Oh how we love this cooking school! We have been coming here for years whenever we visit Door County. We enjoy the fact that the class is interactive. The instructor reviews all the recipes and then you break into groups and actually make the dishes. The best part is sharing your creations with new friends on beautifully set tables at the end. Last night we made savory cheese pastries, beat and goat cheese salad, cod poached in butter with corn salad, creamy new potatoes, and fruit sabayon. Incredible! read more

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Absolutely 100% in every category. Fun, educational, delicious, did I say fun? Great company and Janice (the chef) is so very kind and helpful. I learned a lot about cooking, food, and wine. I can't wait to sign up again and hopefully sign up for one of Janice's European trips. read more

This place is a joke, at least as far is communication. I wish I could comment on the cooking class but I got canceled at the last minute. I got a gift certificate from this cooking school and booked a reservation. I then booked a hotel near the class for the night of. The day before the class I was given a message that the class was canceled. On the website the class says that the class has a wait list. I have called right back and left multiple messages in hopes of switching to a class the next night but no one will call me back. Now I have to eat the cost of a hotel night (in August) in Door County, not very tasty. read more

The Savory Spoon had been strongly recommended to us by close family members about a year ago, and we had the chance at Thanksgiving '08 to taste some of the recipes that they had learned. We'd been to several cooking demonstrations in the past, and were enthusiastic to attend a hands-on class. The Savory Spoon offers a varied and changing calendar of cooking lessons. My wife and I took a "Simply Italian class here during a weekend-getaway. (The choice was a tough one, "Chocolate Decadence" was the morning's offering.) The class was full (about 15 people) and after a brief overview of the menu and some suggestions for technique everyone grabbed an apron, washed their hands, and self-divided into groups with everyone migrating towards the dish they were most interested in. There was a copy of each recipe plus the already-measured-out ingredients at each station. Chef Janice led the course with the help of two assistants--one moving between the two neighboring kitchens to assist where necessary and the other had the unenviable task of washing the rapidly accumulating dishes. Everyone was very sociable. Chef Janice made it a point to converse with everyone and was always ready to answer questions or give advice about the recipes we were preparing. The kitchens were spacious and it was easy to find counter space and utensils without feeling like you were in the way. Pots & pans, bowls, knives, mixing spoons, & etc. were all readily available; you could use what you saw, or ask for something specific and it would appear. After the dishes were ready and the tables set, everyone sat down to enjoy the fruits of our labors. I have to say that everything was fantastic. We left happy and full of great food and fun conversation. Wine was available for purchase by the glass or bottle during the entire event. The school also had a small shop, but my wife and I find it too easy to talk ourselves into buying kitchen tools, so we didn't spend much time looking around. Overall, this was a fantastic experience and I would definitely recommend it for anyone interested in food. Even if you don't feel like you have much experience, this Savory Spoon course would be accessible to anyone. read more

First time we attended Savory Spoon cooking class. Amy, the chef was wonderful. She went over all the recipes and then we broke into groups and made them. Amy & Bob were very helpful with all the questions and preparation. We then sat down in a charming atmosphere, made new friends and enjoyed our dishes. Will definitely return. We went to our second class this year on Tappas and it was also very enjoyable. The recipes are easy to follow and Janice, the chef was very helpful and encouraging. read more

By now, you've all seen at least one or one thousand cooking shows on TV. They're fun -- especially when you get to see the truly inventive and creative at work (Top Chef, I'm talking about you), but the problem is we never get to TASTE the food! It looks good, but for all we know, it could taste like an old shoe with a gorgonzola crumble and a sprinkle of oregano. Probably not, but I'm just sayin'. However, at Savory Spoon Cooking School in Ellison Bay, Wisconsin, you not only get to observe a master chef -- the delightful Janice W. Thomas -- but you get to work alongside her and her assistant while preparing her delicious recipes with your very own hands! And let me tell you this: the results are divine. We were part of a Door County Bike Tour group that visited the Cooking School on a rainy Tuesday morning. The class commenced at 11:00 a.m. and Chef Thomas explained to us what we would be cooking that day. She went over each course, and explained and demonstrated a few tips that we would use in the preparation of each dish. About noon, our group of 10 split into five groups of two. My wife and I took the appetizer soup course: Chilled Avocado and Cucumber Soup. We picked this course mainly because we were standing nearest to its preparation table. What a nice choice this turned out to be! It required no actual cooking, but a lot of measuring, chopping, blending and preparing and the results were heavenly. The other four groups split up and made the following (in the order they were served): Fennel and Arugula Salad with Orange Vinaigrette, Baked Salmon with Pistachios and Herbed Panko (one group) alongside Grilled Asparagus and Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic (another group), and for dessert Fresh Blueberry Raspberry Tart. Hungry yet? By 1 o'clock, the prep tables were cleared and a table was set. We finished the preparation of our chilled soup and the entire group sat down to enjoy lunch. Our soup, which we garnished only moments before, was then served to us nearly as though we were dining at the finest restaurant. Even though we only followed the Chef's expert advice and recipe, it was hard not to let it go to our heads when we heard everybody taste our soup and say, "Wow! Is that ever good!" This pretty much continued through the remaining courses where I equally enjoyed each and every one. What a fun way to spend a day. I doubt I've ever had a better lunch and Chef Thomas was such a joy be around. The next time you are planning to be in Door County, be sure to look up the Savory Spoon Cooking School class schedule (on their website) and sign up for one if you can. It's a ton of fun and your tastebuds will do back-flips! I should also mention that the Savory Spoon is located in a restored school that was originally built in 1879. The floors in the building are original. Great credit is owed to the Savory Spoon owners for restoring this important Door County, Wisconsin landmark! read more

A group of 4 of us took the pie making class this past weekend. Well worth every penny! Totally a hands on class, we each went home with a mini pie and full size pie. Demo classes are not my thing, so this really was fantastic. The staff are so hard-working and pleasant. The space was very clean too. Coffee was a huge bonus at 9am! Expert teacher who was kind and engaging. I absolutely loved it and will definitely be back for more. read more

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Absolutely terrible customer service. I booked a class and was VERY excited for it. My friend I was planning to attend with was ill and I tried calling three times beginning Thursday morning, left a voicemail, emailed, and submitted a contact us form to get ahold of someone and figure out my options. If I was unable to cancel, I would have made arrangements to be in town and attend the class. However, I did not hear back and had to cancel my hotel reservations. I finally called yet again on Saturday to try to get ahold of someone, in which the owner answered and rudely told me I have no options. Had I heard back from someone previously, I would have made arrangements to be in attendance with someone else but since I didn't hear back, it was too late to make the drive up the the school. The owner stated that I had to confirm I was unable to cancel within 14 days when I registered, which I understand, but when you book the tickets months in advance, it is difficult to remember all the details. I did refer back to my original booking email and there was nothing stated about cancellation so I was only relying on being able to contact someone for this information. I love supporting small businesses, but unfortunately this is one that I will never go to nor can I recommend purely due to the rude way I was treated by the owner. read more

We had an excellent time as a family learning new recipes and enjoying each other's company. It was a very special treat!

Wonderful evening. Master ChefJanice Thomas lead the group ...never more than 16 ... Through instruction demonstration on preparing five courses and gourmet recipes. Then the pupils get hands on experience preparing the dish under the watchful eyes of Janice and her sous chef ... and on to the meal. Most convivial company and a terrific experience. read more

My experience was not the same as the previous reviewers. There were more than 20 people in our class. Quite crowded. We were given a set of recipes and then the class divided up and decided what they wanted to work on. Unfortunately, the group was quite closed. Too many people knew each other and didn't want "outsiders" in their group. Janice did nothing to facilitate a good experience for all. As a matter of fact, it was obvious who her friends and favorites were; the rest were basically ignored. I have taken many classes at several different top notch cooking schools. This paled in comparison. There were basically no cooking techniques taught to anyone. Hand hygiene was not really addressed with the group. Knife skills and safety not discussed at all. The Wisconsin state safety laws must be quite different from those in Illinois. I was appalled at what I saw. Fortunately, there were some good cooks in the group because the recipes turned out quite well. read more

My daughter enjoyed two days of cooking classes with her friends. The school was well prepared, and the menu simple, but delicious. She came home full of information and inspiration, and has been enthusiastically making her new dishes for all of us to enjoy! We hope to sign up for more classes this summer. Thank you Janice and Savory Spoon team. read more

My husband and I attended the Moroccan cooking class. LOVED it! Amy did a nice job of explaining the recipes for the novice and experienced. The kitchen was so organized and flexible for the amount of people there. As someone with lots of time in the kitchen it was fun to tackle a very complicated recipe. I have one gripe. Did not know that there was an $8.00 charge for wine!!! I must have been out of the room when that was shared. Wine was very mediocre too! Change that and it's a perfect experience. SO fun! read more

Perfect night out! Tasty food, wonderful instructor, excellent ambiance. Would recommend for a fun thing to do with a group of friends! :-)

Wasn't sure what to expect at a duck cooking evening but it all turned out well -- got to understand the concepts, cook a root veg dish, sample the duck preparations classmates had done, and chat a bit and meet some new people and drink some wine. Very well organized and the space transformed from lecture style with us in director's chairs to cooking area to dining room. Janice Thomas stepped in to help when we got stuck and offered encouragement and explanation. read more

Send the kiddies to the local mini-golf and treat yourself! Great staff, great food, great fun.