My wife and I recently took a class here called "Date Night: Spanish Tapas." The class taught us how to make several Spanish dishes including Spinach and Manchego Croquetas, Pan Con Tomate and Jamon Serrano, Tortilla Espagnola, and Pork Belly with Membrino Glaze. I'll be completely honest. I was not excited about taking this class. I hate cooking food as much as I love eating it. But the wife dragged me out here anyway. So what's my verdict? As my rating indicates, I was completely wrong about this class. It was a fun experience from start to finish. Chef May did a fantastic job walking us through how to prepare each dish before releasing us to our own individual stations, easing my concern that I would screw things up. When we needed any assistance, she was right there to jump in and provide support. I would be amiss if I didn't mention the best part of the class which is eating the food we made. Every dish was delicious. I especially loved the Pan Con Tomate and Jamon Serrano, and Pork Belly with Membrino Glaze. I would definitely recommend taking a class here. If they could make a guy like me who hates cooking enjoy the experience, they must be doing something right. We'll be back very soon for an encore. We're signed up for the Pan Pizza class. Looking forward to it! read more

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My partner and I took this cooking class as a date experience. While our chef was truly wonderful, kind, welcoming, and very professional, the overall class didn't meet our expectations for the price. The class structure made it hard to learn honestly. instead of cooking step by step together, all instructions were given at once and we were left to cook independently, which was overwhelming and difficult to remember details like which ingredients to add/when, how long to cook things for and proper technique, especially for beginners. A power outage that required sharing burners added to the disorganization. We were also surprised to be required to share ingredients (including raw meat) with someone we didn't know across from us, which felt awkward for an expensive date experience. There was no clear wrap up at the end, and people began eating and leaving without much direction. Again our chef was great, and we enjoyed the stories and history behind the dishes, but overall the cooking lesson experience didn't match the cost or the hands on learning we were expecting. read more

My 16-year-old asked to take a cooking class, so I started researching options. This class isn't cheap, but there aren't a lot of teen classes out there, and honestly it's reasonable for what you get. My son LOOOOOVED the class and bonus, brought home some delicious food he made! The recipes and teachers seem super legit. He loved the teachers and the food. He's about to turn 17, I only wish they had an older teen class so he could do more classes there! read more

The chef had all ingredients well prepared and the macaron class flowed seamlessly from each of the baking steps. It was a delicious and enjoyable class! read more

Did you know macarons are gluten-free? I took a macaron making class at The Gourmandise School, and it was quite fun & informative. Seeing the process on how those delectable treats are made, gave a greater appreciation each time I wolf one down. Clemence was a great instructor, patient with newbies, explaining things simply & gracefully. I thought creating the unique fillings would be the most daunting task, but they came out great. Located on the 3rd floor of Santa Monica Place, the classes at The Gourmandise School are the perfect opportunity for those intimidated by pastry-making & cooking. I had an absolute blast, and recommend everyone scheduling a future class at The Gourmandise School. read more

I've taken 2 classes - Knife Skills with Chef Dave and another class with Chef May. I learned so much from both classes and the chefs made it fun and interesting. They are organized, well prepared and share a lot of really valuable tips I've used at home. The staff is also exceptional. read more

My son and I took their knife skills class together. It was so fun. We both learned a lot and the class was safe and informative. We had fun learning new techniques that we will use the rest of our lives! And the food we made was delicious. It was also a fun and social experience and everyone was super warm and friendly. read more

so fun! bought for a date night christmas present and it was such a cool experience. I want to go back for the knife skill class! read more

The Gourmandise School - Cooking Schools Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I have taken 5 classes at The Gourmandise and I always learn great cooking/baking tips and techniques. The chef instructors and their teams are very knowledgeable so this is a great place to learn. Plus the classes are always lots of fun. read more

I took the 4 week French patisserie class. Chef Robyn was great and full of information. I was disappointed overall because the class was advertised as an opportunity to work alone, however we were expected to work in pairs for the majority of the recipes. That meant we spent a lot of time watching the demo and then a lot of time watching our partner do half of each recipe. I don't feel like I learned as much as I could have because we rarely got to make the entire recipe ourselves. Additionally, many of the items listed in the description of the course ended up being demonstrations that we didn't get to make ourselves....including the one I was most looking forward to learning how to cook. read more

I went to the pasta making class and it was amazing! The chef was very nice and the instructions were easy to follow and there wre plenty of leftovers! read more

A perfect date night activity! Or for anyone who wants to learn how to cook and have fun in a non-intimidating environment. My boyfriend and I booked the Thai Favorites class (we love Thai food) and had the most fun learning about ingredients and how to put together delicious meals. For starters, we made curried long beans (you can adjust the level of spiciness). Entrees were grilled pork skewers with chili lime sauce and tofu pad thai. I usually eat chicken pad thai and surprisingly really enjoyed the tofu version, it's also much faster to cook. We ended with dessert which was coconut sticky rice- this was already pre-made because the rice needed some time to soak. The class was full, with about 10-15 people. You could also purchase drinks next door for half off and enjoy while you cook. Thank you Chef May for a wonderful experience! I liked the recommendations for the brands of sauces, that's helpful. The class is a bit pricey but for 3 hours of a fun hands on learning experience, it's worth it! The school is located on the 3rd floor of Santa Monica Place. Paid parking available on site but give yourself a bit of time to get there so you're not late. It starts right on time! read more

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What an amazing experience. We took a challah bread class and it was super fun and informative. We learnt not only how to make Challah but also different types of wheats and their production. The process was easy and the instructor was there to help and answer any questions. The place is very clean and wonderful ambiance to just relax while baking and making some delicious goodie! read more

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My fiancé and I took an Indian cooking class here on a Friday night. I'd like to start off with complimenting the chef - she was very well versed and intelligent and had quite a good amount of experience with Indian food. Each station had 2 people per. The reason for my lower rating is because quite a few things were missing from the set up - the instructor chef had to keep reaching out to her assistant chefs to keep bringing things into the room. I had requested vegetarian option and the instructor chef had to request it because it was not already there. I feel like there is a way this could have been planned better and been more organized to start with. Other than that, I think because it was an Indian cooking class (which because of the nature of Indian food) has its own fair share of challenges with lots of ingredients and the time it takes so I would recommend this class have a longer time range and either more assistants or fewer attendees. Overall, I will be taking more classes here! read more

This was my first time taking a cooking class at The Gourmandise School in Santa Monica. Chef Nigel Henderson and his staff were incredible ... from the creatively curated New Orleans Seafood Feast menu, the culinary stories he shared, and the personable approach to guiding the class through the recipes! We had such an amazing time ... and every dish was so delicious! I look forward to signing up for more classes. Cheers! read more

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I recently took the The Business of Food class. My mind is still blown by the wealth of information. If you are on the fence on taking this class, this is your sign to take it. This class is a truly needed for those that want to open a restaurant, food truck or bakery. Thank you Chef Clemence and The Gourmandise School. read more

The Gourmandise School - Cooking Schools Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I've had such a great experience at The Gourmandise School! Chef May is an amazing teacher. She explains everything so clearly and makes you feel confident in the kitchen, no matter your skill level. I've taken most of the technique classes, and they've really helped me build a strong foundation. I highly recommend this school read more

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Chef Dave gave a great date night Spanish Tapas class for me and my wife. We were there with about 7 other couples but for plenty of time to learn from the chef or his helpers. Everything was fun and fairly easy to do - you get the recipes after it's over so you can make at home. Bring some wine and enjoy your self cooked meal! read more

The Gourmandise School - Classroom - Cooking Schools Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I was Christmas gifted a class from My Son! Yay! I picked a Bao making class! I had Such a Good Time! The class was from 630- 930pm. Student were paired up & I was paired with a Nice young man who was gifted the class by his Mom. The kitchen/ work station was Clean & Orderly. Chef May was Awesome. She explained Our Mission & demonstrated before we tackled our tasks! Lol I love to Cook & EAT Good Food! And we did a Great Job! We are also provided thru email Our recipes. I will definitely be signing up for a new class!! Fun! AND YOU DON'T HAVE to do THE DISHES!! read more

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We are very big fans of the Gourmandise School. We've taken many classes, which are always fun and informative. We've learned a lot in terms of techniques and recipes, the other attendees are generally very friendly, the classes are well organized and prepared. Our last class was with Chef May, and she is really on top of it, in terms of preparation and how she conducts and moves the class along. Oh yes. And you get to enjoy the results of your cooking, which means a multiple course meal in addition to the fun and learning. read more

Took a knife skills class and learned a ton. I have been cooking casually for 20 years, and was excited to learn some new tricks. The instructor was great. There was a wide variety of people from young to old. Lots of fun and the food we made was so good. I'll be back soon! read more

Came with a friend to have a brobake. We made holiday cookies including flodboller, linzer cookies and snowballs. The chefs were all great teachers and gave great tips about how to avoid most common pit falls and to cook not by time but by how the ingredients looked as they're mixed. I especially appreciated how they had a lot of the food prepped that might've been difficult to do at home. It was a really fun three hours and I learnt a lot. They were patient and provided an ample amount of breaks to use the bathroom and rest. Expect to be on your feet the majority of the time though. Highly recommend for a nice date idea or something new to try! read more

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Do you give classes on how to create sugar-free low-carb desserts? I'm looking for some classes that help me combat weight gain and how to keep losing weight but still enjoying food. read more

i really enjoyed my macaron making class with andres! he is clearly an experienced and expert baker, so it was great to learn from him. since we were a big group, it was difficult to see exactly what he was doing while giving us the initial recipe step by step. the big group also made it hard to get help from him, and timing is of the essence when it comes to baking. the facility is wonderful, clean, and everything we needed was supplied for us. with that said, there were moments where we didn't have the tools we needed, or the ingredients we needed at a given time so we had to scramble to find them while everyone else was doing the same. could have used some better planning/organization. ultimately, we made some delicious macarons and learned some key baking skills thanks to andres. we even got the chance to try some of the croissants he made the day prior. the price was steep for the experience, but we still had fun and learned quite a bit! read more

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Chef Dave's class was fun, and you'll learn a lot. Chef Dave is an excellent chef and a great instructor. Everyone at the Gourmandise School is very nice. It was an experience I will cherish always. I highly recommend Dave's classes. read more

Great classes and teachers! We took the pie class recently and it was the best cooking class I've ever taken!

I took the Night + Market (thai) cooking class here a few weeks ago and was blown away! We cooked several recipes, and the flavors were very much in line with eating the same dishes at the restaurant itself. Their approach is great. It's a small class with no more than about a dozen people. You have your station with your own induction burner, and they do some of the prep for you. For example, we made a panang beef curry (which was phenomenal) and they made the curry paste ahead of time and pre-portioned the ingredients. You still do the chopping and all the active cooking. Chef May was awesome. Super down to earth, efficient, pragmatic, and very approachable. She gave great demonstrations and shared a lot of interesting context on the ingredients, where to find them, and how to process them etc. Everything is taken care of, they lay out all the cookware and utensils for you, and do most of the cleanup. The location is kind of random (in a shopping mall?) but once I figured out where I was going it was seamless. It's not cheap, but well worth the money if you want a fun cooking class experience. I made the curry at home this week for my family and everyone was delighted! I can't wait to come back. read more

I greatly enjoyed the Evening in Burgundy with Chef Maya! We had amazing food and she explained each step so well. She made us feel confident we could cook French food and we did! Would totally recommend! read more

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They gave me a hard time when I called them on the day of my reservation for a cooking class while dealing with the flu. They told me that I should've called 48 hours prior to my reservation to cancel if I had a sickness. Excuse me, who in the world will think about calling when they're sick in their death bed with a high fever?! Why would anyone think that would be a priority when they're sick?! Truly these people have no empathy at all. Then they tell me to find someone to cover. I'm not going to waste my time doing all of that when you clearly hear my voice that I'm sick over the phone. Then they suddenly switch up on me and say that they can release my spot for someone on the waitlist. Why couldn't you start with that when I called instead of giving me such a hard time?!?!?! Then they tell me they'll call me when they're able to find someone to cover me and credit my account. THEY NEVER ENDED UP CALLING ME!!!! I drive over there just for the front desk to tell me that she THOUGHT she called me. No you didn't!!! YOU HEARD IT IN MY VOICE THAT I'M SICK. Such a freaking waste of my time when this could've a sorted out WAY earlier. I'll gift a class to someone but I won't be taking a class here after this terrible and annoying experience. read more

I just finished the Great British Baking class and it was so much fun! I really love this school for so many reasons. First of all, they provide everything - ingredients are measured out in advance for us and then the teacher shows us all how to put it together. They also provide all the recipes, so we can retry them again at home. Everything we made was so delicious! Our teacher (Chef Tracy Salzman) is a working chef and provided tons of knowledge for everything we baked. Besides this class, there is an abundant list of of classes each month - both savory and sweet - mostly on the weekends. 100% worth every penny! They only downside is you park in the structure and there is no validation for parking. I'm willing to pay it because I live in the valley and we don't have any school quite like this. Sur La Table is not bad, but they do not have as many classes. Gourmandise has tons of classes! I am now currently taking the Pro Pastry 2 class and loving every minute. Lastly, for people who is don't know how to cook, they offer basic cooking classes and knife skills. These classes are invaluable for anyone that wants to learn how to cook. I could go on and on... oh! and they have date night classes too! check this place out! read more

On Wednesday I took a delightful cooking demonstration and participation class at The Gourmandise School, located on the third floor of the Santa Monica Place Mall. Our class started out at Fig Restaurant at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel on Wilshire at Ocean Ave., where we met up with the Executive Chef, Damon Cook, a fun Brit with serious cooking chops, who led us through a tour of the Santa Monica farmers market to purchase items we would use. Then we walked over to the school and prepared two great dishes. The first was a Crudo of Hamachi Aguachile. This was a perfect first course, and was accompanied by lovely little flowers, sliced avocado and radish. The second dish was breast of duck with farmers market apricots in a type of chutney, accented by a reduced duck jus. For just $25 this was a super way to spend an afternoon and I would definitely return for another class. Excellent value! read more

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The instructors are great. The cooking kitchen is well maintained. The sessions are both fun and informative. I have been to 3 classes and have now signed up for more! read more

My son and I had a great time at the Parent & Me class. Chef May was great! Easy to understand and fun. We will definitely be back! read more

I scheduled a private class for a holiday work party. The booking was easy and straight forward and given that I did it relatively last minute, they were very accommodating. As an fyi if you get the charcuterie it does not include the cheese plate, so order both of you want both cheese and meats. This class was SO much better than I even expected it to be. I don't cook and I don't like to cook; however, I had a blast and the food was so good. Our chef was Nigel and he was AMAZING. There are cheaper classes out there, but the quality and attention paid here are worth every penny. read more

I love it here. My best friend (novice baker) and i (hobby baker) joined for the pre-Thanksgiving pie class and had an absolute blast. We walked out with a full pumpkin pie and apple pie - thankfully they freeze! Excellent support team from helping me find the location when I got lost in the mall to pie instruction to the delicious snacks they brought out to keep us well fed during breaks. Seriously, those chocolate chip cookies were life changing. Can't wait to go back for another class. Highly highly recommend. read more

Had an amazing experience at the "Art of Stuffed Pasta" class. Great thing to do with a friend, partner, or family member.

Some good friends and I were finally able to get together and to the Meze class. Check in was easy and the staff friendly. The produce was fresh and plenty of choices were offered. We got to enjoy the food a little late in the evening but taking the leftovers home was great! Would consider this again. read more

Great teacher. Highly recommend and we not only a great time, we learned a lot and had lots of fun in this great environment! They honored our request for non meat and were extremely friendly. read more

Corporate event. Great time. Food and instruction was amazing. Will do it again.

This is a long overdue review but I was so so disappointed with my experience at The Gourmandise School for my partner's birthday. I thought it would be a fun experience where we might get to learn some new tricks (we are both avid home cooks) but the instruction we received was lackluster. We signed up for a date night class making fried chicken, cornbread, collard greens, and banana pudding. I was really excited about the chicken because we didn't have a lot of experience frying. Unfortunately, it seemed like our instructor had even less! I believe he was a last-minute sub because he was so unhelpful and unknowledgeable about the process. Almost no one in the class had chicken that turned out well because our instructor did not know the right temp to fry at or how to fix any issues that came up. We didn't have enough thermometers or fryers for each couple, and he rushed our frying process so the batter didn't stick while the chicken was raw in the middle. You would think that for hundreds of dollars they would be able to afford more than 3 thermometers... If it was just my chicken that had an issue I would have chalked it up to my lack of experience, but no one, including our teacher, had well-fried chicken. It was full of bald spots and some people even had the entire breading come off! The other dishes were fine but very simple. This was irritating because it was clear our instructor was not well-equipped to be teaching a class. I also felt disappointed with the lack of knowledge he had in other areas. When students asked about why their cornbread looked a certain way or why we did a specific step, his answers were really vague. I absolutely do not recommend The Gourmandise School. The only redeeming quality about my experience was how easily I was able to move my reservation. Thank you to the nice woman who answered the phone! read more