Sur La Table Cooking Class

Took a class in Mediterranean dinners on a Friday night. It was interesting to take the class which had about 12 of us there. There are some restrictions on wine with sinners there unless it’s a private event so go to the bigalora next door and arrive 40 minutes early for an aparatif. Also the portions are not large, assume that you’re sampling but that was fine for us. Overall a very good experience.

I love the cooking classes here! They run a bit pricey. One class will set each person back about $ 70 or so but the techniques you learn and the different varieties of food you’re exposed to are worth it to me. They make everything very easy for you, ensuring all the ingredients are pre-​measured and clean-​up is a breeze as they do it all for you. They are very hospitable and offer you water, free hot chocolate, coffee and espresso (all from a very fancy espresso machine). I also really like that you get to try a lot of the tools and utensils they sell in the store so you really get a good feel for things you might want to purchase. When you take a cooking class, you get a 10% coupon to use that day or that you can apply towards a future cooking class, which is nice.
I’ve literally taken at least 6 classes here. I got more out of some than others but overall, I always left having learned something. My favorite class by far was the Thai class. We made a cucumber salad with peanuts, a curry, a Pad Thai that was incredible and mango sticky rice (with black rice) that was equally amazing! I’m a fan of Thai food in general but always thought it was intimidating to make, like my food wouldn’t taste right and I’d just be disappointed. With this class, however, I’m confident that I can make a tasty Thai meal. I just may invite friends over for a Thai meal. I also really enjoy the pasta making class. Again, I’ve always thought making pasta was laborious and overwhelming and had no idea how to even use a pasta machine. With the class though, I was given step-​by-​step instructions on how to make my own pasta. Have you ever had homemade pasta by the way? It’s incredible! It literally makes you never want to buy store bought pasta again.
I love that they give you the recipes to take home so you can recreate the amazing things you make in class. Working with the various instructors is nice too. They each do things a little differently and have their own style. Some have you follow along step-​by-​step with the recipes and some have you put the recipes up and follow their instructions. It just depends on who you get.
As a side note, you don’t get a full-​blown meal, which some people are surprised to find out having shelled out an average of $ 70. You generally share the portions with the other people at your table (table of four) but you generally make several dishes so it’s a good tasting portion. They sometimes serve snacks of cheese and bread but you shouldn’t expect to get full if you go in really hungry. If you leave still hungry, you can always head over to Bigalora next door or Zola Bistro in the same complex.

Great store with a kitchen in the back for cooking classes. I’ve been to at least 4 classes so far and they have been fun and informative. The recipes are quite easy to make and we have saved them all in order to make at home. We actually make our own pasta now with relative ease. When you attend a cooking class you will get 10% off at the store as well as for your next class. Fun for a date night or to learn some real skills from trained chefs. They also have free Nespresso tastings and plenty of seasonal gadgets and decorations in the store.