Kurtz Culinary

Rudest most non-​welcoming shop ever. Blew any chance of me spending any money in there in the first two minutes. Use discretion here and give your business other shops in Carmel that are kind.

This place is a foodie paradise. They sell jams, jellies, olive oils, vinegars, curds, sauces, spreads and some kitchenware.
But don’t go into sticker shock, like I did. It took me awhile to recover to actually enjoy the shop. As I walked in I first spied a wooden hand held tray made from recycled wine barrel. The price tag was $ 1395, YIKES! I had to do a double take. I picked up the next tray and it was $ 2495, double yikes.
At this point I was thinking, I can’t afford anything in this place. I was wrong, after I snapped myself out of shock fog, I realized they sell speciality food items. Surprisingly the jellies/​jams/​curds run ~$ 10 for a 9 ounce jar. They have samples galore, so you can try before you buy. Yum!
If your wondering if Kurtz orchards is local. It’s not, they are in Niagara, Canada.
Ohhh, I suggest you try the Asiago bread topper. It’s a spread made of hand cut Asiago cheese in herbed up grape seed oil. I heard it has a unique taste and was featured on the Food Network. 9 ounce jar runs ~$ 18. I forgot to look for it.

Placed a gift order. Recipients never received it. Have not been able to get them on the phone to find out what happened. To the store: If there is another way to reach you please respond and I will retract this post

My favorite store in all of Carmel! They’ve always got delicious samples out for tasting. We always end up purchasing one or two jars of sauce each time we go in.

LOVE this store! Amazing product line, one of a kind items, excellent gift items and above all… PHENOMINAL customer service! Every time we go in, Ernie treats us like family. He is extremely knowledgeable regarding all of the product line and KNOWS his customers! BEST Balsamic vinegar selection in the state!

Love samples and this place delivers. The asiago cheese stuff is stellar. Come hungry and try em all!

I enjoyed a wonderful shopping experience here with Ernie! He was engaging, knowledgeable about their products, and concierge-​like in his care for me. Since I was staying at the Cypress Inn around the corner and enjoy entertaining friends on our patio, he made sure I had everything I needed for an attractive presentation of their products. Their savory preserves are wonderful!!!, and are available for sampling before purchasing – so no need to critique them here – you can try them yourselves :-) I paired the various preserves with the wonderful cheeses and condiments from the nearby The Cheese Shop at Carmel Plaza to create a lovely vignette. Ernie, thank you again for elevating customer service to an art form – you are very much appreciated!

Ernie’s customer service is off the charts. He truly is one of a kind. I don’t know how he does it. We were very impressed by his enthusiasm and knowledge. What a great guy!
Great selection for any foodie. Lots of gift ideas as well. Check out this store when in Carmel-​by-​the-​sea!

LOVE Kurtz! Best customer service, try Asiago bread topping!!! Favorite shop in Carmel

We stumbled on quite a place when we walked in! Exactly the kind of food gifts we were looking for to bring home to the family. Ernie was beyond helpful and even set up dinner reservations at his favorite local restaurant (which is now ours)! Thank you for everything, Ernie! You are a gem!

This place is absolutely amazing! Not only are the products just delicious, the customer service is phenomenal! We bought 3 jars of different spreads last week and at the airport, the TSA agents made us get rid of them because I forgot to pack them in my suitcase. With that being said, I called the store and they are mailing me the 3 jars and only charging me for shipping! I am honestly super thrilled at how wonderful and gracious the staff is at this place. I highly recommend for anyone to go out here and buy the products! Thank you!

Kent and Ernie were working in the store when I went to Kurts culinary Carmel by the Sea. Ernie and Kent were both extremely helpful, Ernie was excited about sharing the wonderful products in the store but also told us about things to do while we visited Carmel.
Ernie and Kent set up a reservation for the restaurant next door. We were set us up for the chefs table the next night. Way above my expectations.
I would highly recommend that when you get a chance to go into Carmel California that you visit Kent and Ernie at Kurts Culinary Carmel by the Sea.

Ernie was Awesome! Sold us some Asiago bread topper… Can’t wait to put it to use!
Great Service! Never experienced such a friendly atmosphere… And tons of samples!;)

My friends and I had a lovely time, and Ernie was so helpful! We tried EVERYTHING and nobody left without buying something. The only trouble was deciding what to purchase! Ernie showed us some great combinations we never would have thought of. Try the caramel sauce with truffle sea salt! And the wine jellies! And the fancy mustards! All SO YUMMY! Thanks Ernie :)

Helpful and friendly staff very willing to give ideas. Cool recycled wine barrel furniture and wine stacking systems.

Xxxx

This store has atrocious, nonexistent customer service. I went into the store, planning on spending money, walked directly to the checkout counter, and waited to be assisted. 2 women were standing behind the counter. Neither one of them acknowledged me. One of the women just walked away, while the other woman looked directly at me, said nothing, and then looked away. I waited for an extended period of time, and was still ignored. When I finally said, «I’m waiting to be acknowledged,» neither one of the women apologized. They were very rude, and I will never be shopping here again.

Definitely a stop if you are visiting Carmel. It may look like an ordinary food store, but its more than that. Its a tasty adventure.
So many samples await you, and while you peruse, the staff are friendly and super knowledgeable about the sauces, jams and spreads that are available to try. You cannot go wrong. Place is very clean, organized and detailed. The hubbster and I sampled everything from their Champagne Jelly, to a Lime Mustard, and to our final choice of the Asiago Bread Topper. Yum Yum Yum!
Perks: Dog friendly shop. One of the staff even offered a doggie treat to our little pal and even recommended the dog shop around the corner. Samples, Samples, and more samples — you cannot leave without purchasing the best one to take home.
KNOW before you GO: Everything is super tasty, which makes it very tempting to stock up on favorites — but the cost on some are a bit pricey. Be sure to know your budget on spending — you could go wild up in here!
OverALL: Best Culinary Shopping experience in a long time. Will be back again!

A foodie’s playland!
Beautiful and spacious shop, filled with many goodies that will inspire new dishes in you. Marinades, sauces, jellies, spreads, oils, plus literally endless samples around every corner. Make your way through the shop and sample things, playing my favorite game: «Pair with Chicken, Pair with Pork?» :)
They also have a great offering of sweets, especially around the holidays when you’re craving pumpkin spice and gingerbready everything. They definitely cater to the whims of the seasons.
If you love to play with your food, stop in here and enjoy!

Great place to pick up a gift or a sauce/​accent/​dip for a meal. Best assortment of dipping sauces, rubs, jellies, tapenages, toppings, basting sauces, jelly/​jams, and oil and vinegar selections.
You can wander from station to station and sample the goods as you go.
Prices are quite high, but when your in a pinch and need some ‘gourmet’ goods — go to Kurtz for one stop shopping