Laney's culinary art program was such a delightful experience…read more In the two years of being apart of Laney Culinary Program it taught me mandatory skills about the cooking industry while learning exotic skills and safety techniques. Here's the rundown: If cooking is something you enjoy, the 2 year program will go pass so fast! Each morning we had to be at school in the kitchen fully dressed in our uniform ready for breakfast service, usually before sunrise. In the first semester we learned a variety of sanitation safety skills while also being introduced to the first semester main kitchen and lunchroom. First semester focused on teaching sanitation safety, utensil knowledge and knife skills. Second semester was a little different . Students focused on measurement and learned the difference in weights of food in standardized recipes. Also skills obtained were portion control as well as hospitality management. Learning how to work together in the busy lunch room fixing lunch to the hungry faculty helped gain teamwork and communication skills. Third semester however was much more complex. You are transferred to the other side of the school with a whole new kitchen. In third semester you cook fresh exciting exotic new dishes for the schools bistro restaurant. Third semester taught people skills and was much more hands on. Focusing more about culture and discovering new cuisines around the world. Also in third semester you are introduced to cooking and serving as a waiter in the Bistro. You get an trial run of cooking and working in the industry hands on. Fourth semester of Laney Culinary is a breeze it's everything your have learned all wrapped up. You get to run and invent your own full course recipes with classmates and execute it at the end for final completion of a passing grade. In the end of the two years you graduate with an A.S degree, Food handling Certificate, and a Safe Serve certainly; not to mention wonderful new friends and mentors and a great experience. Mandatory kitchen accessories and certificates as well as books are required. It's Nothing to worry about until fully settled in class.

From the owner: Laney College offers two majors in the Culinary Arts. These two-year certificate programs provide…read morestudents the practical knowledge, skills and experience to succeed in creative and rewarding careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Classes are led by trained and experienced professionals and approved by industry organizations like the Retail Bakers Association (RBA) and the National Restaurant Association (NRA).

Loved the different varieties of pretzels! Also the variety of mustards, chocolate and cheese!…read moreThe beer was delicious! The garden is full and beautiful! Can't wait to go again

I attended a beer making class with the Alameda Elks and I had an absolute blast! Hans is a…read moregracious host with a true appreciation for beer and beer making. The snacks and soft pretzels were superb. The garden was stunning and the beer was delicious. I will definitely be back!

Had the most amazing time! The food was delicious (not to mention the redstripe) and the incredibly…read morecharming instructor didn't hurt either ;) We took the "Jamaican me hungry" class, which I absolutely recommend to all! And since its so affordable, I can look forward to my next! :D

I'll give a more in depth review later, but this guy is really, REALLY awesome. Smart, helpful, and…read moremakes some EPIC food. Totally kicked ass.

A fun, interactive, and incredibly well done "Travel Around the World" Smart Cooking and Wine…read morePairing Event. My team and I had an amazing experience at Miggi's Kitchen. We learned to cook with the Thermomix while working in teams at different stations, preparing dishes from around the world. It was hands-on, interactive, and a lot of fun - every dish turned out delicious. Miggi is a fantastic teacher: clear, detailed, confident, and incredibly knowledgeable. She explains techniques in a way that's easy to understand, and we all walked away genuinely better cooks. We also paired the experience with wine tasting and learned how to taste and appreciate wine properly, which made the evening even more memorable. On top of that, Miggi's fun, warm personality really brings the whole experience together. My office team loved it and is still talking about it. Highly recommend for team events or anyone looking for a unique, engaging culinary experience.

Our group of 12 just completed an "around the world" cooking class with Miggi and we could not have…read morebeen happier. What a great environment - even better food, and Miggi was very entertaining and informative. We will definitely recommend this to friends. John S

Five stars all the way to the amazing Chef Sara!…read more I have decided to treat my wife (who loves Indian/Pakistani food) to a cooking class, and I can honestly say that I can't think of anything that would have brought her more joy than these three wonderful hours with Sara. She was super friendly, hospitable and funny, and she even surprised us both by baking a birthday cake!. I must confess, I've never liked Indian food, but after tasting the chicken tikka masala with naan that we made, I changed my mind! My wife said that this was by far the best meal she's had in her life!!! Thank you Sara for making this the best birthday gift ever! Gabriel.

My sister had the brilliant idea of arranging a cooking class for my birthday. After a few internet…read moresearches of East Bay Area options, we settled on learning the art of Indian cuisine with Chef Sara. We couldn't be happier with our experience! Due to the winter holidays, when I booked the class, there was no group schedule posted online. After a quick email exchange, I was able to pick a date that was convenient for us. This worked out great for us because we ended up having a private lesson (we were unsure if our date was advertised and were pleasantly surprised when we learned it would be just us). When we arrived, Chef Sara gave us some warm Masala Chai tea (which was delicious). She picked out 3 main dishes for us: Chicken Korahi (Pakistani dish, a tad spicy due to our request); Cauliflower Curry; and Chana Dal (lentils). To top it off, we had chopati (similar to naan) and fried Pakora Dal dumplings (common to eat when it rains). Chef Sara was very pleasant, informative, and flexible to our interests. At the beginning, she asked if we preferred to watch her cook or help along the way. We chose the latter, although she did most of the leg work. The result was amazing - we were hungry by the end, but not starving because she gave us some tastes along the way. We learned some great tidbits, which was a treat for me since I love to cook, but haven't ventured into the world of spices and techniques that Indian cooking offers. The only downside for us was having to travel to the Hercules location (we were hoping for Berkeley or Oakland), but it was worth the trip. All in all, cooking with Chef Sara had a very homey feel (partially because we are in her home, but also because of her down to earth style). Highly recommend signing up for a class! We hope to return with our significant others, perhaps for a special occasion.

Kalimah is so awesome to work with. I actually hired her for my boss and I've yet to try her food,…read morebut my boss is always talking about how tasty her meals are and enjoys sharing with friends. What I love about Kalimah is that she is super professional and understanding. She is very clear about how she works and overall is super pleasant to work with.

I am a vegetarian and it has been very difficult to find a good chef that can accommodate my…read morespecial needs and actually taste good. Chef Kalimah is absolutely awesome! She is able to cook various different types of cuisine and everything and I do mean EVERYTHING is delicious!! I highly recommend her... Dr. Kimberly Smith

I found this Pop-up event & thought its a nice idea. I t was a delightful evening, hands-on class &…read morethen we had dinner. The event held in the Chef's beautiful house & everything was well organized, well prepared & extremely flavorful! People at the group were very sweet & enjoyable to cook with. I highly recommend any event with Chef Mashav. She is really professional & knowledgeable!

What a fantastic tour by Mashav (the owner and the chef of Le Couloir)! Richmond neighborhood in SF…read moreis known for its mix of cultures, but Mashav masterfully uncovers all the hidden secrets and gems - Secrets only someone who lives in this community is familiar with. And she does that through food and hand-picked dishes that you will never uncover without a guide. Even though locations may change per tour, our group tasted a mix of cultures and got some stories behind the dishes, the restaurants, and their owners. Few examples - * Russian cuisine - Herring with a pickled onion on fresh bread * Indian street food - I was surprised how much I enjoyed this vegan street snack - I would have never ordered anything without meat, and I dislike spinach, but the fried spinach snack was mind-blowingly good. * Mexican - Quesadilla with plantain. Again, no meat but it was soooooo good. * Chinese - Glazed Pork and pork-filled bun I won't spoil the surprise for some of the other locations. And more, and more - Total of about 7-8 places. You won't stay hungry, guaranteed. The walk itself is not challenging; there are no hills to overcome, even though it's San Francisco. Don't wait - Just go!