If you have the chance to go to the Culinary Campus event during Big Taste, it is truly worth it. At $85/ticket, that put my expectations fairly high and I was not disappointed. Doors open at 7pm, and when you enter you are given wine glass. There are stations throughout the entire kitchen, and the chefs & culinary students are preparing each dish right in front of you. You're welcome to ask any questions about how the food is prepared. The dishes for the 2016 Big Taste event included rack of lamb, sushi, flatbread, shrimp & grits, wings & fried vegetables, lobster bisque, crab cakes, rabbit, duck confit pirogies, and ginger beef. Every singly one of these dishes was amazing. For dessert, there was a selection of chocolate mousse, creme brûlée, panna cotta, tiramisu, and banana bread pudding. I tried it all, and the dessert was a surprising let-down. The dark-chocolate mousse was hard, the panna cotta was soupy and under cooked, and the banana bread pudding was much more mushy than any bread pudding I've had. The milk chocolate mousse and creme brûlée were enjoyable. I hope the desserts are improved for next year. There were wine stations throughout the kitchen as well, with wine from several BC wineries. I think there were 6 stations, and each had a white and a red wine, and you could drink as much as your heart contents. Overall, this is a fantastic event, with amazing food. $85 is pricey, however it's such a unique experience, and you can eat & drink all you want. Definitely worth it! read more

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Started this post back in December and just completing it now... Went here for a work/staff Xmas party and the experience was mixed. Our group came in to the commercial kitchen in the culinary campus, and the activity was to make our own dinner together. We chose a Japanese style. I have to say, it was really fun and a great variation to the typical staff Xmas party, great way to get to know your coworkers better. If it weren't for this, I'd probably give a 1 star. The bad part was the instructor. While he seemed to have decent culinary knowledge, he was quite overbearing, almost acting like he was the head chef of a large restaurant and at times spoke to us the way he might to a line cook on a busy night. I do not believe that was part of the intended experience as it was odd and unwelcome. Some of the food was fine, but the proteins, particularly the flank steak (done basically tataki style) was waaaay too salty (the instructor dressed it) and also far too many birds eye chilies making it almost inedible. Overall, the food was not great, and I don't think it was because of our staff putting it together. read more

This is an interesting take away place in the heart of downtown. It is staffed with SAIT students and all the products are fresh in house made. The taste of the salad and sandwich were spot on and I was also able to pick up a loaf of fresh bread for later. I would have given it 5 stars but it is a little pricy. At least the quality isn't lacking though! I'm looking forward to exploring some cooking classes at this location. They even have a dinner class that starts after work. read more

SAIT Culinary Campus - Sandwich and salad for lunch! - Cooking Schools Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Great date night cooking up a storm with my hubby and Chef Kat Mori. We made Pavlova for dessert, Lobster Thermidor and Caprese salad. A lot of it is done for you including the starch served with the lobster, and the béchamel sauce, otherwise you wouldn't eat till 8 pm. We learned how to cook the lobster, pipe the Pavlova, and prepare the salad. It was an enjoyable evening and something different for us. Everything tastes great. You also get the recipe for everything you make as well. read more

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This is a no brainer...in a sea of boring, mall food court choices and over priced sit downs, corporate Calgary in the core has a new island oasis for gourmet quality at easy on the wallet prices. The culinary students and instructors are keen to make the experience special and will discuss presentation and techniques if you're so inclined. The only issue is that you have to get there fairly early as menu items tend to sell out pretty fast. That happened to me today with their Manhattan Clam Chowder. Live and learn and queue up when they open. While I ordered a thai pork sandwich, there were some tempting baked goods with their Cinnamon Buns coming in at only $1.50 each. I ask where else in the city you'd be able to get prices like that? The Prime Rib sandwich looked divine with its delicately sliced rare strips of beef but I went on the suggestion of the chef preparing both and he certainly didn't steer me wrong. There are some packaged sides and drinks offered as well. I didn't check out the prices however the sub set me back $8.95, which is a normal spend for me at places like Subway or Quiznos for example. I urge you to try it and support SAIT and its students pursuing their culinary dreams. You'll get a tasty lunch at a fair price and you'll be giving back to our community. read more

I'd been meaning to check this place out since I heard it opened a few months ago and finally made the trip. It was busy when I got there (a weekday lunch hour to be fair) but the lines are mostly at the cash and the delay wasn't the students doing the cooking. I enjoyed going up to the food stations and watching the food made to order. It reminds me of the ULTRA fancy catered parties/buffets/events that do chief manned food stations... which is always a treat. I went to the saute station and the special was a pasta. I liked the fancier ingredients - capers, sundried tomatoes ect. I also stopped by the bakery and got dessert. I found it a bit too oily but I often do when it's sauteed and the flavors made up for it. The deserts were good, less chocolaty than I had hopped but still good eating. I hope they do something to streamline the checkout process because that took too long but that's really to only down point to going during a very busy time. Overall you will find food more upscale than typical food fare grub but less expensive and faster than a sit down restaurant. I'm not here a lot during the hours they are open, but I would certainly not hesitate to stop in again next time I'm around. read more

This place opened late last year and it was all the rage (and still is!) Hot lunches are available from 11AM-1PM and they have 3 stations (rotisserie, braise and sauté) and the menu changes daily. I always go with the sauté which are usually pasta dishes and have never been disappointed. The last time I was here I had the teriyaki shrimp with udon noodles and I honestly debated getting a second serving regardless of the fact that I was full! They offer cooking classes at this location which is pretty cool, I've debated signing up since it would be so easy to head here after work. I took a few cooking courses at the main campus years ago and learned a lot and had so much fun. They even host group events, so I know what my suggestion will be for our next team building! read more

I didn't even know this kind of place existed! Hidden in the Scotia Center, I saw this place offering Moroccan Lamb Subs for a fairly reasonable price, figured I'd have a try because well, the aroma from this place was heavenly. I just caught them as they were opening for the day. Advantage! They prepare your lunch right there in front of you, very polite chefs as well, being taught as they went along by other chefs. Quite the charming place to grab lunch! The Moroccan lamb was fantastic! Nice and tender, and they put Red Onion Slaw in with some Mayo also, but not too much mayo so it wasn't overpowering, quite the nice balance of cream and spices they've perfected here! Noticed they have premade lunches as well you can buy if you don't want to wait to watch them prepare your lunch for you (Highly recommend it though, the banter you get while it's being prepared is fantastic, add to the bonus that you know your sandwich is freshly made!) Only gripe is the sodas are a little on the pricey side here. But highly recommend the subs! Remind me to try this again when I'm downtown! read more

This place reminds me of a small scale Sunterra with the stations that serve various types of food. It's nice to see something new in the downtown Core though. I'm not a huge fan of alwasy going to restaurants, so when i want to pick up something quick, and a bit healthier, this works. When i went, they were sort of low, on the grab-and-go type foods, but I managed to pick up a salad, sandwich, and pain au chocolat. The salad was excellent (it even had quail eggs in it!), although the dressing was unimpressive, and i can't even fathom what it was. The sandwhich was good as well, but the pain au chocolat was amazing. It tasted just as good as any upscale bakery would have, for a much lower price. I'm excited to try the actual stations, and see what the hot meals taste like. read more

My sister brought me some cookies, I think its double chocolate chip cookie, she brought me 5 PCs...now my husband loves....I mean LOVES chocolate. He usually finishes everything, maybe leave me a piece... Sometimes half. Well, when he decided to have some, he could only eat 1 1/2 cookie. It is that rich that he couldn't have anymore. It took me the whole weekend to finish 2 pcs . it was really good, its so rich and HUGE that I couldn't finish it in 1 sitting. Don't get me wrong, its absolutely delicious. This is the best cookie I've ever had. I shall wait for my sis to get me more...and for sure I will make another review on it. read more

I come here for lunch almost every day. Balanced, nutritious hot meals that change every day. I don't, but you can check their menu online to see whats on for the day. There are four types every day: hot sandwich, pasta, saute, and roasted something. $8-$9 for a take away meal is more expensive than taco time, but infinitely more fulfilling. And if you like baked desserts. OMG, just swing by. Only complaint is your options are limited if you're veg. read more

I actually really like this place. The key is to come early or before 1:30PM. In the past whenever I arrive too late, most of the stations are closed and there isn't much left selection wise. Since I moved to Calgary, I've been looking for a place to replace Whole Foods for take-away food. I like SAIT more for the packaged salads, sandwiches, and freshly made sandwiches. Ingredients are fresher and more "gourmet" than Whole Foods and its seems better prepared. I'll have to get around to trying the freshly prepared dishes. Last time I was there I saw perogies, Pad Thai, and pappadelle with pork ragu. All around the $10 mark. Fair prices for this type of food. read more

My friend bought the lemon genoise cake to a gathering so I had a chance to try a dessert from Sait culinary campus. The design of it was very nice. The lemon flavor was nice although the genoise sponge was very dry. I prefer my cakes to be moist. I may try other flavors but will pass on the lemon genoise next time. read more

SAIT Culinary Campus - Lemon geniose cake - Cooking Schools Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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We went to the Culinary Campus for a team building function and we all LOVED it! The staff was amazing! Always helpful and always a smile on their face! We learned some new techniques and had a lot of laughs. We also had a team with a bunch of different food preferences and allergies and they were very accommodating with them all! The food was great, the staff were awesome and everyone is still talking about it so I would absolutely recommend it and looking at a way to do it again! read more

We saw this place while walking back to work yesterday. It is located where the old Rexall is at Scotia Center. I decided to try it for lunch today. It is cafeteria style, with fridges set up with salads and drinks. There are four stations for food as well. Rotisserie, Saute and Braise with two daily choices each station. Boulangerie/Patisserie with pastries, tarts, and other baked goods. The prices are reasonable, my Penne with shrimp and white fish came in a nice sized portion for $7. You can grab a cheese bun to go at $0.75, croissant at $2, and a nice dessert tart at $3.5. read more

One of my co-workers was practically vibrating after finding out SAIT had opened a campus downtown. So of course I was willing to tag along and check it out. I've heard great things about the culinary school at SAIT although I'd never experienced it even after attending school there for 2 years. I was obviously busy drinking and not eating. My co-worker and I ventured over to Scotia Centre to grab lunch one day. The SAIT campus here is new, open, bright and clean. It does lack any sort of ambiance like you get at Sunterra. Here you have a different stations serving desserts, soup, sandwiches, etc. You mosey on up, order, they cut you a slab of meat or prepare your sandwich and then you take it to the front and pay. Easy concept. I was not impressed with their beef barley soup I had. The dinner roll was good though. The prices are above average in comparison to Sunterra and Olly's. I will probably come back to try something else. Then again maybe I won't. Honestly I think it's over rated. read more

Their omelette & sausage is one of the best breakfast's in the downtown core! Always a highlight of my day.

Impressive as always. Great special event for Big Taste. Great food, large variety, excellent service, and uniqueness of setup. Our yearly event :) read more

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1 star for their poor handling of the Covid-19 social distancing. No communication. No grades have been posted for culinary. They basically left and the students are on their own. Apparently no business continuity plan exists. Extremely disappointing. read more

Just dropped by for a quick lunch. SAIT offers two soups each day and luckily one available today is cream of broccoli. The bowl was packed with all sorts of pieces of while the cream part was lighter - the combo. Get there early as this space fills up and selections get picked over. The location is set up well with numerous check-outs with one being dedicated for cash only. The space is clean, well lit and has a real buzz amongst the large industrial sized appliances and serving stations. This concept is brilliant as SAIT students are operating many of the preparation functions while being immersed in the academic side of cooking. If you visit the SAIT website you will note that many of the instructors are internationally traveled culinary professionals - this level of instructor will certainly ensure a graduate well suited for the job market. read more

One of my top downtown places to grab lunch on the go! Located on the second level of the Scotia Centre, the market is open weekdays from 7am - 4pm with a rotating menu of breakfast and lunch options. There's hot food stations, a bakery at the back, shelves with freshly baked bread, sauces, tea, and other goodies, and two open fridges with salads, fruit, charcuterie plates for one, sandwiches and to go meals. Breakfast is served until 10am with a breakfast sandwiches ($6), frittatas ($3.50) and made-to-order omelets ($6). Lunch is served from 11am - 1pm and there's four different stations. The menu is posted online each day (http://culinarycampus.ca/our-daily-menu.php), at the entrance and at each station. The Rottiserie has two daily choices served on a long bun - their signature prime rib and a daily feature. The prime rib ($9) is one of the tastiest things I've ever eaten (super tender meat sliced infront of you, some light greens, olive oil and chunks of sea salt) that I would eat every day if I wouldn't double in size as a result. The Braise section ($9.50) is the most popular and includes your choice of starch (usually rice or potatoes), two serves of veggies (there's always two options, or you can grab more of a starch), and a choice of two meat dishes. The soups (two, $3-$5) are hiding on the left hand side of the Braise counter, hover by the soup sign and someone will come over to help you rather than joining the big line for Braise. The Saute section ($8.5) is split into the two different dishes for the day, which they'll cook infront of you - plus there's usually an example plate there to show you what it will look like. These tend to be meals on rice, pasta or noodles. To pay, a queue will form next to the Braise section and you'll be signalled from one of the four registers when they're ready for you. Service is always friendly and you can pay by cash, debit or credit. If you need any condiments, stop at the counter on the right hand side on your way out after you've paid. The food quality is always great and the menu rotates through so I always swing by whenever my favourites are on the menu. Or for the prime rib when I want to indulge! Happy eating! read more

Great place to go for lunch. I really like their prime rib sandwich. Not many places nearby to sit, but if you're taking your sandwich back to the office, that's not a problem. They also accept contactless payments, which is awesome. But Apple Pay only works with MasterCard, and not American Express. Would like if they fully accepted Apple Pay. read more

I was expecting something better from their students... If they are going to be chefs they should be great... I have had the beef sub and it had a lack of flavor... The lamb sub was not terrible, but just ok... To come here... I would prefer a franchise... And I am not a big fan of franchises... But they definitely should improve... read more

I went to Rush Hour: Tequila Shrimp Fajitas yesterday after work. Chef Michael Mandato, from New York, walked a small group of us through several steps to make the fresh, Mexican dish with spicy roasted tomato salsa. Not only did we learn proper knife technique for prepping vegetables and shrimp, Mandato showed us how to layout your workspace for efficiency, use the range to grill jalapenos, and oven to roast and skin tomatoes. We were able to taste the dish once it was ready. Since we were a small group there was enough for everyone. My only criticism is that the hands-on experience wasn't there. It was a watch-and-learn style of class. Afterwards, Mandato gave us all of the ingredients to take home to cook PLUS a bonus two loaves of artisan bread baked that day. At $45, this class was a steal! Check it out if you want to avoid traffic, learn something new, and listen to a native New Yorker talk about good food. read more

So good and only slightly more expensive than hitting up the food court. There are four stations: rotisserie, braise, sauté and boulangerie, with a pre-set menu, which is posted online. I ordered the cheese ravioli w/ lemon artichoke cream. A fairly easy decision since there werent any other vegetarian options. There may have been a salad for the vegans but this isn't the place for picky eaters. The ravioli was amazing! Dream worthy good. Feedback from friends about the meat dishes were also very positive. For the vegetarians, I recommend check the online menu and if they have a vegetarian item on the menu run don't walk. It's worth it! read more

This place has the BEST bakery! I go once a week and buy a whole bunch of stuff. The staff are so sweet too. Def my favourite bakery in Calgary. Great work guys read more