I hosted our leadership team's very first offsite in Vancouver and I was on the hunt for an evening team-building activity for our group of 13 that felt inclusive, engaging, and genuinely enjoyable for everyone. After a lot of research, The Dirty Apron stood out as the clear winner. I reached out nearly two months in advance only to find they were fully booked on our one available evening. I moved on and kept searching, but about a week later they contacted me to say they had a cancellation. I jumped on it immediately! From start to finish, the process was seamless. They offered a very wide variety of menu options, which made it easy to find choices that accommodated several dietary restrictions and varying preferences across our group. Communication was straightforward and stress-free. Day of, the location was easy to find and they were completely set up and ready when I arrived a few minutes early. The onsite team, Monica, our servers, and our chef were all outstanding. The structure of the experience was perfect for a team event: the chef would teach us one course, we'd break out to make it together, then sit down and eat what we'd just prepared before heading back to learn the next one. The pacing was spot-on. Our chef was engaging, educational, and fun without being over the top. Throughout the evening and through the next day, my entire team raved about the food quality, the hands-on instruction, and the overall atmosphere. After dessert, none of us wanted to leave, even after four full hours together. For a leadership team that had never done an offsite before, this was the ideal bonding experience. Highly, highly recommend The Dirty Apron for corporate team events. We got lucky with that cancellation, and it ended up being the highlight of our trip to Vancouver! read more

What a great night learning how to prepare and cook in a real hands on atmosphere by a professional chef. We did the Thai class and made shrimp spring rolls, beef satay skewers, and green curry chicken. It was so much fun and it tasted amazing. Our instructor Raf would demonstrate the prep and then the cooking of the dish while we watched him cook and gave tips and teach things like proper cutting technique, to heating the oil correctly and when to add to maximize things like flavour and not to overcook things. Once he finished it was our turn to prepare and cook the dish (while being supervised and given tips and guidance while we cooked)and then when we finished we went and sat in the dining room and got to taste our creation. Each course we did one at a time then ate it and then proceeded to the next course. If you want to learn cooking techniques and some pointers from a real pro and have some fun I highly recommend this. Great for couples, parent& child, friends or on your own to have some fun and prepare a really delicious meal. Class size was 20 people. read more

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Very fun and useful I've been going since I was 10 the chefs are very nice and the menu is tasty

I took my partner here for the Surf-Turf-Dessert class as a birthday gift since we love cooking together! We were seated at a table with all the other students and that's where we enjoyed our dishes with a complementary alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink! (In total, four glasses of beverage). The cooking experience overall was so fun! One of the best parts was not having to wash your own dishes! First we would watch a demo by the instructor and write notes, then we'd go off into cooking! The instructor walks around to help and other staff come around to help keep your station clean. It was also so luxurious to use a gas stove and stainless steel pots and pans! The first course was a pan-roasted lingcod on a bed of mushrooms. This was my favourite by far, the mushrooms with miso coconut broth was so umami! And the fish I cooked was tender and delicious. The second course was a gochujang BBQ flank steak with sesame-grilled vegetables. I didn't think the gochujang flavour came out enough and it felt like the vegetables didn't go very well together with the steak. This dish was just okay! And my error--I overcooked the steak.. A little too tough and chewy for my soft mouth! The last course was a coffee and Bailey's sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce. They gave us a scoop of their housemade vanilla bean ice cream to go with it. This dessert was divine! Perfect amount of sweetness. Every bite gave me happiness. It's more like a cake than a "pudding" though. The class started at 5:30pm and the cooking and eating was all done by around 9pm! At the end of the class, we were able to browse their small shop with a class discount. One thing I wish was taught more was how to plate beautifully! read more

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Lovely find. Great customer service...fast service.amazing chai latte, avocado toast and tomato coconut soup!!! And that's what was available-leftover! Most of their menu was so read more

The Dirty Apron Cooking School - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Fantastic. A friend and I attended the Ocean Fling class. It was great. The chef was energetic and fun. He took time to explain each dish before we cooked. Ingredients were great. Food tasted good. Wine was OK. Would love to go again. read more

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The Dirty Apron is an awesome cooking school! My husband and I took "The Best Brunch Class," which was four hours long and $170 CAD per person. I thought it was worth every penny. Make sure you book early because these classes always sell out. They let you check in up to 30 minutes before the class starts. When we got there, we were greeted by Ashanti, our event host. She treated us well and gave us really nice black cloth aprons (which you get to keep)! She also offered us coffee/tea while we waited for the rest of the students to arrive. Our cooking class had three courses: Double-Smoked Bacon Eggs Benedict with Sun-Dried Tomato Hollandaise and Herb Potato Rosti, Cinnamon Brioche French Toast with Grapefruit Riesling Sabayon, and Smokey Tomato Cheddar Scones. Chef Takashi was our teacher. He is really good at explaining things and gave us some great tips and tricks. For each course, the teacher does a cooking demo, you cook the dish at your station, and then you have time to eat it in the dining room. Pay attention during the demo! During your cooking time, the teacher will walk around to check on you, but you need to be mostly independent. This is the fanciest cooking class I've ever taken and I was amazed at my results. Everything tasted fantastic and I learned a lot. My fellow classmates were all really cool, so it was fun getting to know them while we ate our creations. It was a generous amount of food and we also received drinks with each course. Everyone ended up taking the scones home because they were too full. I highly recommend taking a class here! read more

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I got to experience their cooking school as a team bonding activity through work. I had heard about this but haven't been able to justify the price tag, however now having done it, I can see why and will most likely come back for another class. The teachers were very nice and professional who definitely know what they're doing. My group made the crab cake and prawn appetizer, while other groups made the Thai green curry with rice and a chocolate dessert. It wasn't a competition but I'm pretty certain my team won. read more

The Dirty Apron Cooking School - Crab cake and prawn appetizer - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I got gift certificate from my company. My friend and I were so excited to find the cooking class that we're interested. We arrived there 10 mins early, we got served some bread with olive oil and vignettes and relaxed in dinning room. When the class starting, we went in the commercial kitchen which full equipped. The chef instructor demonstrated the dish then we returned to our station to do it ourselves. O, well... all the ingredients were pre-measured, it made everything much easier. We made the dishes and returned to dinning room to enjoy it. When we looked around and found some ppl dishes didn't look good and even over cooked. Lol. Our dishes absolutely look great... It's fun and great experience for 4 hours class. Even though the ingredients were not top quality of food but really good enough for practice. Totally worth it coz no matter how messy u make in the kitchen, no need to worry and clean up after. I wish I could do it at home. read more

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I currently just got home from the La Dolce Vita - For the Love of Italian Food cooking class at the Dirty Apron. The class ran from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM. The space is beautiful and features this gorgeous long table, giant chandeliers and great ambiance. Service was impeccable here. They constantly offered us both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (all included in the price of the class) and as we waited for everything to begin, we were given the spongiest bread with generous pats of butter to keep us occupied. I have attached some pictures of the menu for today Monday March 11, 2019 and it becomes very obvious that they completely left out a menu item. The Biscotti was conveniently omitted and when inquired, the chef said they did not prep it and he thought it was dumb that we were doing biscotti alongside a tart. Unbeknownst to him, I was looking forward to learning how to make biscotti and I happened to not be the only individual who was excited to learn biscotti making. Considering the hefty price per person of upwards of $170, I expect that the advertised menu is followed. If it were not for the service, I would have given this class ONE STAR because expecting to learn how to make everything that was promised in this class is not a huge ask in fact, it is an expectation. We made a total of three different dishes, but a lot of times, it felt as if we were just assembling the dish and not really doing the cooking ourselves. A lot of prep and cooking and marinating was done for us ahead of time. The biggest example would be the poached pear tart. The sauce, the ice cream, the puff pastry and the frangipane was done for us ahead of time. All we did was cut up half a pear and dump it in a small pot with three other ingredients which were already pre-portioned for us. The weirdest part, a staff member then looked over the pots and mixed them and made sure it did not over-reduce. I think the only thing I really took from this class is how to make fresh pasta. Everything else was me just blindly dumping the pre-portioned items into a pan. Unfortunately​, things did not even taste that amazing either. I thought the recipes were alright. The only thing I would remake is the fresh pasta, but I would do my own sauce. Would I go again? NOPE Was it worth the price - arguable?​ Because I walked away with very little from this class. To recap: they omitted the Biscotti that was stated on the menu. The only thing I really had to make and aka only thing I learned was how to make fresh pasta Everything else was pre-portioned and pre-cooked or pre-made for us The food and recipes were meh. Nothing wowed me They really pushed a few products that they sell there like a $65 bottle of vinaigrette​.... read more

The Dirty Apron Cooking School - The advertised Menu. Clearly stated --- hazelnut Biscotti -- which they never did in the class..... I feel cheated - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Came here with my bestie for a cooking class. Now, neither of us are great cooks and we kind of suck at following instructions, yet our meals turned out incredible! The recipes and instructions are foolproof thanks to the excellent instructors! We made Sichuan pepper crusted New York strip loins with tabbouleh and shishito peppers, lobster and mascarpone squid ink tortellini, and a chocolate lava cake to finish! Never did I think I could make something so gourmet that tasted so good! Groups of two get their own kitchen/cooking area and you eat after every course you cook! At the end there's opportunity to shop certain ingredients you used in the Dirty Apron delicatessen! I HIGHLY recommend a class here (if not, at least check out the delicatessen for some delicious bites!) read more

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Came here for their 'Rise (Dine) & Shine' cooking class with my partner. The menu included: huevos rancheros, crispy chicken and waffles, and banana rum flambe. Upon arriving, we were helped with our jackets/coats, and was offered mimosa and an apron. The staff was friendly, and our instructor was enthusiastic. I loved how everything was portioned out to you, and you're offered a drink before every course. The entire cooking course was run super smooth, once you're ready to cook again everything is already at your station. You may not learn knife skills, or feel that it's a real class but it's more for entertainment sake but there are some tips, tricks, and skills you will take from it. For me, the class taught some skills that I won't home such as flambe-ing and a fool-proof way of poaching an egg - but this will change now. It was a 4 hour class, and it did come up to around $180/ person. It is pricey, and probably something I wouldn't do regularly. But... if you're looking for a gift or a special date, this would be it! read more

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I came here for a corporate event and it was fantastic! I highly recommend this cooking class format of demo, make, consume, if you're keen on learning new tips and tricks. It's not only a great group activity but great fun with a pal, not to mention a great gift idea! Our menu for the evening began with a cream of Porcini mushroom and chestnut soup, followed by our main course of stuffed pork tenderloin and spaetzle with a red wine reduction and for desert an open faced apple pie tart. The recipes are meant for four so we were definitely stuffed by the end of the evening! Thank goodness for the takeout boxes! Chef Takashi is knowledgeable, efficient and concise so you really can't screw up...too badly! All the ingredients are prepped for the most part and everyone works in pairs in mini kitchens which are stocked with pro cookware! Can we say Wolf range??? Best part... no cleaning! Come to think of it, this would be a good way to meet someone new... just saying read more

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Absolutely loved my first experience with the Dirty Apron Cooking School last night. I wasn't sure what to expect but was blown away. First off, choose from 45 different courses, from seafood and Italian to Lobster Thermidor and Julia Childs top creations. Be greeted and take a seat in the dining room where you will get a glass of bubbles and some warm homemade bread and savoury butter. The teaching portion man is easy to follow along then pair up and start your creation! All 3 of my dishes turned out remarkable and something I would 100% make at home. Would love to try more classes! Definitely worth it. Takashi was an amazing teacher and Celeste was a great server. read more

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We took the Ocean Fling seafood cooking class here and learned some useful cooking tips! First off let's get this out of the way.. $180 is pretty steep for a cooking class. But some may argue it's worth it because this is what you get: - great industrial quality appliances and cookware - instructor-led class where you do most of your own cooking (but no prep - they cut/ wash/ portion/ marinate in advance for you) - your own dirty apron apron to take home - 5 glasses of various wines (good ones too) And the main course.. 3 pretty full size dishes of the food that you cook for yourself! We learned to make the following: - Pan Roasted Halibut Cheeks and Citrus Olive Oil Poached Prawns with Saffron Aoli - Shitake & White Soya Tuna Tartare with Yuzu Foam - Arctic Char with Vegetable Nage Every time we finished making a dish, we get to sit down at a long communal table to enjoy them with our wines. It was a really pleasant time. I do understand why some would feel that it's not a real cooking class, since everything was kind of ready-made for the actual cooking. I felt that way too, but understand that this class is more for entertainment rather than to learn knife skills, and they have a lot to pack into 4 hours. I know it's pricey, but I don't regret doing it at all! read more

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Not much to say. It is just not an option for me to come back although I am being nice giving 3 stars. Pricey for the amount of food. I had salad with chicken. Salad was good, although it came with 2 small cubes of avocado instead of real piece of it. Chicken was mediocre. Tasted like not well prepared chicken just with some salt. Very plain. Other than that, nice staff and nice ambience with cute trendy rustic decor. read more

The Dirty Apron Cooking School - No taste chicken - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Being tricked, I mean, being surprised by my significant other for a night of dining and dating, or is it dating and dining I was brought to a place I wouldn't think of coming to, as no one I know would be taking me (I guess I was wrong by a long shot). On this fateful evening, being advised we would be around the area of Chambar, I walked (without doing research) with her guiding my every step to her plans of the evening ahead. Taken aback by the spectacle of coming into this highly raved place I entered, knowing the background of this place, but not really knowing what main topic the night would be about. Greeted by the people there once we entered the doorway, and also having my jacket taken to hang, I was quickly presented a mixture of prosecco and pomegranate juice to warm my senses to the mind-blowing experience of the night ahead. I learned from my partner that 'David Rocco' from Food Network's Dolce Vita would be the main guest to show us his magic on the open kitchen/stage display, with wine pairings per dish. As the people were shuffling in from the coldness of the outside, and warming up, just like how I was warming up, with prosecco in hand, I noticed how diverse the crowd was, and how enthusiastic everyone was for this special guest. The workers here were practically swimming through all the people providing small entree's for the night, from sage and anchovies, to a nice ball of goodness that I couldn't name with my memory, but filled with a tomato base, cheese, and just a thrill for the mouth that I had three. There was another one which was a delectible delight of mushrooms on bruschetta that I have to say readied us up for the night with David. I know from others who have went that usually when they are here, they are taught hands on, to cook, this was a different sort of 'show', and it was more hands off, but it was an entertaining good time to see how fast and simple David prepares and cooks the food that he shows on his show. Starting off with a salad with selectable beef to start, a red wine based risotto, a chicken that had the phrase on the menu "that jumps off your mouth" and to end it off, three delicious cheeses, and an easy "man's" tiramisu. A fair share of wine was paired for each dish, but the one thing that I have to say is when a meal is not just a meal but an event, and this was one of them. For the amont of time we were there, it just went by fast. 3 hours of entertainment, and also getting to know other people standing at our table, as it was 5 to a table, and getting to understand and know their cravings and what brought them here for the night's festivities. When you have a celebrity in the house, it just makes the night more enjoyable, with pictures, chatter, questions being thrown across the room (including one thrown by my partner) and seeing David be himself, with some good choiced words coming out of his mouth, that you definitely will not hear on the Food Network. It all ended off with pictures with him, and a custom book signing. It was a 5 star experience, and I still am blown away from this, and it intrigues me for more of what this place offers, but I now know a part of the experience of coming to this place! read more

We had the best experience at their couples seafood cooking class. Chef Greg was AMAZING. Totally professional and entertaining. He offered many great tips throughout the class and was very personable and approachable. $158/per person we watched the demo, then prepared and feasted on the following dishes: Warm lobster salad with fingerling potatoes. We learned to cook and breakdown a full lobster. Salt crusted sea bream. We learned the (surprisingly simple and easy) method of salt crusting a full fish (to maintain its natural moisture while seasoning it) and baking it. Afterwards we learned to fillet and debone it. Basil crepes with berry compote. Simple and delicious! Our class started with some bread and goodies to munch on with a glass of bubbly. After cooking each dish, we sat at the communal table to enjoy the fruits of our labour and washed it down with glasses of wine. Fantastic evening and well organized. We didn't have to fuss about with too much prep work and no cleaning at all! The staff took care of all that before and after each course for us. We simply did all the fun stuff, which was to cook, eat and drink! You also get to take the snazzy apron home that they give you and 10% off any future classes. read more

The Dirty Apron Cooking School - Seafood cooking class: lobster potato salad, salt crusted sea bream, basil crepes with berries - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

My girl friend brought me here for my birthday for a surprise cooking lesson. I never heard about Dirty Apron before and upon walking into the kitchen classroom area I was super excited! Everything looked really neat, tidy, and legit. The instructor chef was very clear and concise with the instructions and super helpful when we messed up lol! Our first entree was seared tuna. I think this was when my love for tuna really manifested. It was funny trying to get the X marks correctly on the tuna from the grill to which we both failed. After each dish we go back to the communal table and taste our creation along with white or red wine. The tuna was delicious! Definitely something I couldn't whip up on my own without Dirty Apron's help haha. Next we made pasta from scratch. Which meant rolling the dough and feeding it through the machine thingy I don't remember what it's called LOL. Anyways, that was tough but with the instructor chef's help. Nothing is impossible (aka being carried by him). The pasta came with lamb which unfortunately I don't eat and my gf didn't know so I had mine vegetarian. Lastly, dessert was a sort of pear reduction in red wine. End verdict of Dirty Apron is that it was beyond my expectations. The cooking class was super fun! The food was super delicious and the experience was amazing. I definitely will be going back. It's a great activity for a date, a birthday, or just for fun with some friends! At around $200 price point, I really do believe it is worth it! read more

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As an extremely belated Christmas present, one of my good friends treated me to a night at The Dirty Apron. I chose the "Viva la Vegetarian: The Art of Vegetarian Cooking" class because I thought it would be the most practical and versatile class, and I have an interest in exploring contemporary vegetarian options. The 4-hour class begins at the long, communal dining table where all students are offered a basket of bread to share, with dip, and a glass of wine. After everyone arrives, we are moved into the kitchen and are seated around the main table, where Chef Takashi Mizukami gives us an introduction to the class. Then begins his appetizer demonstration of the Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese and Walnut Tart with Arugula Pesto. Already within 10 minutes of his cooking demonstration, I was already learning a practical array of skills that I could take home and apply to my own cooking. For example: how to make pesto from scratch (it's super easy - just blend a bunch of ingredients together), how to caramelize onions (make sure they are cut evenly), and how to roast tomatoes (it takes two hours in the oven on low heat). After plating our tarts (and drizzling with balsamic vinaigrette), we brought our dishes back to the communal table and ate our delicious creation, accompanied by a glass of wine. My tart was super flavourful and fresh. The goat cheese was slightly melted, the arugula was seasoned, the pastry puff was light and flakey. I couldn't believe I made this myself! We didn't have much time to rest after the appetizer, we went right back to the kitchen so we could learn how to make our main course and dessert. Following the same teaching format, first we watched the cooking demonstration, then went back to our stations to make it ourselves. We started off with dessert first. Chocolate, butter, and a bit of flour were the main ingredients of our Lava Cake dessert. We melted the ingredients in a double broiler, poured into a ramekin labeled with our names, and then moved on to making our main course. Our main course was a Artichoke, Yellow Beet, Ricotta & Pine Nut Tortellini with Pan Roasted Sultanas (aka. raisins). A couple of the ingredients (the beets, artichoke and asparagus) were already pre-cooked for us. All we had to do was chop and toss the ingredients in a pan, and cook with balsamic vinaigrette. The harder part was making the pasta from scratch. The ingredients which make up pasta are simple: flour and egg. But it is the kneading of the dough, and getting it to the right consistency which is a challenge. Long story short, after you let your dough set for a while, you roll it through a small pasta machine which flattens the dough until you have a 2 ft long flat sheet of dough. You then cut out circles (like making cookies) for the tortellini shell. The pasta filling was a delicious ricotta cheese with lemon zest and basil. You scoop the filling into your dough circles, fold together like dumplings, and drop into salted boiling water for 3 - 4 minutes. You then mix the cooked tortellini (which held its shape and stayed in-tact) into the veggie balsamic "sauce" and fry for a couple more minutes until your pasta is coated with the mixture. When plating your pasta, you can add in a couple of roasted cherry tomatoes for colour and additional flavour. I loved the tartness of the balsamic vinaigrette paired with the sweetness of the roasted tomatoes and the creaminess of the ricotta cheese filling. The roasted tomatoes literally bursted in my mouth with flavour. With the leftover dough, we turned it into fettuccine to bring home. While we were eating our main course back in the dining room, our dessert was being baked. Hot out of the oven, we placed a scoop of vanilla ice cream on dessert, and sifted some icing sugar on top. Voila! The decadent lava cake dessert is done. Overall, I thought this cooking class was quite practical and I learned skills that I could use again. I also learned to use ingredients that I haven't used before in cooking (ie. ricotta cheese, raisins, beets, etc.) The dishes we made were versatile enough to recreate. I was exhausted after the class (cooking takes a lot of work!) but thought it was a lovely way to spend a Monday evening. read more

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Took this class today and I can't wait to cook what I learned today for family and friends. They will be so impressed!!! The staff was welcoming and made sure we had a great cooking, learning and dining experience. If I lived in the area, I would want to take this class with my friends, date night and as a present. Check out the pictures of my dishes. It's unbelievable that I've never cooked this before. read more

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Food - 4 stars Ambiance - 4 stars Décor - 4 stars Service - N/A Value - 3 1/2 stars I had a late lunch yesterday due to the dreadful annual visit to the dentist; therefore, by the time I arrived at The Dirty Apron Deli - it was already 2pm. The Dirty Apron is located on Beatty and West Pender St - it is known for its hands-on cooking classes in the state of the art professional kitchen lead by former Chambar Sous-Chef David Robertson. In additional to offering cooking classes, they also have a wonderful Deil and Market that retails their Dirty Apron delicatessen, gourmet produce, kitchen accessories and utensils and cook books. They also have a gorgeous seating area featuring a wooden communal table and vintage crystal chandeliers where you can enjoy your lunch, a sweet or simply a cup of 49th Parallel Americano . Their Deli serves hot lunch special, soup, salad, sandwiches and desserts. They serve a total of a selection of 5 already made sandwiches grilled to order and5 fresh baguettes that are made in front of you when ordered from prosciutto sandwich, crab and shrimp baguette to pulled pork baguette - average price of $9. Their soup, salad and hot lunch special changes daily - from curry squash soup ($4.99), salads: beets, grilled vegetable, potato and couscous salad ($1.99/100 g) to hot lunch specials: oxtail & pasta ($8.99), curry vegetables & couscous ( $7.99) and pork ragu ($7.99). By the time I arrived at 2pm, ALL the sandwiches were SOLD OUT - so I opted for the baguettes. For Lunch, I had Pulled Pork Baguette ($7.99) - featuring slow roasted pulled pork, picked carrots, jalapeño and cilantro - I was a little disappointed with this particular sandwich. I was expected a Southern BBQ Pull pork sandwich but it turned out to be a Vietnamese Bahn Mi Wannabe. The baguette was soft and superb but I didn't like the Bahn Mi ingredients - I have better and more authentic Bahn Mi elsewhere. Pistachio Cheesecake Brownies ($3.99) - TWO THUMBS UP. This creamy and moist brownie has the texture of a brownie combined with cheesecake - it is softer and less dense like traditional brownies. The best part the brownie is the pistachio nuts and cream on the crusty top - it was Heavenly! Overall, I enjoyed my experience at The Dirty Apron Deli. I would suggest arriving early during their lunch service to get their sandwiches - my foodie friend suggested the Prosciutto Sandwich. Of course - be sure to save room for their Heavenly Pistachio Cheesecake Brownies - the BEST part of my meal. read more

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This post is for the cooking class. Their kitchen is excellent, ingredients are fresh, and most of all the instructor is very informative. Friendly too! He went around making sure everyone was on the same page and answered all our questions. Menu was great too! My husband and I are making the dishes we learnt here for our friends, and they love them! Highly recommended for a date out, or even with a group of friends or for yourself. read more

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I didn't actually participate in the cooking school, but we strolled through here as we waited for breakfast at Cafe Medina. The place looked really warm, and I'm going to try to sign up for a cooking class the next time I'm in Vancouver. My review is on the in-house store. The store that's attached to the cooking school is reasonably priced, nothing too exorbitant. I found tamarind paste and concentrated tube tomato paste both for very cheap. I can never find tamarind paste in the states at HMart, Uwajimaya, or any local asian grocery store that I've been too, but they had it in abundance so I picked up a few for some pad thai making. The tomato paste in a tube was about $5 cheaper than Fred Meyer in Lynnwood, so we grabbed a couple bottles of that too. The knife selection was really nice, and they had a row of beautiful pasta makers. Definitely a neat little place and the salesperson was really nice, I'll go back to try the school portion next time, especially since their emblem is a pig, yum! read more

The Dirty Apron Cooking School - Long table for cooking school meals. - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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We held department's Christmas party/team building at this restaurant. We had a blast. The event was well planned. A mixed of business and pleasure. The morning was about budget, forecasts and business plan discussions. For lunch we had to cook to be able to eat. This is where team building comes in. We were grouped into 3: appetizer, main entree and dessert groups. It was a fun competition as we were trying to outdo each other. The chefs assisted us in preparing our dish -from stirring to measuring, from cutting to mixing, from plating to serving. Well done guys. This was by far the best team building event we'd been to. If I may make a suggestion - we were in charge of dessert. We were each given different tasks. But I didn't know what the rest of the dessert team was doing. I only knew that I was making a meringue. I didn't know that we were also making biscotti. A brief intro of the whole dessert ensemble or a picture of what we were trying to accomplish would have been nice. Other than that our chef Kat was very pleasant. read more

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The flavours, food quality, and can do attitude with service was outstanding. We had the feature spicy chicken soup and croissant breakfast sandwich; it was to die for. The absolute best screamed eggs I have EVER tasted. It was seasoned just perfectly, the eggs texture was firm, agile, like velvet and not over cooked - like most places. I will definitely come back. Weekend breakfast special; homemade croissant, prosciutto, burrata cheese, confit tomatoes, arugula, pesto, and scrambled eggs. read more

The Dirty Apron Cooking School - Weekend breakfast special - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

The Cooking School portion of the Dirty Apron has been on my Vancouver to-do list for a long time! Ever since one of the chefs at Chambar (aka my favourite restaurant in Vancouver for the past 10 years! please see separate review!) opened this teaching establishment I thought to myself, "I really need to try this joint!". At the same time, I also had to reconcile this desire with the actual cost - which I saw as an incredible splurge at the $150+ price tag. However, I always find it easier to justify spending on other people than myself (I know I'm not the only one!) and decided to sign up as a gift for a friend as part of her wedding present. Having now participated in the 4 hour course, tasted the delicious creations, and then implemented my new skills and recipes no less than 3 times in 3 weeks, I can say with firm disposition that this experience has been SO worth it :) I took the Seafood class and made a range of dishes from Pan-seared Halibut Cheeks with Olive oil/butter Poached Prawns and Saffron Aioli to White Soya and Sesame marinated Yellow Fin Tuna with pressed Avocado and Yuzu foam. I loved how hands on the class was and that there were several people walking around to check on you and be available for questions and tips. I felt confident in cooking and also appreciated the friendly guidance. The pacing was perfect - you watch a demonstration for each course before cooking it yourself. Afterwards, you're seated in the cozy dining room to enjoy your meal at a comfortable pace and with unlimited BEvERages ;) By the final course I was fully stuffed and thankfully, the staff offered us some take out boxes which I packed to take home. Having now completed 3 new dishes and being left with a folder full of recipes and notes, I confidently cooked the dishes at home to the delight and gratitude of my husband. Last note about the service - my friend was pregnant but didn't tell me until we arrived at the class! I told the Chef last minute that my friend wouldn't be able to eat the raw tuna for the second course and the kitchen was able to whip her up a beautiful salad that she enjoyed instead! It was so great that they could accommodate my friend last-minute. They also gave her a box so that she could still make the dish and bring to her husband. Delight and gratitude also ensued ;) For those interested in seeing more of my experience, I did a full photo essay of all the dishes and the experience on my blog: http://my30before30.com/the-dirty-apron-cooking-school-ocean-fling-the-ultimate-seafood-class/ This was such a wonderful experience and I already know I'll be back... as part of my present to the next friend who gets married!! read more

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I've attended two classes and both times were absolutely fabulous. The instructors are all very helpful. They let you really get in there and try on your own, but then they jump in and provide whatever advice you need. They share some great techniques. The recipes are also stellar. So great. read more

So much fun! I was given two gift certificates for Christmas 2012. Even though I really wanted to use them, I never got around to it. Plus, since my hubby gave them, I felt as though I should bring him with me... so Couples Class it is. Umm, so they expire after a year. The blood drains from my face. You have to call in and extend them so you can book your class online. The blood went back to where it came from. I had been looking at the Spanish Tapas class... or the Hawaiian one, but there were two spaces in the Couples Class... let's be romantic. When we arrived for class, the front door said closed, but the door was open so we walked in. We were greeted by one of the ladies working in the store. She led us to the dining room where other people were already seated. She gave us our aprons, a file folder and some wine. Set up on the dining table were plates of hummus, olives and baskets of bread for snacking on. I don't want to fill up on this- I want my three desserts. Our chef's name is Jen. She is awesome. She leads us into the massive kitchen. There are at least ten workstations all set up with what we needed. We sit and watch her make the desserts. Did you know that soufflés are really easy? She made it look so simple. She also shows us how to make crème brulee. We watch her spice the chicken and bung it in the oven. Then it's our turn to disperse and make it ourselves. My hubby does the chicken while I make the soufflé. I screw it up, but it still works out. They take the desserts away to get baked, we put our chickens in the oven and come back to Jen so she can show us how to make the most intricate salad ever. All the while, her two helpers are busy clearing away our workstations and filling them with ingredients for the next round. It really was the most intricate salad ever. Would I make it at home? I actually have. It was a base of watercress (at home I used arugala) with sauteed mushrooms and grilled pears topped with slices of prosciutto and rounds of fried goat cheese. I loved it. Sure it was a lot of effort, but it was delicious. It didn't even take that long, there or at home. Once we finished plating, we moved into the dining room to eat our creations. When we came back from our very filling salad, we had to carve the chicken. Since it was almost cooked and not totally cooked, we had to put it back in the oven. She said carving it this way was easier. Since I don't cook whole chickens at home (I buy them from Costco already cooked), I am gonna follow this method: carve it and warm it in the oven. Next was risotto. We sat, watched Chef Jen make it and then we made it. She even brought around truffle oil after cooking to perfume the rice. Some lady beside me said it stank. Umm, no... truffles smell like wonderful. By the time the rice is done, so is our chicken. I am almost full. I really wanna try this stuff, so I eat it, but the salad was huge. Since everyone had leftovers, she gave us take out containers. I had a lot of fun brullee-ing. The desserts were really good. Another thing I am gonna try to do at home. Souffles seem so daunting, but it was really easy. Plus Chef Jen gave us all sorts of tips for making things in advance. YOU GET TO KEEP THE APRON! I was telling my hubby he had to take one for the team and make a diversion so I could run away with mine. Luckily he didn't have to and I got to keep my "dirty apron." The nice thing about their location is that it's close to skytrain. I had three glasses of wine during class. It was just so easy to hop on and go home. I didn't have to worry about parking (since the class is four hours--ours was longer) or DUIs... or crashing... I want to come back for another class. For two people, it's a little on the pricey side, but it makes a great present or special night out. Sure I am making my own food--but I do that at Korean BBQ and Japanese Sukiyaki places too... My husband and I had the best time... we never cook together because our kitchen is so small... I would probably nick him with a knife or burn him with a pan. read more

I'd be lying if I said my group and I didn't have fun at this "cooking class," but we all left feeling as if some recipe cards were thrown our way and we just did the "cooking." In other words, very little instruction or "class." Like others have reported, our class divided up the recipes and each pair or trio worked on each one. More disappointingly, the chef (who was very nice and fun) really only facilitated the class and we didn't get to absorb any expert techniques. The food we prepared was great, and I'm glad I have the recipes, but I guess I look at that aspect and feel I could Google some recipes and cook them at home. Again, lack of instruction and knowledge sharing in the kitchen is really what knocked off the stars on this review. If you want to go prepare a meal in somebody else's kitchen (they do all the cleaning, so that's nice!) and bring a bottle of wine, it can be a fun experience. But if your class is like mine, you won't learn much. I should also add that all of the staff was accommodating but felt like they were pushing us to get out soon as if they wanted to head out for the Friday night. read more

I went last week for a cooking class and I had a wonderful time. My first impression of this school was that great. I signed up for a class and had to be on the waiting list. Finally a spot opened up, I nearly lost it due to miscommunication with their office. At the end, I went to the class with a little discount. The cooking session lasted for a few good hours. Dirty Apron uses high end equipment such as stoves from Wolfe, and nice shiny kitchen gadgets. This is not your typical cooking class from the school board. The chef would give a demonstration and we would go back to our stations and try to replicate what he did. The recipes were easy to follow. All the ingredients were premeasured. How convenient! We didn't have to clean up after cooking. Assistants would come into the room and quickly take away the dirty dishes and cooking equipment that we just used. These assistants were quick like elves!! Just love it. The end result for each dish was pretty tasty. I could make a souffle! Yeah. I would definitely take anothe cooking class at Dirty Apron. read more

If you are looking for a gift for someone who has everything and is a food lover, Dirty Apron is the place for you. They have pre made gift boxes and they also create them with you as well. I wanted to make one for $150 filled with oils, balsamicos, pasta, munchies and chocolates. The staff member who helped me ( I didn't get his name) was awesome. We thoughtfully added the best options for the person receiving my gift and we added bourbon maple syrup and bacon jam to the mix. It was a fun, quick exercise. The whole kit and kaboodle cost $152 plus the cost of the box and packaging. I know this gift will be much appreciated. I enjoyed getting it. Thank you D A C S & D... You are a number 1 life saver. t PS it smelled amazing when I went in there. Next time I get lunch.. read more

This review is for the store portion of the Dirty Apron. I was wandering past on my way to dinner on Saturday evening when I noticed the Dirty Apron was still open. Huzzah! I was early and needed someplace to kill 15 minutes so this place was perfect. What awaited on the inside was a food lover's paradise. They had tiny shelves packed full of goodness. Specialty sauces, and items made in house. Fanciful herbs in cute jars with the Dirty Apron label. Little bottles of truffle oil tempting the money in your pocket. And, what I actually purchased, two kinds of Fee's bitters! Yeah, peach and chocolate additions to the bar, you'll fit in nicely. The small shop didn't just have food items, either, they even had tools of the trade, ready to be brought home to use with the fantastic new ingredients you just picked up. The deli counter had some delicious looking prepared meats and salads, though I didn't purchase any. The cooler had pre-made heat and serve sauces, too. Yum. And the prices? Not bad, actually. I was pretty impressed. I think the Callebaut chocolate was actually cheaper than Gourmet Warehouse. read more

My first cooking experience with my company and it was amazing! I really enjoyed spending time with my team and collaborating on making entree, appetisers, and desserts. We were split into teams and put in charge of prepping and cooking with the guidance of chefs. We then also presented and sat down to eat our creations, they also added a twist to it by making it a contest, we all judged the courses and chose a winning team. Great food: tenderloin, soufflé, and ravioli. Overall, a 5 star experience. read more

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Loved the Mama Mia class! Clear instructions while not being too simple. I've been to a few cooking classes and this was the best by far. read more

The Dirty Apron Cooking School - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Hands-on cooking class! I've done the cookshop and I've tried the PICA class, and I can honestly say that this place rocks my socks. I love the attention to detail this place puts out - the apron and name tag everyone gets upon arrival, the easy-going and friendly attitude of the chef, the fact that everyone gets their own stove & oven! I mean, how is that not awesome? Almost everything is DIY, not huddling amongst four people for communal food (alas, if you screw up - you'll have no one to blame but yourself). And the communal dinner room service is divine! The service was amazing! We were served wine while we ate our hand-crafted and plated meals in a sit-down environment, and there was tea and coffee laid out while we scrapped clean our own chocolate souffle. The cooking class accommodates 22 people at most I believe, and there is never a dull moment. You can't go horribly wrong with your learnings, especially since they have helper chefs walking around to assist and ensure you're not setting their kitchen on fire. Ingredients are already portioned out for you, removing you from doing the mundane tasks that result in spillage of flour and spices everywhere. Everything about this place is grand. Except the price tag. I know I know, for this kind of service you're bound to pay a bit more, but man I wish I could afford this stuff more often. I guess I'll keep saving them for special party options (I always push for a cooking class hard at bridal showers and birthdays brainstorming sessions). The shop area is full of some fantastic and rarer-than-your-average-grocery-store stuff, at reasonable prices. Their sandwiches are YUM too, so stop by for a lunch sometime! :) read more

I just had to take the time and write a review for the Dirty Apron. I took three classes here and I think if I remember correctly they were: Italian 1, Itallan 2 and French Cooking. It's definitely the kind of place that you would take a date, or a friend. You get a cooking station and they demo how to cook one of the three meals in stages. One meal I remember we learned how to make pasta from scratch, gnocchi and pastries. One meal we made duck lol... I would never have thought to make that at home. After you make your meal, you are seated and wine is served (that is a super plus for me). The amazing thing was, my hubby and I were just friends at that time and 2 years later we are married. Very neat experience, and we were just discussing that we would like to go back to try this again. I would be very surprised to see a negative review for this place. The chef that teaches you is an excellent cook (think he is involved in Chambar...and I have yet to have a bad meal there). $150 per person, but its 4 hours of entertainment, education, 3 course meal & wine. Definitely worth the money. read more

Took an Italian cooking class. Had so much fun! Highly recommend. Learned so much!!!!!

Dirty Apron is the downtown answer to foodie heaven. Peruse the well-stocked store looking for gourmet & specialty items then meander to the front where you can choose between sandwiches made to order and a rotating menu of daily specials. I've been a few times for lunch and while there are some things that have stood out for me more than others (hot items over sandwiches), everything is well presented and hearty. The curry is one of my faves. If that wasn't enough, they also offer cooking classes. I've never done it before, but with the care and presentation that I see in their store / food offerings, that's enough to sell me on taking one! read more

Great place for cooks , non- cooks and food lovers. Very well done cooking classes with everything well thought out. The instructor/Chef counter is large and easy to view due to bright lights , overhead mirrors plus the students chairs are staggered in hight. They make it very easy to follow and learn. The menu is beyond anything I could or would try and make myself but after the class I could and would make all we learned with ease. Very high-end in every way from Viking Range/grills to All-clad cookware. The bonus is you get to sit at the dinning rooms long, long tables and eat what you have made (better pay attention in class) with paired wines. The class is about four hours long and you meet some great people so it's a better value than going to Yale Town for dinner in my opinion. The only reason I never gave it Five stars was because the Chef/Teacher David Robertson had three of his buddies show up at the end of the class. They all sat in the store front part of the school and drank wine and chatted making most feel a bit out of place. Just a little unprofessional end to a very stelar night. Over all I would recommend the school to anyone and everyone plus great for a few couples to try together. I hope Chef David reads this review and makes a mental note. read more