a hidden gem in Claremont and the greater IE. If you have not taken a class here for yourself or for your kids, you are missing out on a great experience. Chef Leslie and Rob can make a great recipe even for someone like myself who is not an experienced chef! Thank you for all time spent in your kitchen helping be learn how to be a better chef and giving me confidence!! read more

A gaggle of giggling girls, eyes aglow, focused on two good looking guys...this is the scene at Claremont Chef's Academy. Actually, these guys took it all in stride. This was obviously not their first girl's birthday party at the academy. One little girl, seated near the center, was the birthday girl. Her mom had arranged for a birthday party where the girls would come in and learn to make crepes. Aprons on, the guys (chefs/instructors) asked the girls to wash their hair. The girls looked puzzled. Then the girls laughed. Hands. They meant hands. Still giggling, they marched single file to the sink. The rest of the hour moved along with the instructors keeping the girls engaged in the cooking. Each girl had a chance to contribute to the recipe. In the end, they all got to eat what they made. It would have been even more fun if the girls were in smaller groups and got to be even more hands on. However, this was a short session, so perhaps the larger groups were necessary. For a finale, the chef/instructors brought around undecorated cupcakes and a few pastry bags of icing. Talk about getting the attention of this group of kiddos! Mostly, this is a fun place for a party. They also offer kids cooking courses regularly, which must be tons of fun for the kids. There is even a class for adults, though Claremont is too far away for me to think about it. read more

Claremont Chefs Academy - Master chef in training - Cooking Schools Near Me - Claremont, California

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My kids currently attend the kids cooking class. We've being trying to find small group activities during this time to keep the kids busy. The kids love the cooking classes and get to bring home yummy delicious treats for us to eat and look forward to every class. read more

I've been aware of this little business since its inception, but have never had the time to try out any of their classes until recently. Having been a small business owner in the area previously, I've had a handful of interactions with the owners over the years. Although curt in personality, I assumed this character flaw owed itself to the stressors of owning and managing a small business, and not reflective of the way the business is run overall. Boy, was I wrong. First of all, this review is for adult classes only. However, after this experience, I would never enroll my children in these classes. I expected that we would be learning actual techniques to help us as home cooks. This was more like a cooking improv class in the sense that everyone got a few opportunities to...measure the ingredients for the recipe that Chef Leslie created (she went to Le Cordon Bleu is a fact mentioned several times) with no insight as to the origin, ingredient decisions, or even optional deviations. This would be standard in a "real" cooking class. I can't figure it out. It's as if adults no longer maintain basic life skills. The facilitator of the class actually admitted at some point that she and her partner have no culinary background. Amazing. If you don't know anything about cooking and/or just want to offload your kids for a couple of hours each week, go for it. Don't say I didn't warn you! read more

We take our son there every once in a while for lovethemall special needs nights. They are VERY accommodating with his dietary needs and social needs as well. We love it here! read more

We celebrated my daughter's 8th birthday here and it was a hit! Very well organized, very professional and the kids had a blast. It's a great idea and we are looking into classes! Keep up the great job!! read more

My kids took classes from January-May 2016. I always stayed to observe each class, so I've noticed many things, most parents just drop off. I will give my honest review, based on months of my unbiased observations. The only reason we stayed through May is it was prepaid through our charter school. (Also, after March if we cancelled any purchase orders, the funds could not be re appropriated to another class so we would just lose this funding). My kids, age 8 & 10 were excited for class, eager to learn and try new things and always did the homework. Over the course of 5 months, they helped prep many items that were cooked for them. Unfortunately, they would like a class that is more hands on, rather than being given a piece of onion, meat, veggie, etc to chop up or an item to measure. While the instructors give information on how things are cooked or prepared, the children really only get to cut, measure, add or stir, which may be okay for a little one but for older children or adults, it's quite disappointing. One reason this may be so, they have not stove tops in their kitchen, only crock pots, electric griddle or oven. On to the instruction, while Chef Leslie tends to be more upbeat with the younger children, I've definitely witnessed her snap at them on more than just a few occasions. On one occasion, "Weren't you listening when I said to scrape your ice cream scooper on the side of the container to flatten it? We need to have enough for our next class!" We all pay good money for the class and there should be more than enough ingredients with the 12 plus children in each class, or they should be scooping for them if that's the case. On other occasions, she's scolded for spilling a small amount of ingredient on the floor (which should be expected with kids). She has directly said, "Chef Leslie doesn't like to clean the floor!" (Other reviews have noted the cleanliness and there is some validity to their claims). Other times, while explaining an onion's structure, she related the top to the North Pole and bottom to the South Pole, then asked, "Who lives at the North Pole?" She was upset when one child started in with Santa not being in existence. Poor child was set up! I've heard, "This is Hoisin (hoy-sin) not to be confused with poison." Me, "It's actually pronounced hoy-seen." She also had rules on how often they were allowed to wash their hands. Sometimes they would be sticky and smelly with garlic but weren't allowed to wash. Kids were also scolded for speaking to each other when no instruction was going on but the chef had her back turned to the class cooking. The kids were instructed to run their finger down the knife to clean off the stuck ingredients. This is not a good practice. These are just a few examples and they weren't my kids who were disobeying the rules or having bad manners. I'd like to add, we very rarely miss class, (2 times during the 5 mos. due to school testing). We cleared this in advance with Robert and he stated it would be no problem to take a make up class if we let him know the week of. About 3 months in, a note was stapled to the kid's papers saying they changed their policy and would no longer offer make ups. I asked since I had cleared these for May when we signed up. Leslie said it wouldn't be a problem since we cleared it ahead. When it came to the week of, she told us sorry, there's nothing available. All in all, my kids who are adventurous eaters of all things, with great palettes, they were very disappointed that the recipes they cooked in class weren't authentic and didn't taste like they should (especially the Asian foods), everything lacked flavor. They didn't learn anything but food prep, stirring, and ingredient rationing, which you don't need a class for. There is definitely room for improvement; revise your recipes, add flavor, let the kids do more hands on and actual cooking and please, please clean your kitchens. Chef Chris seems really nice and the kids said the food taste improved while he taught. I wish him the best of luck! If you want to learn from a real chef, try Le Gourmet Culinary in Orange. P.S. If you are trying to instill healthy eating habits, please don't offer a candy dish for kids who try new things or do their homework. It's counterproductive! read more

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Went to a class here. The instructors were fun and knowledgeable. We had a great time and will return for another class soon. read more

Claremont Chefs Academy - Went here for a class. This is the coffee and chocolate braised short ribs with mashed potatoes and spinach salad. It was delicious. - Cooking Schools Near Me - Claremont, California

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My husband and I had the BEST time at the Tamale workshop taught by Maria and Yoli. My husband has been trying to recreate his mother's tamales for years and sadly she's not with us to help. Anyway, Maria and Yoli gave us so many wonderful tips to help us in our quest. Our tamales came out wonderfully tasty and so much easier to make using their tips. THANKS FOR A GREAT CLASS!!! read more

Chefs Maria, Yoli, and their assistant did a great job in the enchilada class I attended tonight with my boyfriend. The class was set up to work as a team/family, where we contribute in almost assembly line fashion to a single family-size meal for all of us to enjoy together. The family-size meal consisted of two delicious red and green enchilada dishes and a Caesar salad. When I enrolled in the class I didn't get the connection between Caesar salad and enchiladas but I learned from the chefs that Caesar salad originated in Mexico (among many other things). I would attend another class with the three ladies in the future. They helped to ensure our meal didn't fail while providing interesting facts and cooking techniques. read more

Claremont Chefs Academy - The enchilada class for adults - Cooking Schools Near Me - Claremont, California

Today we celebrated my special needs daughter's 18th birthday here. And her friends had an absolute ball at this facility. The staff was fantastic and the location is perfect. I highly recommend this store. Special thank you to the staff for putting on a wonderful party for my daughter thank you. read more

Claremont Chefs Academy - Cooking Schools Near Me - Claremont, California