This place rocks. Ian rocks. He walked me through everything, pointed me in the right direction, and was knowledgeable. Love to see such an incredible family business and very happy this place exists. Give them all your business!!!! read more

Friendly people working here. They even baked some cookies for patrons visiting the store so that you could snack while shopping (this was right before Christmas). I found the prices to be a little on the higher end, but it's also nice to support local businesses. Kudos to the older lady/mom of one of the owners who graciously wrapped the gifts I was getting for someone... and she did it complimentary. read more

I stopped in here as I heard about their cooking classes and back courtyard area where classes are also held. I was surprised to see all of the classy culinary tools for adults and teens/children. From best selling children's aprons to upscale French Pots, Pans and tools to pizza stones, teapots, cutting boards with the Chicago Skyline, etc! Super exciting and fun finds. I spoke with one of the co-owners, Trina who stated that Culinary Classes will resume in September 2023. Would love to take a course in the future! read more

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I went to the Wooden Spoon with a work group and had an amazing time! Between the home like atmosphere, great recipes with hands on cooking it was a wonderful experience! The family who owns this business started it 20 years ago! If you need a great group cooking experience, a unique date or even some of the cookware they sell in the store it's definitely worth a stop by!! read more

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Terrible service experience. The owner did reach out which I appreciated. Unfortunately, even though it's local and conveniently located I will no longer support this establishment. To be clear ... this was a poor customer service issue. The classes we've attended in the past were well done. read more

A superb and expertly curated kitchen store. The staffers know their stuff and bring all the ideas and recs. Prices are fair and the mdse is gorgeous. Let's support excellent, local retailers! They've helped me solve a few challenges like finding a reliable and well-priced meat thermometer, kitchen twine when it's not Nov/Dec (impossible to find these days) and other little items that can be the difference between good and excellent meals. read more

We love the classes AND the amazing kitchen products at The Wooden Spoon - Trina and Sean are very gracious hosts. They have French ramekins, for example, that NOBODY else has, amazing kitchen gear and gadgets (gift ideas!) and they do knife sharpening for our fancy knives. It's the perfect local shop. Tip: get your class tickets early and if sold out ask to be on the waiting list. read more

What a great place for cooking classes! Light and open, with lots of work space, and even a wood fired pizza oven out back. Gorgeous decor makes it a great place to learn and to enjoy your creations. The rosemary fig pizza was phenomenal. read more

The Wooden Spoon - Pizza oven - Cooking Schools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After initially having a poor experience due to our class being cancelled without notice, the owner reached out and resolved the problem. I have not taken a class yet, but The Wooden Spoon looks like it has the potential to be a nice experience. read more

Charming little store with wonderful selection of curated cooking ware. I enjoyed exploring and touching the items before buying them. Great personalized service and good prices. This is a gem I'm glad to have in Andersonville. Knife sharpening service is a bonus. read more

I took a brunch cooking class with chef Josh. It was a small class of ten people on a Sunday morning. The style of the class is for two or three people to prepare and cook each dish involved in the brunch. While some people do not like this style for a cooking class, I very much enjoyed it. Given that it was a small and intimate group, we were able to watch how each dish was prepared and made, while also practicing how to make the dish that I was assigned to. The brunch dishes included: sweet potato hash, pancakes, challah French toast, berry compote, breakfast potatoes, and hollandaise. It was all delicious! Chef Josh is very knowledgeable and explains how each dish should be cooked and why the recipe is written the way it is. I love to cook in my free time, and learned so much in this class. Another great aspect is that the class is BYOB with no corkage fee. Hello mimosas! Overall, this is a great place to take a cooking class, whether you are a beginner or just trying to refine your skills. The class size is small, which makes for an intimate environment with a chance to learn how to make a variety of great dishes. I highly recommend The Wooden Spoon, and look forward to more cooking classes here! read more

The Wooden Spoon - Cooking Schools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My wife and I have attended cooking classes at the Wooden Spoon several times over the past few years. We even (successfully) took our 9 year old on one occasion. Our visits their have been consistently enjoyable and we very much look forward to the next class. Some reviewers have shown a dislike for the communal style of the "classroom kitchen." We find it pleasant and relaxed, and found all of their instructors/chefs to be personable. I'm sure everyone who has been to multiple classes has their favorite (Chef Alex, for me) and, I suppose, there is the possibility that you don't connect with your chef for the evening. You are somewhat at the mercy of your co-students, as a group of kitchen-savvy people certainly make the evening go more smoothly than when too many don't know the difference between a spatula and a sauce pan. The wide range of personalities can also be trying... or really enjoyable. If you like to cook, or just want to try it, these classes are definitely a good way to go! read more

Had the best time at the "Cooking With Beer" class on 5/6/23. Alekka gave clear instructions but allowed for autonomy and creativity throughout the process. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was welcoming, and the entire experience was so much fun. I highly recommend taking a class here with friends or a partner! read more

Dear Wooden Spoon: A. You are a retail establishment. Not Le Cordon Bleu. Conduct yourself as such in the future. While I'm very quietly and respectfully browsing your hit or miss inventory despite the fact that there is a "demonstration class" covering how to chop carrots that you acquired from the Jewel, I don't need to be reminded by your staff that there is a class going on ten feet behind me, teaching people how to chop the aforementioned carrots. Intellectual leviathans though you obviously are, I just want to buy a damn ravioli cutter, not treated like we Lincoln Park folk don't belong in your "kitschy neighborhood store." B. When I come to the register, aplomb with contrition for coming within ten feet of your gourmet Jewel carrot cutting session to pay for my purchase, put up a damn sign if you don't want me to use my debit card for a purchase of less than ten dollars. Although your establishment and attitudes may be as close to 1955 as one can safely get, here in the twenty-first century, many of us have evolved to use plastic. Deal with that or enjoy going out of business. C. I restate, you are an irrelevant little neighborhood establishment in a neighborhood that has a long way to go before it becomes a shopping destination. My Le Creuset dollars just went back to the Chopping Block. Thanks for reminding me how good I had it before, and enjoy those carrots. I'm sorry that I have to give you so much as one star. Make no mistake, it's not because you're worth it. read more

Took my girlfriend here for our first of many cooking classes. We had a great time, and really enjoyed the food. I am honestly surprised by all the negative reviews of the experiences people have had here. I can only assume after reading that its one of two reasons. Maybe your instructor wasn't very good? To avoid this let me tell you Scott Allred is great. Both funny and knowledgable. The other reason could be for the 7-day cancellation policy. If so don't purchase tickets too far in advance if you don't know of your availability? Simple enough. Don't hesitate to try a class here. Bring in a bottle of wine, dice/roll/saute a few things, kick back and enjoy yourself. read more

I am reviewing this place based on a birthday party I attended here, although I do not know what a normal cooking class would be like. There were many of us and we were randomly split up among stations by being given aprons with the dish name stickered on. After we watched the teacher make the pizza dough for us, we dispersed to our stations. I had hoped I would have learned to make everything, but there was not enough time for that, and I was stuck with the dessert. Dessert is very nerve-wracking considering the Top Chef contestants usually go home for theirs. Our dessert was an apple galette, which involved a pastry and lots of apple cutting. We followed the recipe directions and guidance of the teacher, which was a little scattered as she had a lot to do. I took charge being super Type A, and surprisingly, our dough came out alright and the building of the galettes worked out as well. My friends even told me mine looked better than the teacher's. hehe. The food ended up being quite good and it was fun getting to know the rest of the party crowd by working with them. Overall, I thought it was a great idea for a party and I enjoyed the location and the staff and the experience. read more

Always friendly and helpful staff. They host cooking classes, unique gift ideas and gourmet kitchen ware. They also have a pizza oven outside and a space available for private parties. Super cute, highly recommend checking it out and the prices are great for a locally owned specialty store. read more

The Wooden Spoon - Outdoor space with grill and wood fired pizza oven. - Cooking Schools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I enjoyed my knife sharpening and shopping experience. I brought in five quality knives to be sharpened around noon on a Thursday and they were ready to pick up on the same day, within a few hours. I picked up a new olive wood wooden spoon from The Wooden Spoon, and Some extra knife blade guards so I can now transport my knives more safely. I also have my eye on a few other nice kitchen items to come back and purchase. read more

I needed to buy some biscuit cutters - which, apparently, are near impossible to find at a Target or something - and when I called they had them in stock. I'm not sure if they always carry them or not, but I was pleased I could call and they had them immediately. I considered purchasing a cookie scoop as well, since the one I have is a size larger than I thought, but the inside mechanism looked a bit flimsy and not very useful. That was a good thing for my wallet, however. I've never been to a class here, and don't know that I'll ever choose to take one as I really enjoy Flavour and the chef instructors there. But if I need a specialty item, it's nice and convenient having this place three blocks away. read more

Better selection of non-essential yet oh-so-fun kitchen tchotchkes (and some useful ones, like cutting boards and dishtowels etc.) than at The Chopping Block, but prices are high because of the boutiquey nature of the place. I saw an oval melamine tray with a French bistro menu on it that might make a good Xmas gift for my mother...but not for $35! It's a plastic tray, essentially. Let's get real. In this economy? Also, my friend and I stopped in in the evening (before dinner at Reza's down the street) to check it out; the store was definitely open, but there was a class or event going on, and when we opened the door everyone looked at us like, "Interlopers!" You could almost hear the hiss of disapproval. Um, if you don't want people in the store during these programs, maybe close early, but otherwise, deal with it. I liked the setting and selection better than the Chopping Block, but still overpriced, and nothing you can't get at any other kitchen store. I can't say about the classes, but apparently they shouldn't be interrupted! read more

My girlfriend and I just returned from the Starry Night couples' cooking class and are extremely disappointed with the experience. Here's the set-up: six couples prepare five dishes (four dinner dishes and one dessert). One couple preps each dish and then rotates to the next station to cook/bake/grill/prepare the dish that the previous couple prepped. This, of course, is to ensure that each couple has a hand in multiple dishes, which I applaud. There's just one problem: six couples + five dishes = one couple gets left out - or, in this case, they share meal-prep responsibilities. As luck would have it, my girlfriend and I were one of the two sharing couples. We're both social people who love interacting with others, but Wooden Spoon needs to rethink this. It doesn't take four people to chop cauliflower and make a marinade. If you're going to allow six couples in a class, you need to have six dishes to prep. Period. Once we finished prepping the cauliflower, we moved on to the next station, which was preparing and grilling the meat. Chef Josh, who was legitimately awesome, jokingly told us how this was a big responsibility and not to mess it up. Unfortunately, "preparing" the meat meant pouring the previously made marinade over it and letting it sit. Josh told us he was going to show us how to grill the steak and then let us take it from there, but that didn't actually happen. He put the steaks on the grill and then, well, grilled them. He spoke to the entire group about what he was doing and why, but we didn't actually get to help out or do anything. I was under no delusion that my girlfriend and I would prepare an entire meal from start to finish, but this was inexcusable. I spent $170 ($85/person) to chop one cauliflower and one piece of garlic. That's literally all we did in 2+ hours of "cooking." Of the other four couples, three seemed to be having a lot of fun and doing a lot of cool stuff - like making homemade goat cheese gnocchi, homemade pesto, and a chocolate hazelnut torte. The sixth couple seemed to be doing a lot of what we were doing: standing around, watching, and waiting, though they did get to do a few things here and there to prep their dishes. Also, you arrive at 6:30 but don't eat until 8:40/8:45. And there is literally nothing offered to munch on. Not even something basic like cheese and crackers (which would make sense since every couple brings wine). Bottom line: Wooden Spoon needs to change its process. Either have six dishes for six couples, or have two couples partner for the first round of meal prep and then have two different couples partner for the second round. Also, there's a fine line between showing someone how to cook and actually cooking for them. Unfortunately when it came to the meat, we experienced the latter, not the former. I feel bad giving this review because I really enjoyed Chef Josh. He was funny, engaging, and knew what he was talking about. That's one star. The other star is for the large meal we got to eat at the end, which was certainly tasty. But the overall process and experience left much to be desired and our frustration in the moment took away from the meal itself. In the end, I cannot in good conscience recommend Wooden Spoon to others. If I want to pay $170 to not cook dinner, I can do that at a five-star restaurant. My expectations for tonight were high yet realistic. Wooden Spoon just didn't deliver. Response to The Wooden Spoon's response: Thank you, Sean, for getting back to me. Unfortunately, your response, much like The Wooden Spoon experience, left much to be desired. Instead of making false assumptions that fit the narrative you want to push, why not simply take accountability for the frustrating experience that my girlfriend and I had that night? You also made several assertions that directly contradicted what we were told, including Chef Josh's end-of-class request to Yelp about our experience because The Wooden Spoon is big on review-site feedback. Thank you for suggesting other classes to try, but after reading your response, it's safe to say that won't be happening. I realize that you have to put on a good face for other Yelpers, but your 621-word response could have been summarized as follows: "We don't care." Congratulations on 15 years of Friday-night classes. Perhaps your goal for the next 15 years should be to acquire basic customer-service skills. Good luck with that. read more

We had a group of 8 and had a great time. However, they were pushy and wanted us out for another group coming after us. Very disappointed considering the cost of class read more

Great place to have a private cooking party amongst friends. This is how my wife wanted to celebrate her 35th birthday, so I checked out a few different places and decided to go with the Wooden Spoon because of their outdoor patio / garden area in the back. What a great little find. Everyone had a blast. The staff was super friendly and accommodated the vegetarians in our group. What I loved: - The Outdoor Patio / Garden Area - Friendly Helpful Staff - Kitchen Counter / Cooking Area - BYOB (score) - Sound System (outdoor and indoor speakers) with iPod hookup - How the evening progressed and was broken up . . . We had drinks outside while they served us a phenomenal white bean appetizer dip. We went in for the cooking portion of the evening, got a low down on the menu items for the night, and each choose a station. After we prepared the meal we retreated back to the garden for more cocktails while the staff cooked our dinner and cleaned our mess. They called us back in once dinner was ready, and we ate around the large "V" shaped counter. We went back to the patio for more drinks after dinner as the staff continued to clean. Why only 4 stars ? Why not 5 ? Well, its not cheap. And according to Yelp, 5 stars = As good as it gets ! Truth be told, this was my first private cooking party, so I can't really compare it to anything else. But we will certainly be planning another party at this venue. Thanks Mahta (and crew) read more

The Wooden Spoon - Cooking Schools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Scott was an excellent instructor and I had a blast! I would definitely recommended The Wooden Spoon cooking classes, especially with Scott! Yeah, they give you a recipe card to measure out the ingredients, but Scott also explained each preparation in front of the class and I learned sone great new tricks! I will definitely be back. My only gripe would be with Scott's assistant who was helping to clean up. She made it very apparent that she was there to bitchily wash dishes and eat the food. I really can't emphasize enough how great Scott was with giving direction and dealing with some of the people who were a little clumsy in the kitchen! :) read more

The Wooden Spoon - Courtney learning how to use a mixer! - Cooking Schools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's hard to even think about where to start with how impressed I was with Wooden Paddle! First off, the communication throughout the planning process was wonderful. They responded to questions and inquiries very swiftly and answered any questions we had. On the day of the wedding, they arrived on time with their crew and got to work for us! They acted with care during the room flipping process after our ceremony and we're very receptive to any special requests our guests had. The four pizzas and salad we chose were all incredible, and the service throughout was awesome. We would recommend Wooden Paddle and their team to anyone planning a wedding or gathering for their catering needs, as I can promise you that you won't be disappointed! read more

I attended the cooking class on Thursday Jan 25th. What a great experience. I am a retired chef just interested to see. I can recommend this please for any one. Very professional chef Richard. Coocking technik explained very well. We made Chicken Kiev meat balls au gratin potatoes. The store is great. Congratulation wooden Spoon for a job well done read more

Took their making pasta-from-scratch class and so did my belly!!! Have always wanted to make pasta from scratch, but it was a little daunting...the idea of turning eggs and flour into delicate noodles. The chef/teacher Richard Ginn was real sport, literally tossing pasta while juggling questions and concerns from all of us. I think there were about 10 or 12 students in all. He made sure we each got to take turns at working our magic to make pasta. We made a few different sauces as well. TOTAL bonus. These were delicious. ...And you know how sometimes you take a class in something, and you go home and tell yourself, "Never again will I ever attempt to do xyz?!" Not so with this class. We all got experience and learned great tricks. I really feel I have a handle on the subtler ways of maneuvering thin sheets of pasta through rollers to make the best noodles and ravioli I could have dreamed of. My family and friends love when I make butternut squash ravioli in a brown butter and sage sauce. So much fun!!!! read more

The Wooden Spoon - Chef/teacher Richard Ginn - Cooking Schools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went here Saturday for a Bachelorette party. While I did have fun with the group, I felt the class was lacking in a lot of aspects. There were 20 of us, and the chef split us into 6 groups of 2 or 3. I was in the group that made the main course, lemon chicken. I had never been to a cooking class and assumed a demonstration was in our future. There was none. We were given a printed off recipe and most of the ingredients were given to us. I ran around looking for a garlic mincer since one was not provide and Chef Scott was busy with other groups. I never cook so most of these gadgets are things I have never used or seen. I wish they would have given us a demonstration how to use things and methods of cooking but none were given. The food ended up good. I ate the lemon chicken, risotto and pizza. They were all tasty. The tiramisu was very excellent too. But I was very disappointed by the lack of teaching going on. I wouldn't necessarily call this a class, its more a diy event. I eventually stopped working on the chicken and ate hummus in the back. They rushed us out of the building 2.5 hours later as they had another class. If you are looking for a class to learn this would not be my recommendation. Cute place though and the free cookies at the register were great. read more

So, I just joined YELP to review The Wooden Spoon. I have been to several cooking schools in Chicago and think they are great events. In addition, I love to go to a cooking class with clients--as they are a great way to get to know people and learn something fun/new. In early April, I took about 15 people to The Wooden Spoon for a cooking class. We were the only people in the place. It was GREAT! The recipes were great, the clients had a great time and it was a lot of fun. It's BYOB, which is also a nice way to save some money...because other schools can be more pricey if you have to buy alcohol from them. Overall, we spent close to $1,500 at The Wooden Spoon in one night. Why did I rate it only 1 Star then, you might ask? Well.....about 2 months later my girlfriends decided that they were going to use their gift certificates and do a cooking class. I decided that I would love to come as my previous experience had been so great. I didn't have a gift certificate and just signed up on my own. When I made the reservation, The Wooden Spoon clearly told me that there was a 7-day cancellation policy. 5 days prior to the class I was called to NYC for work unexpectedly. As soon as I heard, I called The Wooden Spoon. The owner of The Wooden Spoon called me back. I said to her that although I did know of the cancellation policy (NO REFUND) I could provide documentation that I was called to NYC last-minute. I told her that I was hoping that she could offer me a "rain check" or a "store credit" so I would buy something at her store--confirming 100% that the dollars would be spent at her store. I was not asking for a refund, but more of just a way to not compltetely waste it. I also reminded her that I did a cooking class with clients only a few months back and spent nearly $1,500. I told her that I often take clients to do Cooking Classes and had experienced a great event.....and would come back. But, I also said that if she were to be so unreasonable, I wouldn't have any future events there. Ultimately, she said "NOPE". We hung up and I will never go back. I feel that in an unstable economy like this, small business owners should use better judgement. This is no way a customer who has spent thousands of dollars with them should be treated. In addition, this is all over $75 I paid for a class. I think that the owner, unfortunately, didn't see the big picture and I am certain that they won't stay in business long if they continue to treat patrons this way. read more

Some people get sucked into shoe stores. Others are into purses or other accessories. For me, kitchenware is like a moth to a flame. Zap! The Wooden Spoon is a great neighborhood spot to pick up necessary and sometimes completely frivolous gadgets or other kitchenware. And take classes and have parties. Zap! I've taken a class with Chef Rebecca and had a blast. BYOB, too! Even though I am a home chef, their kitchen is fun to play in. It's open and fairly well laid out, though small if you're thinking of having a really big group gathering. Also, keep that in mind going into a class, as they really fill up the space. At least (almost) everyone wants to have a good time and learn a thing or two. Put a few glasses of the BYOB in the hands of your classmates and pretty soon everyone thinks they're Julia Child! During the class I took, butter, wine, and laughs flew all around. Good times, which is what cooking is all about! Other than that, my favorite part really was testing new gadgets and other kitchen accessories and having someone else clean up for a change. Zap! When my kitchen needs a new little something, this is where I usually go. If you're worried about costs, get on the mailing list and watch for deals. Also, check out the store during the neighborhood festivals and sidewalk sales. Just don't do it before I get there because I want the good stuff before you get there. Zap! What else could make this store even better? They have a gorgeous patio in back with a beautiful brick oven. I haven't taken advantage of the space yet and would like to sometime. Any takers? Uh oh...zap! read more

Went to a Wooden Spoon cooking class recently and it could of been great, but unfortunately, the experience sort of sucked at times. It was their 'End of Summer' class where they suppose to teach you how to grill specific things like pizza, sliders, chicken, fish, etc. The first downer of the night was that the class was WAAAAY over booked. There was probably 20-25 people and probably only room for about 10-15 people. Because it was so over crowded, everyone was partitioned to specific stations to cook specific dishes. My wife and I learned how to cook the pizza on the grill, and while I love pizza, it was a pretty boring learning because after making the dough, you're not really learning anything else. And this was the only dish we were allowed to touch, so we didn't cook or learn how to prepare any other dishes. And to top it off, the stations were extremely disorganized. Everyone was fighting for measuring cups and ingredients. I've been to a few cooking classes and this has easily been the worst. Either you're all in for your students having fun, relaxing and eating. Or, you need to have your students be highly active and learn a ton. Do one or the other, not both. In this case they wanted the student to be very active and learn, but didn't embrace that because they over booked the event and didn't have things prepared. Given the positive reviews, I could see how this event could of been really fun. The chef was knowledgeable and fun, but extremely strapped given the over booking. I'd only recommend this place if you can ensure the cooking class is at a reasonable size. read more

This is what you want in a cooking supply store. The place is clean, airy, and open, the people are very friendly and knowledgeable, and sometimes there are fresh baked cookies. Since the store offers cooking classes, there's a kitchen built right in, so you can test items. Once I was interested in a canister which wasn't marked with a size, and the owner took the canister and a measuring cup back to the sink to find out the volume. The store is small, and the selection is limited, which is why I can't give them 5 stars. Also, it can be expensive, but that's often the case with an independent retailer. But while this store may not have the selection of the old Chef's Catalog store (now closed), the people are so much nicer and more helpful that it's a better shopping experience. read more

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Take a cooking class. If you've never had a cooking class before, The Wooden Spoon will serve as a warm introduction into the wonderful world of culinary arts. Think of it as a do it yourself dinner party with cooking tips added in and putting in the little effort to come up with a delicious meal that everyone can share. I went with a group of coworkers as a team building event and was pleasantly surprised by the spaciousness and comfortable environment. The Wooden Spoon is also BYOB, so we brought in as much beer as we could from a store up the street. Hummus and pita chips were ready for us to snack on as Alekka the instructor took time to be friendly and teach us the finer points of using a knife. We picked a French themed menu with a baked bacon and cheese tart, coq au vin, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, and some eclairs and Alekka went over and explained all of the steps for each dish and assigned everyone different tasks. Having never taken a cooking class before, Alekka had a great sense of humor which made the class that much more enjoyable. We all had recipes printed out for us and were checked on to make sure nothing went wrong. From the utensils used in class to the ingredients (I was handling some butcher cut bacon and shredding gruyere cheese, The Wooden Spoon really was top notch. We all had a fun team building exercise and our appetites were sated and everything was tasty. The best part was that we made it ourselves! Three cheers for Wooden Spoon! read more

I was really looking forward to this class but was disappointed with my first experience. It was fun to cook in a group and interact with everyone who attended however our meal was sub-par as was the instruction by our chef. However, there is more than one chef so a class with another may be better. Sean, the owner did reach out regarding my concerns; it's clear that he cares about the experience the customers have and wants to provide the best product. For this reason, I will give the Wooden Spoon another chance as my first experience does not seem to be representative of the Wooden Spoon. 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 very pleasant and accommodating. read more

My bf took me to my first hands-on cooking class experience here on Saturday - 5 Stars for Wooden Spoon!! I felt like I was on the Food Network (my favorite!)!!! We were in the Seafood cooking class with Chef Alekka, who is awesome! Fun, instructive, and very outgoing. She really entertained us with her many culinary school stories! 14 of us made up a full class, which was fun yet intimate at the same time. We all took turns cooking various things and helping to prepare each recipe - I was the okra "fry master" and loved every minute! We learned how to slice fresh seafood, grill salmon, steam sea bass, chop veggies, make shrimp & sausage gumbo, and a fellow classmate mastered bananas foster for dessert! We all shared and enjoyed the dishes together, which was a great treat!! Great for a date or with a friend. Bonus: they have a sale table of discounted kitchen supply items, just for class participants! Lovely store...can't wait to go back for another class! Thanks Alekka!!! read more

I was very disappointed in a class I took with my wife. I was hoping for a little more prep, technique and cooking from scratch as we would at home. Pizza dough was pre-mixed and proofed. Chicken was pre-cooked and only needed pulled. BBQ sauce was straight from the bottle. There wasn't anything to learn, and very, very, basic. I'd say, skip The Wooden Spoon and find a real school/class to get more from your money. read more

I've taken 2 other cooking classes in Chicago and had high expectations for the pizza making class since this was the most expensive one. For $75/person I expected that we would make own own dough, have our own little station and have the ability to put our own ingredients on the pizza. I didn't pay to come watch other people cook (not enough shared ingredients to go around). This class isn't very individualized or unique in any shape or form, save your money! read more

I'm the guy who watches the Food Network and various cooking shows thinking I surely can do that ... well like most things, it looks easier on TV but hands on is another story. However, I'm starting to hold my own and places like The Wooden Spoon(TWS) certainly helps. TWS is only a block away from my home so that gives this place an automatic one star upgrade. As much as I like The Chopping Block(TCB), TWS is a similar setup, albeit a bit smaller store front, but having it close by in the winter months will come in handy. I took the Serious Sauteing class which ended up being a pretty fun class. The menu was packed with enough things for us to make but that can be a double-edged sword. It is easy to miss a step or two when the instructor is trying to speak to everyone in the class which it seems is always packed. Also, trying to get your hands on all the steps is a challenge with a full class but you do get to do quite a bunch of steps. If you haven't tried a cooking class or looking for a good date activity, this is one place you'll want to consider. The staff is very nice and attentive and they make sure everyone gets involved - even the timid. I certainly would do more classes if the prices were a little more reasonable but these are the same prices most places are charging. If you can come out learning a few things and having a decent meal out it then all the better. read more

This is not a review of their cooking classes (although, if I had $85 lying around I would jump on those too). This is about finding a place with reasonably priced kitchen tools. I first hesitated on going in, as it looked like an overpriced kitchen gadget Mecca, and I currently don't have the kind of money to do more than drool. When I did go in I was astonished. The carry the Lodge line of cast iron ware, which is the best you can get- word to the wise, it cooks better than LeCruset. They had appropriate cookie cutters, the metal kind that actually work, and not the overpriced plastic kinds that promise the world (or a dinosaur). The staff is also extremely knowledgeable. I went in looking for a very specific serrated ice cream scoop and although they did not carry it, she found it on Amazon of all places for me! As someone who loves to cook and bake, I will only go here for my tools and gadgets. They also have an impressive selection of Shun and Wustoff knives, cheaper than retail. read more