Our cooking class with Sam was amazing!! So much fun and the food was excellent!! Would highly…read morerecommend!!

I attended a cooking class with Samantha in Carnegie (#hungryfortime), and it was a wonderful…read moreexperience. She was so friendly, and was prepared in advance for our arrival. We made fresh butter, bleu cheese dressing, filet mignon, carmelized onion potatoes, chocolate mousse with berries, etc. Everything was absolutely delicious! We had so much fun. I would highly recommend attending one of her cooking classes, catering, or ordering prepared meals from her. Great for date night! Thanks again, Samantha. Judy

To preface this review, I reached out to Toni via email provided for my class 5 days ago in an…read moreattempts to have them make this situation right before posting this review, but I have received no answer. I recently attended a couples night cooking class on January 10, 2026. This was a gift to my partner from me for his birthday, as I was hoping we could learn to cook together more efficiently as a couple. I wanted to bring it to the school's attention that this class in no way met my expectations. There was very little, if any, cooking demonstration. We were given a packet of recipes and rapid fire verbal instruction at the beginning of class. When I asked for recipe clarification, I was given instruction that did not at all match what the recipe was suggesting. The food all turned out fine for my group, but I didn't even take the recipes home with me because there were so many missing pieces I was worried I wouldn't be able to recreate it with those instructions. There was very little prep work done for us, which I could understand if there was more focus on prep cooking such as knife skills, marinating/seasoning, etc. but there wasn't. So we were scrambling around a kitchen foreign to us looking for ingredients that sometimes just weren't there; for example: brandy for our Coq A Vin. I bring this to your attention for a safety perspective as well, just telling people to "begin" and work rather independently without instruction leaves room for accidents with knifes and cutting tools as well as food safety such as reusing cutting boards that may be contaminated. These are all beginner mistakes that could be made in a cooking class that I was hyper aware of, as I quickly noticed we were not being closely enough observed for quality control. Additionally, there is a distinct lack of communication leading up to the class. No information on suggestions on where to park, a suggestion to eat something before you come to class because we didn't get to eat anything until 9pm on a Saturday night. I hope that there can be changes made in the future. I'd like to note that our instructor was very kind, otherwise this would be a one star review, but she just seemed overwhelmed and needed more help to give us the attention we all needed throughout the class. I think she is a very qualified chef, just unable to lead a large group through a complex menu.

Gaynor's School of cooking holds a special place in my heart. My wife and I did a couple's night…read morehere the day before we got engaged, and it was the perfect start to a memorable weekend. Even for a casual couple's night, Gaynor still taught me some tips and tricks that I use today in the kitchen. Recently, I have participated in the Art of Fine Cooking Series I, and currently, I am completing series II! Wow! What an incredible experience with GREAT teaching and great food! I've learned how to flambe, to braise vegetables and meats, to make crepes, to make vinaigrettes and homemade stock from chicken bones and veggie scraps, to spatchcock and roast chicken, to bake souffles and clafoutis, to broil meat, to poach seafood eggs, and different knife skills. Aliyah is the teacher, and she is phenomenal. Patient, knowledgeable, genuine, and passionate! She answers every question and gives great tips and tricks for cooking. She even asks what we want to work on and then adds recipes into the next week's lesson so we can practice. She is going to help me make an olive oil cake! Each class starts with some charcuterie and cheese and an overview of what we are making, background about techniques and ingredients, and a share out about what we made in the past week. After this, we begin the cooking. Members of the class divide and conquer the tasks, taste each other's food, and enjoy some tunes while we cook under the watchful and helpful eye of our teacher. After the cooking, the food is plated, and we feast...with some good wine! I am so grateful to have found this series! I have learned so much! It is a highlight of my week every single week.

I had the pleasure of having a wonderful evening with a tasting menu with Private Chef Frank near…read morePittsburgh recently. He had a wide variety of choices of meats, salads, vegetables, desserts, etc. I was blown away by how delicious his foods were and the presentation. The ingredients were high quality and flavors were phenomenal. He has a great personality as well. He would be excellent to hire for a small group party, a large business event, a girl's night at a friend's house, etc. He charges roughly $125 per person for the experience we had. Completely worth it and I can't wait to hire him to host a friend group at my new house in the future. He is the only certified private chef in the Pittsburgh area. It was a fabulous night!

I have used Chef Frank multiple times for private dinner parties at my house. He consistently…read moreprovides superior dishes that my guests love. His steak and crab cakes are amazing! Chef Frank is very easy to work with and is very adaptable to your menu and any dietary restrictions. He is very prepared and does a full clean up as well. I would highly recommend using him for any private dinners!

Sam catered our Spring wedding and made ALL of our wacky dining dreams come true…read more We wanted family style - she did it. We wanted, tiny crab cake tacos, charcuterie, salad, filet, fried chicken and waffles, beans & greens, baguettes from a specific bakery - and queso the way we remember it from our days in Texas....no problem! Food was DELICIOUS. Maybe we over-ordered... but no one was left hungry. More importantly, the planning process with Sam was the least stressful experience of planning the entire event. The woman has a sense of calm when she enters a room...I couldn't imagine her not being there.

Can't recommend highly enough!…read more Samantha came over to an airbnb where a large group was staying and made dinner each night. She was very easy to work with: professional, always responded quickly, had lots of good ideas. The food was excellent (and accommodated some vegan and gluten free eaters) and she always left the kitchen clean.

Palate Partners has become one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh. Located in the Strip District…read moreright across the street from Penn Mac, Palate Partners has a wide range of wine and wine merchandise for sale. Note, due to the archaic PA liquor control laws, you can't buy wine and take it with you the day you buy it. Instead, you have to wait two days to pick it up. However, they have wines that are not available at the PCLB stores and the wine merchandise makes for great and reasonably priced gifts. Most importantly, Palate Partners holds wine tastings every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. For $12, tasters get to sample three whites and three reds selected by the store owner. These wine tastings are a great way to try new wines as well as a way to decompress and socialize on a Friday after work.

This is a great find for wine enthusiasts. Located in the Strip district this place is a great…read moreexcuse to stay after work or to head downtown for an early evening event. The store itself is filled with wine related items available for purchase. I highly recommend the holiday themed wine glass koosies they make for a great conversation starter at a party. The only downfall and it is not their fault but PA laws will not allow them to sell you wine to leave with that day. You have to come back in a few days. Palate Partners also host wine tasting events a couple of times a month and I highly recommend them. The host wine tasting classes the first and third Fridays of every month. They usually pick wines that people would not normally choose themselves when at the W&S store. They sample three reds and three whites. It is relatively inexpensive but a great introduction to wine tasting. If you are looking for a gift for a friend/family member who enjoys wine this is a great stop.

We did a pasta-making with chef Alekka, and we had so much fun! She was insightful and engaging…read more She taught and entertained. We ate well and went home with fresh pasta!! Her kitchen is a cozy place in Carrick. The charm matches the energy of the chef. Her Sous chef Katrina was phenomenal, as well. Definitely recommend checking out for a date night!

Chef Alekka was INCREDIBLE! She was a wealth of knowledge, so much fun, and the food was absolutely…read moreincredible. We booked a group cooking class for pasta making, and had such a great time. We cannot wait to do something with her again!

Ezra was an incredible chef and provided the best experience! The food was outstanding and he went…read moreabove and beyond with every little detail. This was my first experience with having an at home chef and I am so happy we did it! Please do not hesitate and hire him for your next special dinner.

From the owner: As a private chef, I use my experience and knowledge to create personal, lifelong memories for my…read moreclients through food. I believe food must first and foremost be delicious and nutritious, and once that is accomplished, it sets the stage to create unforgettable moments in life to be cherished with loved ones.

Ryan Arts Center is a gem in the heart of McKees Rocks, and every community could only be as…read morefortunate as this one to have such a wonderful place to learn, grow, and explore their creativity! Jennifer was extremely helpful in providing information to my boyfriend and I since last night was our first time being here. I can say with confidence that it certainly won't be our last. Kevin Mosely was a speaker featured at Ryan Arts last night and he was speaking on Black history and his experiences as an activist. We started out socializing in the art gallery, which at the time was featuring art for the African American Celebration of the Arts. You could even vote for your favorite to be in the running to win a prize, but all the art was so incredible it's been tough to pick a favorite! The gallery had such a cozy feel to it that it almost felt like I was somewhere I'd been many times before. They had small bites of fruit, veggies, cheese and meat for guests to snack on, and even a few desserts. There was a table with some wine on it if you preferred something to sip on before Kevin took the stage for the night. Soon enough we headed into the auditorium, which was nice and spacious. After Kevin finished answering questions from the crowd, we were welcomed back into the gallery to take pictures and speak with him before we left. Jennifer gave us 2 packets of information on upcoming programs such as yoga, cooking classes, etc. She gave us 2 so I could share with a friend of mine that just moved to the McKees Rocks area which was super nice of her! From the outside it's hard to tell how big this place is, but it has the gallery, auditorium, ceramics studio, kitchen, area for painting, reading, and more. There is something for everyone here regardless of your age and artistic ability, and I can't begin to explain how welcomed we felt during our first visit. Can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the year!

This is far more than a typical venue to see live performances or art exhibits. It's a place that…read moreallows a community to come together through art and music. Several programs and classes are available. There's a coffee shop where proceeds go back into centre. Part of FOR, also known as For Our Renewal which is a community initiative that has been a part of the McKeesRocks landscape for years. In addition to Ryan's they have a senior center, health center and more. Ryan's allows children to cultivate talents through dance, painting and more. A vital part of life in the Rocks.

went for the lawn spike class. I loved it. such nice…read morepeople. I've done a pumpkin, a wine glass, and now the lawn thing. I think it will be a great addition to my flower bed.

On July 31st, my boyfriend and I booked a glass blowing session for 2 people on September 30th at…read more3:30 pm. It was something we have always wanted to do, but it always sold out before we had the chance to. As the glass blowing experience approached, I took the day off work and we coordinated an entire day around the session. We were very excited to go. On September 27th, we received our confirmation email reminding us of our upcoming session. On September 29th at 3:07 pm, we received an automatic cancellation email that our appointment had been cancelled and we needed to reschedule. The email provided no explanation for the cancellation. There was no additional email sent and no contact attempted by phone. Confused, my boyfriend tried the number provided and left a message. He also sent a Facebook message. Concerned, I called the company as well and after 2 calls, reached Janine (spelling?). She explained that they didn't receive the glass supplies needed for the session and that they were cancelling all sessions on Saturday and all sessions on Sunday. I asked if they were going to reschedule or offer an additional session for those who have already signed up. I was informed that I could reschedule after January 1st, 2018 because the rest of the pumpkin workshops were booked. I mentioned that a glass pumpkin wouldn't really do me much good in January and she agreed. I asked if we could come another time instead. She told me that she would speak with the guys who run the workshops and call me back. She didn't seem concerned and it was like she was caught off guard by my questions. On October 4th, I still hadn't heard back. I called the company again and left a voicemail for Janine asking for a return call. Today is October 10th. I just attempted to reach Janine again and it went to her voicemail. I left another message, but it's been 11 days since our first conversation. I don't have high hopes that she will call me back. I understand that things happen. I'm not sure why supplies weren't ordered ahead of time (since we booked 2+ months prior and they had already had a weekend of workshops), but even then I can understand that it might have been out of their control. I'm not an expert in glass supplies, but I would imagine that there has to be more than 1 supplier. All of that aside, there is absolutely no excuse for how it has been handled. I would expect a phone call or email explanation for the cancellation. As a customer, I shouldn't have to make numerous attempts to find out if it was cancelled intentionally or in error. When called, I would expect that a business do everything it can to accommodate those that were cancelled. An additional session could have been opened for those who were still interested in attending a workshop. Ironically, Vessel Studio Glass has a 48 hour cancellation policy in which you will forfeit 100% of your session fee if you cancel within 48 hours of your appointment. They provided only 24 hour cancellation notice to us and were not apologetic in any way. They also did absolutely nothing to try and make it right. I am extremely disappointed with my experience and wish that we would have had the opportunity to attend the workshop that we signed up for.