Too expensive on most things. But very accommodating in others…read more In Rome "Barbara's House" was an excellent experience booked through Table Less Traveled. It's a must do, Dinner and drinks included.

Much as I'd like to post a positive review, my experience with the Gyoza class was disappointing…read more Although I've been cooking for decades and have attended many cooking schools, the time spent on this class was not worthwhile. I had considerable difficulty understanding the teacher. More surprising, however, was my discovery of a YouTube video that clearly explained all the elements that apparently were covered in the class. That video took only 15 minutes. I will try another and have my fingers crossed.

Came here for a team event. After a heavy day of fiery debate and hacking, I wasn't sure if I was…read morein the mood for more feverish competitive activity with the same people but I was quite wrong and a good time was had! Just make sure you save some patience for figuring out the parking, especially in the summer days when you have to dodge kids in swimsuits. The event we did was essentially an Iron Chef-style competition, but we first had a happy hour of charcuterie cheese and fruit and an open bar (although the line for cocktails was a bit backlogged). We were divided into two groups with an assigned chef each to coach us through a 90 minute cooking session to come up with a meal plan consisting of our designated protein (my team got Salmon and the other team got chicken), 2 vegetarian sides, and a dessert. We had nearly access to a seemingly infinite amount ingredients to work with, but not all! Some ingredients even came from the garden outside but mostly the pantry is well stocked with so many different herbs, spices, cheeses, sauces, etc. Not to mention all kinds of kitchen equipment. We feared 90 minutes wouldn't be enough but it seemed to be just enough time without feeling too harried to brainstorm and come up with a plan, split up and prepare various dishes, plate for the judge as well as each other (to eat buffet style after the presentation). Each group selected a presenter to talk through the dishes and then we went to the main dining area to partake in each others' creations - with more drinks! The staff who judged the dishes had a lot of goodness to say about all the creations and the winning team got bragging rights and a blue mug. We dined right on Lake Union by huge windows such that it felt like the event turned into a fancy dinner cruise from there. All in all it was a great event and a great opportunity to connect.

My 13 year old daughter did a week of summer camp here and LOVED IT. She's pretty shy and tends to…read moreget anxious about trying new things, so I was worried that she wouldn't like the cooking camp but I was blown away at 1) the fun she had every single day, 2) the skills and concepts that were taught to her in a way that kids could comprehend, and 3) the dishes she made. The summer camps are a little pricey but I think was worth it, because the kids not only get to cook and eat good food but they also went home with their own apron, knife, and digital recipe book! My daughter now has more passion and confidence to cook independently. Highly recommend!

My son took a single day cooking class over spring break and had an absolute blast! The staff was…read moreso friendly--my son, 4, can sometimes have a hard time separating at drop off, but the staff immediately grabbed his attention and showed him around the kitchen. The class made ice cream but, since he only went the one day, he didn't get to eat it. Well, we stopped by the next day and asked if he could get a scoop. They not only got him a scoop, but they remembered him by name. Highly recommend for a kid who enjoys being in the kitchen.

I DO NOT recommend the summer camp for young kids at this place…read more They left my 3 year old crying hard unattended when I went back early to pick him up. It was heartbroken when I see that. When I complained, the instructor blaming on me for being seen outside by my son. I don't blame them for not having a fun program to engage my kid. The point is, for whatever reason, there's no excuse to leave a 3 year old crying and by himself. This instructor there is just not qualified enough to handle young kids. The program itself is overpriced. They spend 40 minutes letting kids coloring. The 'Lunch' they provided was waffle with syrup. And morning dessert is cinnamon roll. Other days there are brownie, mac n cheese. High carb and sugary food. The space is way too small for young kids to stay for 3 hours inside.

This week I attended my first classes with chef Laurie and I learned so much. The classes are in…read morepreparations to open a tea house at my existing business Apple Country Inn, Wenatchee,Wa. Some of the pastries we created were fruit tarts, chocolate genache filled tarts, maple pastry cream topped with roasted apples. On the savory side were chard, leek and blue cheese hand pies and mini quiches! An excellent start and I can't wait to return. I'm so pleased I have opted to take additional classes that Chef Laurie is teaching in the Edmonds area. Chef Laurie is an great teacher and very knowledgeable in the field as well!

I've always loved baking bread, but it was never consistent from loaf to loaf until I took a break…read morebaking class with Laurie. The hands on instructions and tips she gave me were priceless... and I get more compliments on my homemade bread now than ever before. I highly recommend taking a class with Laurie. She is a patient teacher and gives you the confidence to feel like a pro in the kitchen!

I was very disappointed and shocked for the lack of teaching in my son's cooking camp last summer…read moreat their Redmond Location. . There were so many kids and few teachers! My son didn't learn anything and had very little supervision. Kids with special needs were thrown in the class full of other older students and lacked attention and support. This placed was waayyy overpriced for such a poor run camp. I do not recommend it for kids younger than 8.

Stopped in this weekend and the shop is super cute, love the selection of Meri Meri products. I…read moreordered two cookies and a cake pop from the worker behind the counter who was involved in some other prep while I was browsing. When she got my items she just, grabbed the cookies and my cake pop with her bare hands. Didn't wash between her prep work and grabbing the food. No hand sani. No gloves. No tongs. Not even a spatula (at a culinary school, mind you!). I was too stunned to speak. Ha. I've worked in service and know that chefs often cook without gloves, but homegirl wasn't behind the line--she was handling merchandise, possibly cash, and then my food :( Aside from that, the cookie was a B+. Yes I know, I ate it. While I dislike poor food handling, I hate wasting food even more.

Lesa is an absolute gem. We hired her while my Dad was going through cancer treatment and dying…read more He had major swallow problems and eating was an enormous challenge and massive shift in his quality of life. I found Lesa through yelp and she stepped in flawlessly to lift us all up during a very difficult period. Her professionalism and skill were outstanding and her food is easily above restaurant quality. She delivered us fresh meals that were easy to store and prepare and met our plethora of special needs while also tasting top of class. I cannot put into words how valuable her work and contributions were to us and how good she is at what she does. She is worth every penny and more. I only wish we had found her sooner. Give her a try, you will be glad you did.

Lesa makes cooking classes fun, easy to follow, and most importantly delicious!! She is very…read moreinteractive with the attendees and incredibly knowledgeable about the food. She explains where it originates from, can discuss the history of the culture from which she is sharing all while whipping up a very tasty food. She goes out of her way to utilize fresh local ingredients and is very familiar with cooking for many different types of people, specifically those with food allergies. She makes cooking fun!

We reached out to Laura for a private chef for our son's wedding dinner. We had a zoom meeting with…read moreLaura to go over some of the details and start a menu, that went very well. Chef Michael then organize the menu with my son and his fiancé. Chef Michael showed up and started his prep, he was very professional and approachable. His organization in the kitchen was amazing. We had 10 adults and three grandchildren at the tables. Chef Michael treated the kids with respect and described each dish as it came out. We had five appetizers, a couple salads, and the main with two sides. Everything was exceptional, we are still talking about it. We will remember this meal forever. Chef Michael packed up leftovers, and clean the kitchen immaculately. We couldn't be any happier with the service and the food that we received. The grandkids favorite course was the grilled octopus, amazing! We would definitely recommend and would do this again in a heartbeat. Thanks to Laura and Chef Michael

Chef Laura catered our small, family-style wedding brunch at a private residence…read more From start to finish the process was easy and efficient. The menu selection/communication beforehand was great and I made last minute changes to plans that were easily accommodated. Setup and cleanup were fully taken care of and it was a seamless process that made my wife and I's wedding that much better. Finally, the food was incredible and there were plenty of leftovers. I'd recommend Honest to Goodness and Chef Laura to anyone.

Great mushroom forage 101 for the beginner! Will definitely recommend to friends in the area!read more

If someone had told me a year ago that I'd spend 2 hours and 15 minutes on a cold November morning…read morewillingly learning about mushroom identification and foraging, I would have laughed... and yet here we are. This experience with Forage Seattle (booked through Airbnb Experiences) was the perfect blend of education and exploration, and our guide Vassilissa made what could have been a dry lecture into a genuinely engaging forest adventure. We arrived promptly at 9:30am on November 9th at Bridle Trails State Park (you'll need a Discover Pass to park, which costs $45 annually). The Google Maps pin was accurate, and the only minor hiccup was that the portable restroom was being serviced that morning - so plan accordingly. Our group of seven joined four other participants, making it an intimate 11-person experience that still felt personal and interactive. What struck me immediately was how knowledgeable Vassilissa was - until she casually mentioned (at the very end!) that she was relatively new to guiding, we would have NEVER known. She demonstrated her expertise through every identification, every answer to our random questions, and every teaching moment when we stumbled upon something unexpected.We spent the first hour at the picnic tables. The setup was beautiful - black tablecloths, mushroom identification guides, jars of foraged specimens, and all the tools we'd need spread before us. She walked us through essential safety tips (the most memorable being "when in doubt, throw it out"). We learned about the seasonality of mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest (you can forage 10 months out of the year!), how to identify a mushroom by examining the cap, stem, and gills/pores, and how to use the specialized foraging knife with its curved brush. She explained each tool: the perforated basket (to redistribute spores as you walk), the UV flashlight (which she demonstrated on fluorescent mushrooms - SO cool), the lighter (for the maple syrup smell on candy cap mushrooms), and the identification guide.One of my favourite revelations? The mushroom emoji is actually a poisonous mushroom (Amanita muscaria). Who knew?! After our classroom session, we crossed into Bridle Trails State Park's forested trails. Vassilissa explained what to look for when hunting edible mushrooms: ideal conditions, the importance of "duff" (that thick layer of decomposing organic matter on the forest floor), and how to identify both edible and inedible specimens. We got INCREDIBLY lucky with the weather - a dry, sunny fall day that was cold but not uncomfortably chilly. Fun fact: if the forest is more than 50 percent red cedar, you won't find edible mushrooms! We primarily hunted for chanterelles but also found Zellers bolete mushrooms along the trail. While our collective bounty wasn't massive (each person walked away with a handful), the process of learning to spot them was incredibly satisfying. Every time someone found a mushroom, Vassilissa would get visibly excited and turn it into a teaching moment - examining characteristics, explaining what made it identifiable, and sharing fascinating facts. One memorable moment was when Vassilissa offered us homemade reishi tea that she'd brewed from mushrooms she personally foraged. The earthy, slightly bitter taste was fascinating (and apparently packed with immune-boosting properties).Beyond the practical skills, I learned genuinely surprising things. Did you know that ANY dog can be trained to be a truffle dog (chihuahuas and Burmese mountain dogs were examples)? Vassilissa's approach meant we could ask random questions and she'd thoughtfully explain her perspective (she's a self-proclaimed plucker!). The experience felt less like an educational lecture and more like a fun field trip with an enthusiastic friend who happens to know EVERYTHING about fungi. That's the magic of good teaching - you don't even realize how much you're absorbing because you're genuinely engaged. After foraging, we headed back where Vassilissa shared information about group trips, foraging permit requirements, and the best PNW spots (Mount Rainier but NOT the North Cascades!). She demonstrated how to properly clean mushrooms. As a parting gift, we each received a goody bag of cultivated King Oyster mushrooms grown in Seattle. There was also an opportunity to purchase the Opinel foraging knife or the tabbed identification book. We were complete beginners, and Vassilissa met us exactly where we were with patience and enthusiasm. If you've ever been curious about mushroom foraging, or you're looking for a unique outdoor activity that combines education with gentle adventure, Forage Seattle delivers in every possible way. Just bring your curiosity (and maybe use the restroom before you arrive).