Kendall College

I am currently an Early Childhood Education online student at Kendall College. I must say, I was skeptical at first as all I heard about was the hospitality program at Kendall. I also wasn’t sure how good of an education I would receive with an online degree. I couldn’t have been more wrong! The ECE program at Kendall is exceptional. I have only been there less than a year and already feel more confident and better prepared as a teacher. The professors really care about your progress and are always there to help! Dr. Green is the best! He goes the extra mile for his students and really cares. The course content may seem hefty at first, but once you learn to pace yourself and figure out a schedule, you’re good to go. My advisor, Mindy Fiala is also awesome and always there to help me make the right choices when it comes to classes and gives me helpful advice.. I am satisfied with Kendall and the education I am receiving. I cannot wait to graduate and begin my career as a school teacher!

This review is for my wedding that took place at Kendall College 11/​08/​2014.
We chose to have our wedding at Kendall College primarily because I wanted the exposed brick, «warehouse/​loft» feel and we had a somewhat limited budget. Kendall provided the gorgeous space that we were looking for at an affordable price compared to other similar venues in the city! Bistro lights, exposed brick, wood dance floor, and gorgeous chairs ordered in created the elegant yet loft feel I had dreamed of.
The food was catered by the culinary students and was fantastic. We served parsnip soup, short ribs, mashed potatoes, and an assortment of hors d’voeuvres. Our guests all commented on how great everything tasted. We also had a sundae bar featuring ice cream made at Kendall.
The events coordinator we worked with, Melissa, was an absolute dream. She responded and communicated with us rapidly, provided great insight and advice into decorating and food selections, and was ridiculously on top of everything during our wedding– all while helping us to stick to our budget.
Other great features of the venue included free parking (overnight too), free coat check, bridal suite to store all the bridesmaids and brides things and a pace to momentarily retreat :), gorgeous cocktail room down the hall, and a breathtaking view of the Chicago skyline.
Overall, our wedding experience was incredible and I owe a large part of that to the events coordinator and the venue! I was constantly asked by my guests, «how did you find this place??» A+++
Pictures from the event are added in the picture sections.

I always going to love Kendall College. They have excellent dining room and the students are awesome!

I attend the Kendall College culinary educator courses and I have never left disappointed! Their chefs are always friendly and helpful with teaching new recipes and techniques for me to bring back to my high school kitchen classroom. I always enjoy the food they serve us for lunch and the food that we make! Great experience for food lovers!

Great school. I currently attend. I toured a few schools and found this to be the best. Very professional. It looks great on a resume. Had a amazing benefits and class options. Next quarter I’m doing ice carving! Can’t wait

This review is for the College’s cooking classes for the general public. We did a girls’ night out, and we had a blast cooking an entire menu from the goat cheese starter course to the skirt steak main and a tres leches cake for dessert. We got a prepping station that accommodated the five of us, so we could chat and interact together, which was great. Someone complained that she expected it to be an individual cooking class (like the Chopping Block) where each person did their own ingredients and cooked by themselves. This setup is communal cooking with others at four– or five-​person center-​island stations. I had so much more fun being able to do the cooking with my girlfriends, and it’s a great opportunity to be social and meet other people too.
We were handed the menu/​ingredients list, then we would gather at the front for instructions and a demonstration for each dish, gather our ingredients, then return to our stations to make it together. We each took charge of a particular dish with the rest being the assistants, and we got pointers and help from the floating staff. Everything came out great, and we got to enjoy a tasty meal at the end.
So much fun.

Took a bread baking class through the Home Chef program with chef Molly and I really enjoyed the day. I felt like it was really worth the money and my time –I walked out with so much bread, it was crazy! I also learned several tips for my future home baking. I definitely will take more classes here.

I originally chose Kendall because I liked the hybrid program for business. I work full time so being able to take courses online and come to the campus on Saturdays seemed to fit with my schedule. Going to school online is not as easy as it sounds! You really need to discipline yourself, as it is easy to fall behind.
I really liked this school until some recent changes have taken place. First, the hybrid program was eliminated, so now courses are completely online. Some courses that traditional students take are sometimes only offered online, and I feel the teachers structure the course around that. How can you expect students to read multiple chapters in two or three books, then have a corresponding homework assignment due right away? The due dates are ridiculous and many teachers now require a large research project and final exam due the same day… and they top it off with a random, general homework assignment too! Now, I may sound whiny but I enrolled in this school for the flexible program that is geared towards working adults… people who have full time jobs, but still want to get a degree.
I don’t expect to be babied or have special privileges. I just wish the instructors would take into account that the majority of people taking these online classes were from the hybrid program. If you are going to have 3 – 4 books for ONE course (that’s another gripe…), give us time to read and do the assignment!
And yes… having that many required books for one course is insane! How the heck am I supposed to juggle seven or eight books for two classes? That’s just more crap that I can’t sell back, too.
Another gripe: Many instructors use old Blackboard templates and syllabi. Sometimes it’s leftover material from another instructor. They don’t bother to update it. I’ve seen due dates from two years ago, guys, come on! Many times, the syllabi and Blackboard material is completely different, making it hard to figure out wtf we are supposed to do. It’s even harder when the teacher takes days to respond.
One more gripe: The financial aid office has gone downhill. For the past two years, the school has not received my FAFSA. I’ve worked with customer service for FAFSA and did everything correctly. I have no idea what is going on with the school’s end… one time I was told their systems were down and to try again in a few days, then the woman asked if I was going to pay my tuition right then. Uh, no… my loans cover that!
Don’t even get me started on how they took away a scholarship because of a mistake on their part. Geez…

**My review is based off of my experience with the college premises itself and the culinary staff that catered our business lunches for two days**
Kendall College is located right in the industrial area on Goose Island. Their premises are exceptionally clean and welcome as soon as you step through the door. They have a welcome foyer which has a front desk to direct in the appropriate direction (depending on your class/​meeting). From there, you locate your classroom and move forward. The classrooms are large in size, but don’t seem overpopulated. They have up-​to-​date technical equipment which provides the room with giant screens on each side of the room, remote controlled presentations, microphones etc for all to hear and see no matter where they are located in the room. The cooking area is quite large with a sufficient amount of visible counter space to utilize during a teaching method and/​or to store side items, etc.
In our lunch/​afternoon session room, it was much bigger with several different tables available (1 side for lecture/​learning another for lunch/​relaxation). The catering staff was great in their timing as well as preparation. The visual presentation was great for both days, combination of both the look and how it was prepared for the masses. Each food station also had side cards describing what each item was and what it included. They also prepared all the food with different Goose Island beers depending on the dish and I felt it completed each nicely.
Overall, I would return to Kendall College again for another business meeting or event should I have the opportunity.

Big kudos to the team at Kendall College responsible for Spice Up Your Life team-​building cooking classes! They created a memorable evening of cooking and dining for me and eight co-​workers. Chef Molly was helpful and patient as she and two of her students assisted us with a variety of tapas recipes. We adjourned to a lovely candle lit dining room to enjoy our creations surrounded by the lights of our beautiful city. This unique and special evening couldn’t have been better.

Perspective Business students be aware of what you are getting into. It’s very expensive for a second rate education given by mostly uninspiring instructors, half of whom bang on and on about the previous career’s in the real world (its easy to see why they took up teaching). I have had a couple great teachers but they are few and far between.
Counselors are a bit of a joke and thats based on my experience dealing with community college counselors.
The online portal used to get your grades, sign up for classes e.c.t is pathetic, never up to date and seemingly designed by monkeys (no offense monkeys).
On the plus side the Hybrid schedule is great for working person, the location is great if you live in the city and they sometimes have delicious treats at the doors, but they hardly make up for sky high tuition.
If I had the option I would most certainly choose another school.

Our son completed the certificate and graduated this summer, we went to Symphony Hall but still never received the degree. Why the wait? They said «you didn’t complete the survey». It was completed but you’re going to hold hostage the degree?

This review is for the Spice It Up classes, not for the degree/​certification programs offered at Kendall.
My husband and I took the poultry class which was great at giving you hands on experience and focusing on the theme of the class: poultry. I would recommend the Kendall classes for people that want to get more expertise in a particular area, however it’s not great if you want to do it as a date activity with a meal. Since the classes typically focus on a particular ingredient, everything you make has that ingredient unlike some other cooking classes that have you prepare a meal (starter, main, dessert) around a theme.
It’s also worth noting that the classes take place in a commercial-​type kitchen, so this is not the sip wine while you cook and look at all the nice open space type of experience.
We walked away knowing how to go from whole chicken to each of the parts, a few good recipes and some leftovers since we were completely chicken-​ed out by the 3^rd recipe.

Man, I do not cook.
But, for a night at Kendall College (Spice Up Your Life Cooking program)…I felt for a slice of time, that I might be able to get into it.
That feeling has passed, but I still had a really nice time. Ok? Ok.
I learned how to «assemble» several items:
*Sparking sangria. I’ll definitely make this at some point again because it contains alcohol and thus I am not going against my DNA that requires I do not create edible dishes. Ever. Choppy some fruit, throw in some brandy, red wine, Grand Marnier and pour over ice and sprite. Not bad! I’m drunk now, so let’s cook…
*Ciabatta Pear Pizza with honey thyme pesto. A winner, most definitely. I could probably make this happen at one point in the future without anyone being harmed or maimed.
Those were the standouts. The rest of the dishes (mushroom tartlettes, seafood ceviche, chorizo quesadillas) were all OK, but nothing out of this world. Read: I won’t even try to make those.
The good parts of this program/​classes: the instructors were very fun, and cordial… not like Hell’s Kitchen at all. They made it a really fun «Girls Night Out» cooking class. There was also PLENTY of sangria to go around, and other wines to have additionally. For a hot second I actually worried on the way over that I not only had to cook… but had to be sober and cook! Whew.
They prep everything for you, so you basically just have to assemble and put in appropriate heating vessel. Even then they have a million students buzzing around checking things, so its basically fool-​proof. Except the food processor, I managed to break that. Though, after watching it turn tomatillos into wonderful salsa in mere seconds, I can see why all these chicks want to get married and get a Kitchenaid. Although you know, you can have one and not get married, for the record.
A success… and a very fun GNO. Great staff, well organized, private parking and great food. We left stuffed and sauced!

WARNING: Do NOT go to this school they will screw you over to the max.
I went to this school to get my bachelors degree in hospitality, and totally regret ever going to this school. First of all like the other review the admin doesn’t take the school seriously at all, I can NEVER get a hold of anyone for help ever.
I had a tumor in my head and was very sick last year in school, and they weren’t very helpful nor were they understanding to help me delay my schooling or get my money back that I payed, for those quarters.
Now I am trying to graduate and just this past summer my adviser quit, and then a month later the only career counselor there quit. So now I am stuck with this mean excuse for a human being Felicia Davis, who shouldn’t work anywhere that you have to communicate with people period.
She hasn’t called me back in weeks, I had to call the president of the school, to get Felicia Davis to return back my phone call. Then when Felicia does call me she totally bitches me out, not even letting me speak, and wouldn’t answer the questions I originally called for.
This school is seriously a joke, I am embarrassed to stay I am graduated from this school.

This place is a joke. They will act like they care and get on you until they get you in. God forbid you try to get in contact with your counselor. Basically the admin is not consistent and efficient. No communication and a huge headache trying to get help. If it wasn’t for the chefs… this place would go downhill. I’m disappointed bc when you’re paying 5k for a quarter, you would think they care just a little.

I have taken two classes at Kendall through their «Spice Up Your Life» program.
The first was their Bread Baking 101 class and I’m still in awe that Molly successfully taught me how to bake what we did. Not only was I stuffed from what we made while in class, but I came home with so much dough and even my own sourdough starter… I didn’t know what to do with it all. I’m still using the starter and it gets better every time. If you like fresh bread, this is absolutely the class for you.
The most recent class was Sushi 101. As a sushi beginner (my first bite of sushi was in the class), Heidi did a fantastic job of teaching exactly what it was, how it was made, and how to do it on our own. Again, I had my fill of sushi (you could eat anything you made) and I was able to take a full plate home as well. I even came home with my own sushi mat and recipes so I can make my own.
No matter what your culinary skill level, Kendall has a class for you. While they aren’t cheap, I highly recommend taking at least one class either by yourself or with a friend/​date. I plan on taking several more classes in the future.

I had bought a groupon for a class here and just finished doing the Julie and Julia dessert class. We made SO much food!
The class was scheduled from 9am to 1pm, but we didnt leave the kitchen until 1:30pm. There are no chairs or stools in the kitchen so be aware that you may be standing for 4.5 hours STRAIGHT. My legs/​feet are killing me right now.
Also, there are no snacks to munch on while you cook. Most cooking classes I’ve attended had something to eat while you cooked. So eat something ahead of time.
We received a packet of recipes copied from the Julia Child cookbook. But we actually made:
orange mousse
chocolate sponge cake with chocolate icing
upside down apple tart (so delicious!)
pound cake (blackberries or blueberries optional)
vanilla custard
Our instructor Molly was awesome! Her help staff was great too (except some of the people seemed a bit confused… so it was like the blind leading the blind)
Since we had run out of time, we didn’t get a chance to eat our food in class. We each had a box of food to take home. The food was all delicious!
There are TWO private lots at Kendall. Make sure you park in the SECOND lot which is located further down the block with the entrance on the right.

Great culinary school!
Expensive as hell.
Chef Siddharth is a joke.
Admin doesn’t take matters seriously.

I’ve taken 2 Spice It Up Classes and I highly recommend these cooking classes for anyone who enjoys cooking. It’s not a drink-​wine-​while-​you-​watch type of class, it’s really hands-​on and fairly intense, you may even break a sweat running back and forth between your cutting board and the stoves.
I’ve taken the Poultry and Fish classes and taking the Knife Skills class this week.