I already cook at home, so, chopping/peeling carrots and frying up small pieces of appetizers was like being at home. But I came for a team building function and connected with the folks I work with. Together in sweet harmony, we cooked up a plate of potato, beets, & carrot pancakes. We had other teams making different dishes and when we all finished, we had a presentation throw down. Prettiest plate wins a prize. I thought our team had the prettiest plate but another team took the prize - boo hoo. Instructors were very helpful and nice. The working kitchen was amazing, wish I could have a similar scaled down setup for my own home! I know I can make this dish again but it was a lot of ingridients and too much prep work. So, I probably won't make it again. They provide you with endless wine and water. And you get a glass of bubbly at the beginning of the class. Good experience. Nice place. Beautiful area. Wonderful staff! Plenty of parking. Good place to host a special event like a wedding/birthday/anniversary. read more

Fabulous experience here today with our little family of 7 on Easter Sunday for brunch! We brought all four kids (from 11 to 22) and the mom-in-law for an Easter "station" buffet brunch. We arrived about 10 minutes before the doors opened for our seating at 12:30. We only had to wait about 5-10 minutes before we were ushered into the big dining area - and the four adults were greeted with nice mimosas. Our table was comfortable and within 90 seconds, all the kids and adults scattered - going to the various stations for omelettes, waffles, bagels and lox, seafood, quiche/biscuits & gravy, and prime rib and pork loin carving stations. The food was lovely and nicely presented. The cute bunnies in the centerpieces and the festive nature of the decor, made it very charming. Coffee was very good and the bar (& the food stations) never got overly-crowded. The kids loved getting their own plates of food of their choosing - I mean who doesn't love having a hundred+ delicious-looking choices laid out before you. (My favorite of the day was the homemade potato hash with peas and the delicious pork loin which I loved dipping in the prime rib's creamy horseradish sauce.) The desert and the fruit tables were a hit too... We saw many plates of watermelon and jellybeans coming back to our table (our junior high schoolers) and we had to laugh, because our kids were just totally having the best time. Cheers to the staff at Ramekins for killing it today - great job!!! Fab event! We will totally be back! read more

Ramekins Culinary School, Events & Inn - Totally cute festive Easter touches everywhere! - Cooking Schools Near Me - Sonoma, California

This was the second time I worked with Ramekins to cater an event, and it definitely won't be the last. We recently hosted a wine tasting in Cornerstone Sonoma's magical garden & barn. Each of the wines poured (from bubbles to Pinot to Malbec) was beautifully paired with a mouthwatering bite. Our gourmet goodies included: Sonoma Fig with gorgonzola and crispy prosciuotto; "Pig on a Blanket" (crispy pork belly, apple butter, pickled veggies); watermelon cube (topped with Laura Chenal Chevre, mint, Maldon salt, and jalapeno simple syrup); and Duck Fat Financier (served with Crescenza and stonefruit compote). Pretty fancy, huh? Not only was each bite elegantly presented, it was damn delicious! And there was plenty of food to go around for our group of 40. The Ramekins representative made sure to keep replenishing the platters in a timely manner. After all, there's nothing more unappetizing than an empty plate. All in all, Ramekins' Catering hit it out of the park again. I love working with them, and look forward to working with them on more wine tasting events in the future! read more

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A large group of us descended upon Ramekins for a cooking class as part of a week long series of work meetings. It was nice to have one day dedicated to fun! Because our group was so large - we did not get the opportunity for each of us to get to prepare all parts of the meal - logistically, it just was not possible. Rather than dwell on that - I greatly enjoyed working with Susan - one of their Instructor Chefs. Our group prepared the salad course for the lunch we were preparing for our entire group. Susan was sweet and helpful and a lot of fun! I learned a few knife techniques for segmenting oranges and cutting onions that I did not know beforehand. After our group completed it's assigned tasks - we adjourned to the outdoor courtyard to drink wine and enjoy ourselves as we awaited the rest of our group to complete their culinary tasks. We had an amazing lunch! Everything was so damn good! We had three appetizers, then the salad course, then the main lunch course - which consisted of Pork Medallions with a Tart Cherry Port Sauce, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Herbs and Garlic, and Roasted Vegetables (Carrots, Fennel, Onions, Mushrooms, and Green Beans). Dessert was a Chocolate Truffle Cake with a Caramel sauce. Fabulously delicious! What a lunch! And such an enjoyable day! Would love to come back in a much smaller group and get to prepare more of the meal! read more

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My favorite wine country b&b. The beds are comfy, the rooms are huge and lux, and the breakfast is delicious. They've got the best trail mix in the bedrooms. When I tried to purchase more, Sergio gifted us with another bag. He gave my husband suggestions on things to do. Overall, our stay was restful and highly enjoyable. read more

Wow! We had an amazing night! Chef Julie was great! I had never done a cooking class like that before. My 9 year old son would love this for his birthday party. This class is a must do!! I loved every minute!!! Food was amazing and the wine was good read more

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I absolutely loved my experience at Ramekins!!!! I received a cooking class a gift and it was absolutely fabulous! Having visited France a couple of years back, I absolutely fell in love with macarons. Well we had a French chef, Chef Isabelle trained in France at Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie, the leading pastry school and she is who taught us how to make macarons!!!! Although I still need practice, I am sure that I am now capable of making them! The facility is nice and all of the materials are there for you! The staff (all of the chefs) were extremely nice and helpful! We made three types of macarons. During one of the transitions we were even treated to a small charcuterie board. I only wished that there was a bit more prosciutto on the tray. :-) AND some tasty Prosecco. I will definitely be back to take another class and maybe host an event! read more

What a beautiful culinary school . We have stayed over night a few times , rooms are stunning & the beds so comfy . Walking distance to downtown . The continental breakfast is wonderful , homemade yogurt, so creamy & tasty nutty granola . Fresh fruit , amazing pastries . Attended a few functions here , totally awesome . Took a bread making class here , and again , so impressed . The chef / instructor, Michael Kalanty , very good & humorous. He and his assistants , so helpful and kind . Bread making presented in a comprehensive and not intimidating way . I am Just having a roll we made , w a cappuccino, and I am so pleased , yum yum !! Made cheese knots , I tried yesterday , wow ! We all brought some dough home , going to try those knots again & see if I got the hang of it . I am totally going to take more classes & want to learn sourdough & pizza with MK . I do recommend this lovely school , B & B Confidently . And those spec events , so worth it . Love the shop the owners also have , Chateau Sonoma, at Cornerstone. Beautiful . Check it out !!! read more

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First, the obvious: This place is lovely. It's decorated with that elegant wine country flair that makes me want to hold a long-stemmed glass of cab and sample goat cheese, carmelized onions, and port-roasted pork, all of which I got to do. Second: I got to do all of this on someone else's dime (always good), at a corporate team-building cooking "class". Having taken cooking classes at San Francisco's Tante Marie I've learned it's important to introduce the recipes, what they entail (learnings), and the ingredients. It's then a good idea to organize people according to what they would like to make/learn. Instead, Ramekins released 20 of us into the kitchen and let us find our way to the station/recipe that interested us most, based on no previous discussion. I found myself working on a carmelized goat cheese tart, only to learn that my task was pure assembly, and no actual preparation. Puff pastry? Pre-prepared. Potatoes? Pre-boiled and pre-salted. Carmelized onions? Pre-prepared. Really??!! Goat cheese? Pre-measured. Not much learning happening on this shift. I understand the time restraints imposed when there's a large group and the end-goal is a sit-down, multi-course lunch with wine and champagne, but I'd be hard-pressed to call what I did here a cooking class or lesson. It was a corporate team-building event with a little food preparation and an excellent meal. (Total cost, I hear, was $4000 which works out to $200 per person in our group). It was a very nice way to spend a day, just not quite what I'd been expecting. read more

I've always wanted to take a cooking class, just for fun. And lucky for me, my bf is all for trying new things together (he's been interested in taking one, too). We signed up for the Braises and Stews hands-on cooking class which consisted of a very hearty menu - lamb and bacon stew, chicken "cocoa" vin (a play on coq au vin), old fashion pot roast, and chocolate chip pecan icebox cookies. Not a very exciting menu, but it involved doing the things that we both love - cooking, baking, and eating! The 3-hour class started with brief introductions and rules of the kitchen: always wash your hands; no double dipping of your tasting spoon; if you accidentally drop a knife, don't try to catch it (this rule will come into play later). Then we were split into groups and each group was assigned a dish. Bummer! I was hoping that we would cook every dish, but in the end I'm glad we didn't because the class would have lasted longer than 3 hours. Plus, all the dishes required so much prep work (chopping, peeling) that I would be too tired to eat in the end. The instructor/chef for the class, Jill Silverman Hough, was fantastic! She was energetic, super informative (did you know the brown bits left over after browning meat is called "fond?") and very involved with the class, answering any questions that came up. When there was downtime, she showed us some knife techniques and allowed us to practice them on onions. I learned how to dice an onion the professional way =) Even when I accidentally dropped one of their very expensive and very sharp knives (yikes!), I properly backed away instead of trying to save it. I didn't get evil eyes from the staff, just "thank you's" for saving my fingers! In the end we all sat around a table with the chef and feasted on the fruits of our labor, and it was all delicious! And, I could make any of these recipes again because we were given copies of all the dishes for that night. I actually made the pot roast for my family and they loved it! We were fortunate to have a small class size of about 10, which is not typical, but I thought it worked out well. Although we were working in a kitchen space larger than my entire condo, who wants to cook with 25 people or so surrounding them? If you're looking for a cooking class on this side of the bay, Ramekins gets my vote! Plus, the downtown area is just down the street and has some cute shops and eateries to hang out at before or after class. read more

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I attended a team building cooking class at Ramekin's Culinary School recently and loved it. To put things into perspective I am a total noob when it comes to "real" cooking. I didn't even know how to properly use a knife, not a problem though. My instructor was very patient and guided me through it, and now I can at least say I know how to use a knife. My team's task was to make salt encrusted new york steaks. Prior to this I had only grilled steaks on the BBQ, which I had down pretty well but this was a whole different ballgame. It was not only fun but interesting how we made the salt crust and how it worked to keep the steaks moist. Ramekins is situated in Sonoma, right in the heart of wine country. So along with our meal we pretty much had a free for all with regards to wine. Should you attend a class at Ramekins, I recommend touring some Sonoma Wineries and get in on some tastings! read more

We had our wedding here on Oct 12, 2013 and it was wonderful! We had a small wedding with just about 50 guests. The venue can accommodate a much larger guest count and we were concerned that it would feel empty with our small number of guests, but it turned out to be just perfect with the way we arranged the room. We did a family style food service and our guests raved about the delicious food. The Polenta Cakes, which are served as hor d'oeuvres, are the best! Our main entree selection included Salmon and Short Ribs. The Salmon was served with orange and olive compote, which is very unique and flavorful. We couldn't be more pleased with the menu at our wedding. Our wine selection was great, of course representing Sonoma's best. It's worth noting that our bartender kept all our guests happy, making specialty cocktails to their liking. The overall service at Ramekins is best in class. Yvette and Garnet were extremely helpful and always pleasant during the planning phase leading up to our wedding day. The front desk staff is very pleasant and went above and beyond to help make our stay amazing. At this time of year, the venue is just amazing without much need for additional flowers or decor. Ramekins is lush and rustic all at once. If you are a bride, I would highly recommend getting ready the day of at Ramekins. The room is plenty big enough for you and your bridesmaids to enjoy. I rarely give a 5-star rating, but I just can't rave enough about Ramekins! You won't be disappointed if you are considering Ramekins for your special event. read more

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My husband and I attended the "Art of Baking Bread" class by Michael Kalanty. It was a birthday gift to my bread-making husband so he can refine and perfect the craft from one of the greats! It was an amazing class! It was full with 20 students (some return students). We were provided with recipes, and the basic baking materials already measured out (like flour and salt). We were taught to use the scale to measure out live culture yeast and dry yeast. Chef Kalanty taught us about the history of bread making (quick rundown), the difference between live-culture yeast and dry yeast, and how it affects the texture of the bread. We were also taught how to identify bread textures. We were taught how to make no-knead dough and the terms and history of French bread making techniques. Chef Kalanty had the help of three Ramekins kitchen staff and they were prompt and friendly. Chef Kalanty also explained what types of ingredients can be added to the bread to change the flavor. I really enjoyed Chef Kalanty's teaching style because he was funny, joyous, and extremely knowledgeable. He was approachable and made his way around the class room to be hands-on and work with every 2 person team. He even provided us with a sample of his live-culture yeast so that we can continue to make delicious bread at home. All of that within 4 hours! We also were treated to eat our freshly baked bread with a mixed cheeses and dried fruits plate with a choice of white or red wine! I definitely want to go back and take more classes. They advertised a pizza making class (with a regular indoor over AND the outdoor pizza brick oven) that will be coming up soon. What's great is that these classes are open to the public and are more affordable ($75 a person) than nearby Graystone CIA in Angwin ($250+ per person). Be sure to sign up via their website because these classes fill up quick!! Thank you, Ramekins for allowing me to not just eat food but make delicious food. read more

Ramekins Culinary School, Events & Inn - Bread and cheese plate - Cooking Schools Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Ramekins is first and foremost a culinary school but I visited the place for an event hence the FTR. I was going to post to the culinary one but this one was already in the system. I traveled to Sonoma a few weeks ago for an Online Community Summit. It is traditionally held at Ramekins. The facilities are very nice and have a rustic, cabin-y feel to them. There is a nice lawn and a nice large outside patio area that is great for mingling. The inside area is great for talking and eating, but I have to say it isn't the best place for a conference. It was actually so bright with all the windows that it was hard to see the projector. The way the place was setup, it was hard for people to write notes (as most people were checking email, taking notes, or backchannel twittering). Also, the wifi signal there was horrible. Several times the signal simply died. This is more a function of the setup and probably less of the place, but I still have to dock it two stars. Yes, not having wifi, enough outlets, or enough tables to sit at with a laptop is a critical oversight. But +1 star for the food. We were treated to a breakfast, lunch, and wine/cheese break here and it did not disappoint. The food was fantastic and I'm ashamed I didn't get pictures of it. I think this place excels at pastries, and the dark chocolate dessert we had after lunch was simply unbelievable. The wine and cheese tasting at the very end was great, although it's really hard to cut the hard cheeses with a plastic knife. Just something to think about. I can't wait to come out here again. If I ever free up the money for cooking classes, I would come out here because the reviews and facility are excellent. read more

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Preface - Came here for a wedding. The Good - Beautiful venue - Amazing food - Staff was very professional and helpful - Parking was good - Would recommend to others The Bad - See below. The Ugly - My wife found a hair in her food - Shortly after, another hair, different dish What a great wedding! I had a blast, the food was amazing, everything went smoothly. Would have been a perfect 5, even with one hair found in the food, but 2 is questionable. Regardless, it's an easy fix for the staff if they read this review and take corrective actions. There really isn't much more to add to the review. If someone was looking for a wedding venue, I would recommend this location. read more

About a month ago, my now-fiance and I took a cooking class here with Chef Julie Tan and she taught the French-Inspired Summer Feast class. Our menu consisted of: -Amuse Bouche of Bacon-Wrapped Figs with Crème Fraîche -French/Indochine Shrimp and Crabmeat Cakes with 2 Sauces: Nuoc Cham and Garlic Mayonnaise -Chinese Ginger-Soy Fish Steamed in Parchment Paper Served with Fragrant Jasmine Rice -Rack of Lamb with a Hoisin-Mint Glaze, Served with Wok-Tossed Baby Bok Choy -Assorted Fruit Sushi with Mango and Kiwi Sauces Julie Tan is an awesome chef. She has a fun personality, which made for an amusing and informative cooking lesson. She made everyone laugh and feel at ease. I appreciated her husband, too, because he went around taking pictures of everyone and later emailed them to everyone, so that we'd have memories from the class - very thoughtful! The meal was delicious and they served us in their lovely diningroom area after preparing them. The only thing that fell short of my expectations (being this was my very first cooking class I've ever taken), I wish I was able to experience cooking each of the dishes, but I understand that would have taken a looong time, so I kind of understand why 5 people were assigned to each item on the menu. I was going to knock off a star for this, but... My fiance made a surprise proposal that day and he did it with the help of their whole staff. I was completely shocked and overwhelmed, but excited and happy at the same time. So, this was a cooking class that I'll never forget and cherish forever. Thanks, Ramekins! read more

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Extremely poor service. There is just absolutely no excuse for it. Your school is in a service industry. You will meet varying personalities and perspectives. My walk away from dealing with them and barely getting anyone to call or speak to me about my compliant is this, they posses zero customer service and the ability to have human contact. Note for Ramekins : Not everything can be handled by a voice mail. Tact and courtesy go a long way. The background: I bought a cooking class in January and gave it to my hubby for Valentine's day. I was very excited as I had met an instructor at another event (Sheena Davis) and thought a class on site could be fun. Unfortunately life events happen. I contacted Ramekins 6 days prior to that cooking class to make arrangements to either receive a credit for another course , a refund or to transfer my class to a family member. I had just lost a 45 yr old family member to brain cancer and was more than a bit distraught and had to leave town for his funeral. When I finally reached a live person on Monday, she was nonapologetic. She told me that I should know the policy. I shared with her that I did try to research it on my own but the policy is NOWHERE on their public site to infer to. She said she knew that and told me to look for an email receipt sent in January when I bought the class. It states no refunds 7 days prior. In short, I was told by her that I was just 1 day shy of receiving the service I was requesting. Had I called in 1 more day prior to the weekend, THEN apparently I would have had amazing service. ????? I explained I had been calling to no avail, no one answered and there was no voice mail. Could she make a 1 time exception as I am local, have photographed a Wedding onsite, knew the instructor etc. and would be more than happy with a credit if some sort. She told me she'd look into it. I asked that she call my husband back as I was leaving. On Thursday evening, she left a voice message for my husband that no, she would not make the exception. The tipping point is this - the class was Thurs. I was speaking to her live on Monday. She did not call my husband until Thursday night AFTER the class started. So I couldn't get a refund, credit or transfer although there was more than efficient time to do so. That is just horrible service and absolutely could have been prevented. We were very clear on our request and we flat out did not get an answer in time to act. That is the fault of Nancy the admin we spoke to as well as Ramekins who failed us and did not provide a good interaction. Why would I need to call back over and over after you were told of my families loss?? It was hard enough the loss of a young child and comforting my family. How it was handled, how we were spoken to was a total lack of tact. I then wrote a letter to respectfully ask that the situation be reconsidered and reviewed by management. I'm sure noone is surprised when I state that NO ONE RESPONDED. Way to lose the appreciation of a local who knew your business in more ways than one. read more

Our friends got married here in April, and it was beautiful! The venue is spectacular and the food was to-die-for! I don't know how the planning and options play out for a wedding, but the ahi-tuna wontons and leek mini quiches appetizers were great. The chicken and short rib entrees were also delicious. The outdoor patio is very spacious and has beautiful additions like a fireplace, a fountain, a private table nook, and the prettiest wooden doors with overgrown ivy around. The bride and groom mentioned they were staying at Ramekins, so it looks like there are rooms available too, which worked well for them and the wedding party after a long night of dancing, eating, drinking, and good times. read more

Had the MOST fun at our cooking class at Ramkins!!! Thank you for making out trip to Sonoma even more memorable!!! Can't wait to come back! You are so great at handling large groups! (Summer 2016) read more

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Learning how to cook great food Can't wait to come to the next event and learn some more things read more

Ramekins Culinary School, Events & Inn - Cooking Schools Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Ramekins catered our wedding in August at Cornertsone. Our primary contacts were Susan and Ruby, and they were so easy to work with throughout the whole process. The food was wonderful and everyone raved about it. The presentation and service were excellent as well. My only regret is not being able to eat more of it! We interviewed two other catering companies before deciding to go with Ramekins, but neither of them seemed able to provide the level of service and attention to detail that Ramekins did. Planning a wedding is stressful enough, so we wanted to make sure our caterer was organized, responsive, and most importantly, made delicious food. In the end we were so happy with our decision to hire Ramekins and would easily recommend them to anyone else having an event in the area as well! read more

We had our wedding at Ramekins in summer 2019 and it was THE BEST!! And we aren't just saying that because it was our wedding. Everyone at Ramekins is truly amazing. The food is amazing. The venue is amazing. We also had our immediate family stay at the Inn on site and it was perfect. Great breakfasts in the morning and walking distance to Sonoma Square and all the restaurants/tasting rooms your heart desires. read more

Ramekins Culinary School, Events & Inn - Cooking Schools Near Me - Sonoma, California

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My husband and I just got married at Ramekins on Saturday and could not have been happier with the venue. Everything was spot on from Ambiance/ Decor, Food, and Service. From our very first meeting, we were impressed with the attention to detail and care of the staff on site. It's a stunning property with a lot of charm: an alcove area for the ceremony, beautiful landscaping throughout, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, fountains, exposed beams and rustic chandeliers in the ballroom, and lots of great antique furniture. The set up of the property allows for a very smooth flow from the ceremony outside, to the cocktail hour on the adjacent patio, to the reception indoors. Since Ramekins is a culinary school, we were also able to tailor the menu to our exact needs. Since it's just a few blocks from Sonoma square, we were able to easily transition to the after-party downtown. We rented out all six rooms upstairs for family members which was really convenient for getting ready the morning of the wedding, changing into my reception dress, and making sure that grandparents/kids were comfortable if they needed a break any time during the night. The rooms are so gorgeous and spacious! We stayed a total of three nights- rehearsal the night before, wedding night, and the sunday following the wedding and were able to enjoy breakfast upstairs with the family and the wine and cheese reception in the evenings. If you are considering Sonoma for a wedding or just want a fantastic place to stay while in the area, definitely visit Ramekins. We cannot say enough good things about our experience there and the wonderful staff on site. We're looking forward to coming back each year for our anniversary! Thank you to Yvette and Brooke for being so great to work with! read more

My bad for not realizing I was booking a demo "cooking class" but $60 is way too much to watch someone cook and have small samples. The chef was entertaining and food was delicious but I'd rather use the money my girlfriends and I spent on the class for ingredients for a kick butt dinner party. The private hands on cooking classes are $100/person. Could be worth it but the level of skill from the demo class wasn't much higher than what I'd see on the Food Network. Most of the "students" were a lot older so not sure I'd recommend this to my friends unless the menu seems really challenging. read more

Two days after I posted my review of the inn, I received a phone call from Gabriella. She apologized profusely and informed me the GM had approved a full refund. I was amazed because I had been told the GM was on vacation and it would be weeks before they could be contacted. I guess that's the power of Yelp! So after another week of double checking and phone calls, I finally received my refund in my account. About a week after my refund was processed, I received another email from Gabriella asking me if I would remove my original review. To me, that is lying and hiding the truth. Alas, I'm not completely shocked this establishment would attempt to buy my review. Oh well, it didn't work. Still not a fan of the integrity of this business, but at least they didn't take money for ruining my experience of my best friend's wedding, as they originally intended. read more

We had our wedding at Ramekins and it was for the most part wonderful but with a few major blips in service. There was a hand over between the old wedding coordinator to the new coordinator Mercedes right before our big day, so some but not all of the problems we had arose from that. Mercedes is great though and I imagine things will get much smoother as time goes on with her there. The customer service was hit and miss but management was quick to respond when it was less than stellar. I think that they are just new to the wedding world and hopefully they can iron out all the issues for future bride and grooms. With all that being said, the food from Chef Joe was incredible, and it just kept coming not to mention the waitstaff rocked! If you love food it doesn't get much better than Ramekins. The venue itself is a really great value for all of the Napa/Sonoma area. My husband and I were on a budget and Ramekins was affordable in a wine country wedding world of venues being way out of reach. Overall, it does add up quite quickly though as I expect any wedding does. The rooms were beautifully designed, very comfortable and the breakfast spread was excellent. Be aware that there is a $25 charge if you lose your plastic room key. We found out about that at check out and needless to say I had a few surprised family members. I can't say that if we had a time machine we would choose Ramekins again for our wedding, we just had one too many issues, but I would highly recommend them for catering or rehearsal dinners. read more

I LOVE this venue for cooking classes - my favorite in the Sonoma area. Last year I took the spring-themed demonstration class. Although I am an experienced cook, I learned a ton. Chef MacFarland was kind, funny, and talented. This class was expensive, but it was one of the best meals I have ever eaten... on par with a tasting menu at a high-end restaurant. The class wasn't just about eating the food, but the full experience, which made it worth the money. It's also fun to explore the venue and I like the old kitchen equipment that's on display. I will definitely sign up for more classes here. read more

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Ramekins catered our wedding at The General's Daughter. The food was exquisite! They pride themselves on using local, fresh, seasonal ingredients, and even have their own garden! There is so much variety and they were helpful in balancing the whole menu, from the passed hors d'oeuvres to the plated entrees. They were also very accommodating of our custom bar requests! During the event, the staff was very kind, efficient and unobtrusive. We got so many compliments from our guests on the food! Ramekins definitely defines Sonoma-style cuisine! We were blown away!! The General's Daughter is an exquisite wedding venue! We had our winter wedding here and it was perfect! The timeless charm of the Victorian house lends a comfortable and elegant atmosphere. The indoor and outdoor areas create interest and variety for the flow of the event. We worked primarily with Susan da Ponte, who was so sweet, accommodating and professional. During the ceremony and reception, the staff was kind, efficient and unobtrusive. We never had to worry about a thing! We love this place!! read more

The people that staff this place are very nice and their rooms are attractive and well laid out. The problem with Ramekins as an overnight accommodation is that it is much more culinary school and function facility and much less an inn. This unfortunately means that if one is not attending an event, the noise of whatever function is going on at the time can be very disconcerting. My advice would be stay here if you are attending an event at Ramekins. If you are not, stay away. read more

I loved the dishes we cooked in the "all pumpkin" class but was a little put off by how they divided the room into who cooked what dish...essentially everyone picked a number and you chose your dish based on what number you had in the lineup, so you were not guaranteed to be cooking with those that you came with. Also, Ramekins had changed the start time of our class from 10am to 11am, yet did not inform us, so we ended up arriving an hour early. I think in the future I would just use the recipes listed under each course as a starting point towards finding a similar recipe on line to simply cook myself. read more

Great venue for wedding!! The courtyard where the ceremony was held was very pretty and beautifully decorated, simple but elegant. Weather was perfect and they even provided little umbrellas for those that get too much sun in their eyes. Cocktail and appetizers were pretty tasty including mac & cheese arancini balls (deep fried), pulled pork slider, ahi tuna on chip and smoked duck. The dining hall was setup with around 12 tables comfortably with 6 of us (can probably seat up to 10). Dinner was also quite tasty starting a fresh arugula and cheese salad with a little cheese/quiche like bread pudding. Hubby had the vegetarian mushroom ravioli while I had steak. Cupcakes and donuts were served along with tea and coffee and the wedding cake. We also decided to stay in one of their 6 rooms upstairs. The rooms are generously sized with a large walk-in closet and bathroom. A little breakfast was served in the morning with fresh fruits, freshly baked mini French croissants and yogurt/croissant. I would definitely recommend the Ramekins if you want an intimate and beautiful wedding venue here in Sonoma!! read more

Wedding venue review: Ramekins gave me my dream wedding. Short and simple. The venue itself is stunning - beautifully decorated and a gorgeous outdoor area perfect for ceremonies. The food was incredible - elegant, sophisticated and satisfying. Ramekins is also an inn - they have six rooms upstairs, which was perfect for us to get ready in and the wedding party was able to stay in one place. But the reason why you should consider booking your wedding at Ramekins is the staff. They went above and beyond to give me a perfect wedding. Brooke and Yvette worked with me to get all the details right and made sure that everything went smoothly the day of. But it was the little things that they thought of that I will remember for the rest of my life. I cannot thank the Ramekins crew enough! read more

our wedding reception here was so lovely. wonderful food, wonderful serving staff, wonderful atmosphere. budget within our reach... what more could you ask for? thank you, ramekins! i would especially recommend it for groups up to 125. (we had 47 and it was just right for us!) also, we took a cooking class several months ago and enjoyed it tremendously! read more

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I signed up for 'A Stroll Through Italy: Umbria' with Chef Lisa Lavagetto on a Friday and stayed overnight at the Inn. There was some confusion among the staff about how to apply my gift certificate to both the class and the room night! It took three people to figure it out. Overall my experience was a good one and I would do it again. Review of the lodging: I requested two beds and got one. Was told that there was complimentary water and beverages in the common area; there were none (actually 1 can of Coke in the small fridge). Leaf blowers at 8am on Saturday morning, not good for the wine-over from the cooking class the night before. Really? Saturday morning loud gardening? Is that necessary? The beds are comfy and you get a Hugh Hefner style robe to lounge in. Free wi-fi and continental brkfst. Walking distance to the square in Sonoma. Review of the cooking class: Was told it would be about 12 students, they overbooked with 26! There was complete chaos in the kitchen with very little instruction, other than the recipes that were left out on the counters. The menu was a carb overload with foccacia, 2 potato dishes and pasta as well as pank Fried chicken. The chef was nice enough to create a cream sauce for my pasta since i didn't eat veal (which was in the sauce being made). After everyone prepped and cooked at various stations, we sat for a community meal together. The most interesting was the past and foccacia process. Complimentary wine and great service paid off for the chaos earlier. The food was just ok and the sous chef did most of the 'teaching' then he disappeared during dinner. read more

**Update** My first experience with Ramekins was bumpy when my in-laws and I signed up for a class late last year which was canceled. But, to make up for it they set us up with another class and room in the bed and breakfast. We took the 3 hour hands on Curry Class with Chat Mingkwan and 16 other people - it covered 5 recipes. Chef Mingkwan did a great job covering the basics of curry and the recipes. When it got down to cooking, we had to select one recipe and to start working. There was a least 20+ ingredients per dish - so it took at least 1 hour just to chop everything, and unfortunately everyone then had to be on the stove at the same time - which became very crowded. But, Chef Mingkwan and his staff were very helpful when we needed something and when it came down to it - the food was fantastic. Next time, we will probably take a smaller class to get more hands on time with the instructor. I would definitely recommend Ramekins - their rooms are very nice and their class was a lot of fun. Next time, we will probably take a smaller class to get more hands on time with the read more

I had the very fortunate experience of a co-worker gifting me a Ramekins class. My sister and I signed up to take it together, a class called "Summer Solstice Grilling Party" (or something like that) and it was so fun! My only complaint was how segmented the class was. Not everybody learned to cook everything, each group was assigned to a dish. It was still a great time and the meal at the end was great! It was nice to eat out in the garden with the Ramekins staff serving the meal we just made. There was pizza, chicken, potato salad, tomato salad, strawberry shortcake and wine. The whole evening was really delightful and the book with recipes they send you home with has come in handy more than once. I would definitely not hesitate to book another "Hands On" class here. I don't know if the "demo" would really be my style. The instructor we had, Lisa, was very imformative and I even learned how to light a barbeque! read more

Ramekins was the absolute best choice for our wedding venue. Throughout the whole planning process we had amazing people that were wonderful at communicating with us and making sure that our day was the best it could be. The food was AMAZING - which makes sense since it is a culinary school! Our guests were constantly commenting on how attentive and friendly the staff were. I could not have imagined getting married anywhere else. read more

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Susan and Caren at Ramekins planned and coordinated our wedding reception in October 2012 at the former Estate Restaurant property next door to the cooking school. After having "lost' the venue because the management at Estate decided to close, they were our saving grace! Both knowledgeable and considerate, they helped us throw the perfect wedding, even within our tight budget. The food Ramekins produced for our reception was delicious (rave reviews from all of the guests!) and all of the staff working our event were polite and gracious. If you have the opportunity to use Ramekins to produce and cater your event in the Sonoma area, you're in for a treat! read more

Wonderful Mother's Day Brunch, a lot to choose from ( goat cheese in the omelette) Amazing! Beautiful patio, great service all around good time. read more

I've taken several cooking classes here. And I always had so much fun. Most of the time I don't learn too many new things, but I revel at the knives and gadgets I get to use. The professional equipment is always top notch. They had me inspired to buy my own professional food processor just to make homemade mayonnaise (I don't eat much mayo but roommate loves it). The staff is always courteous, and never has anyone given a question to stump them. And often, the staff come up with creative answers ... just what you would expect from a culinary educational institute. This place is situated somewhat near downtown Sonoma, in the town of Sonoma. It's easily a decent drive from the San Francisco, Santa Rosa, or Napa areas. There is a grocery store just around the corner from Ramkins that you can peruse and find all kinds of gourmet goodies to take home. Also don't forget to check out the square in downtown Sonoma while you're in the area. It's full of lots of history and quaint shops, as well as a nice pub." read more