Flavour Cooking School

I bought a friend a giftcard from here and before they closed, she called scrambling to use it but the woman was so rude and said sorry everything was booked and she wouldn’t give her $ back. BAD business. No wonder they went out of business. Go away and never open anything around here ever again! This is a community where we help and support each other. Play by the rules!

My family and I have supported Flavour and Denise since its opening. Sad to hear they are closing, but Denise mentions possible future endeavors. Denise’s future endeavors will not be financed on my back. She is a shrewd businesswoman and owes me money for the gift card I purchased, but she did not honor. I am sure I’m not the only customer from Flavour she also owes. I’m very disappointed in her lack of regard for loyal customers and in my opinion she stole $ 200 from me, actually my daughter, who I had purchased the holiday gift card for. Sad.

A great and wonderful place to learn to cook. Small and intimate classes. I’ve been coming here since they opened and have become a confident and very good home chef (per family and friends). I experiment in the kitchen more. I still take classes — currently Ayurveda nutrition and gluten free classes. Also, their cookbook is excellent. I have kept all my class recipes since the beginning and it’s my go to «cookbook» along with the actual cookbook. The staff are excellent.

I held my daughter’s 11^th birthday party at Flavour Cooking School and it was amazing! The Chef and the staff person were incredible. Denise the owner was very detailed with the planning process and every detail was executed flawlessly.
We will definitely be back!

I attended a Macaron making class recently — being the first class I have taken at Flavour Cooking School! We had a fun time learning the extensive proceed involved. The staff was awesome throughout the entire lesson. Can’t wait to take my next class!

Wish I could give it an extra star!
I attended the «elements of flavor» class recently and was completely blown away! Denise is a consummate professional; obviously well trained in and passionate about her craft. I took the class on a whim and could not have been more impressed. Denise held our attention for over THREE hours and it wasn’t even a hands on class — so amazing. I could have listened to her talk about flavors all night; she was engaging, witty and relevant! I can’t wait to return for more classes and truly feel I’ve stumbled upon a gem! Thank you!!!

We’ve been back to Flavour two more times. One was a class with Denise that we loved and the last one was another class with Chef Rene that we didn’t love and here is why: The woman next to me. I think in a former life she had to have been some sort of a health class teacher because she was SO unpleasant and critical and demanding and fussy.
Cripes.
Also this collection of recipes: Not our favorite.
But! Once again. It’s the smaller things you take away from the experience. Like now we know which kind of canned tomatoes to buy and what kind of tool to core a tomato and that we are supposed to throw away our old salt (hey maybe we can use it on the sidewalks this winter!) and all these other little things that make our lives more cheerful.
Thank you Flavour Cooking School.

Ok so after my hands on class. My kids ask me about the food I made. So Saturday we went to the store and I duplicated everything. It was awesome they loved it the lemon Bar was perfect. So love this place…

I love, LOVE coming here! I recommend the «hands on» cooking classes. Denise and her staff are fabulous! You can come here if you have never cooked before and you don’t need to feel intimidated. It’s such a fun learning environment, you will want to come back. There is also a class rewards star program so don’t forget your card! You also get store discount day of class. Even if you don’t come for class, you can purchase cookware right there. Love it!

This was stop number 2 on our shopping night and I was excited that they were offering a discount on their classes as part of the event. I had been wanting to take a knife skills class because I know I am seriously wrong in every aspect of knife management and this made it super easy to give it a try.
The event was a combniation of sampling of food made here and discounts on shopping. For a cooking «school» and store, it seemed kind of low on merchandise — but part of that might be that I have so much stuff already, it leaves little to choose. I would have liked more knife options (there are the pricey ones behind the register in a display — two brands) and then one 2 knife set on the floor. I also would have liked a heavy-​duty potholder selection or more sauces. I did manage to pick up a flavored salt and they crry he epicurean line of pressed paper boards and spoons, so that is a plus. Surprised to see that they still have Koko lunch totes since that company is out of business…

Went as a birthday gift for the wife. Ended up with another birthday group of 10.
Cooking class is in rear of quaint, kitchen shop in Forest Park. Lakefront Brewery beer and numerous red/​white wines served.
Outstanding experience… first 90 minutes was demo of St Patty’s Day dinner… second 90 minutes was eating the demo. All in all, one of the best dinners I have had.
Helge (sp) was chef who shared cooking secrets/​techniques for Irish Guiness Stew, Yorkshire pudding, Mulgitawney soup, crisp apple and cabbage salad, and bread pudding with whiskey sauce. Ingredients and instructions provided so you can follow along as Helge talks you through his preparation, while continuously answering questions from cooking nubs like me. Then dinner was served in the rear of the shop. It was absolutely awesome. All in all, fun, instructional, and truly memorable dinner.
We will definitely go back for another class.

Shortly after writing my last Unilocal review of Flavour Cooking School, Denise Norton, the owner, contacted me saying she had read my review and while she was disappointed the class had lived up to my expectations, she appreciated my feedback. She was very polite, understanding, and professional. After exchanging several emails and informing me she’d had a talk with the chef about how to improve the class for future attendees, Denise was able to resolve my dissatisfaction.

I took the knife skills class at Flavour last night and it was terrific. Denise, who is also the owner, was our instructor and she really wowed me. She spent the first 45 minutes or so instructing us on the ins and outs of knives… what makes a good knife v a cheap knife, sharpening v honing, storage, safety, etc.
After that, it was two hours of hands on chopping away. I’m no slouch in the kitchen, and I learned a lot. Denise’s clearly demonstrated the techniques and then went around the room making sure that everyone learned what we needed to. On top of that, she is a lot of fun!
This class was money well spent. I can see how it will totally speed up cooking of nightly meals. It was a great night out.
Oh, and the store is also a treat. Beautiful and useful products. Friendly staff.
I can’t say enough. I’m looking to take another class next month!

So happy to have this great cooking school nearby. The environment is cozy, warm, and inviting, with small class sizes that make the experience more personal. Love that you can have a great cup of coffee or buy a glass of wine or beer during the 2 hour class.
I’ve been twice recently for Family classes on Sunday afternoon. Once with my 7 yo daughter and her friend, again with daughter, 9 yo son and husband. The instructors are great at corralling and engaging the young cooks. The experience was very hands-​on — no sitting back and watching in these classes. I left with recipes I would definitely repeat at home.
Menu 1 had shrimp spring rolls, chicken and rice entrée, and lemon cake. Menu 2 had antipasta salad, shrimp pasta, and strawberry cake. Thought the ‘tasting’ portions were definitely a meal.
Purchases in the nicely stocked store and future classes are discounted on the day of a class, so plan ahead if there’s something you need or another class you’ve got in mind.

I can’t say enough good things about flavour cooking school! I got to work with Denise, the owner, during a marketing research class at Dominican University. My friend and I have attended several classes & we always had a great time learning how to make different dishes. I would recommend this to anyone with a love of food and a desire to have a great time with friends. (Oh, and their wine offering is pretty tasty too)

My husband and I went to Flavour last night with our two friends for a five course meal with wine pairings. Our friend gave it to us as a wedding present and this was by far the best gift we received.
We walked in to a very warm storefront with beautifully set tables and delicious smells coming from the kitchen! It was a PHENOMENAL experience and I can’t believe I’ve lived so close to this place for years and haven’t taken advantage of it.
I complicated things for the chef, Aram Reed Elie, by not eating meat-​but he created the dishes with vegetarian options that couldn’t have been better. I was very impressed!
Our menu was as follows:
Course 1) green garden gazpacho with grilled chili shrimp (mine was cooked with veggie broth instead of chicken stock) and it was creamy, fresh and had a bit of a kick.
Course 2) Wild mushroom barley risotto with battered crispy onion rings, goat cheese and chives-​gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! I loved the twist with the barley instead of risotto rice… the creamy goats cheese… heaven!
Course 3) Smoked pork tenderloin on wasabi arugula with tart apple and cherry vinaigrette and carmelized onion foccacia croutons (instead of pork I had smoked tofu and I had to fight off my husband and friends because they thought it was amazingly meaty and flavorful too)
Course 4) Braised beef short ribs in red wine sauce with horseradish celery root purée and oven roasted crispy thyme new potatoes (I had a perfectly seasoned portobello mushroom that was buttery and superb!)
Course 5) white chocolate mousse with rasberry sauce and pear and marscapone mini galettes. It was the perfect way to end the meal-​I enjoyed both desserts… the rasberry sauce made them to die for!
All the dishes came with very generous wine pairings and we heard a bit about each wine before we started each course. I know absolutely nothing about wine… and some of it sounded like Greek to me but it was still very enjoyable and unpretentious.
Everyone that was working here was very passionate and I would
highly recommend giving this place a try-​I haven’t taken any classes yet but am looking forward to doing so! You will not be disappointed :)

I have taken over a dozen classes at Flavour and have never had a bad experience. The instructors do a great job of making sure classes aren’t boring for experienced cooks but aren’t overly complicated for people who don’t have much experience. They’re also willing to answer every question, from the mundane to the esoteric.
The classes cover a range of techniques and styles of food and the instructors are always offering suggestions for ways to adapt the flavors to suit what you like. Although the dishes look super fancy/​complicated, they’re things the average home chef can whip up in a reasonable amount of time to look fancy for company or even just for something basic on a weeknight after work.
Classes aren’t too large to be able to see what’s going on up front. The hands-​on classes are wonderful because you get experience in actually preparing the dishes, but even the demonstration classes give you a really great idea of what to expect when you’re preparing things on your own.
I honestly cannot say enough good things about Flavour.

After raving to friends and family about the three classes I’ve taken at Flavour over the last year, I figured I should write up a review here on Unilocal,too.
The instructors are energetic, approachable, easy to understand, and — most importantly — knowledgeable! The class sizes are small, and the space is inviting and cozy.
I’ve taken a knife skills class, a cake basics class, and a bistro night class (wonderful date night with my husband, who loved the class too!). Each experience has provided me with spot-​on tips and tricks, recipes, and more confidence to try new things in the kitchen.
If you have an interest in food, you can find a class for you — regardless of your skill level in the kitchen. Some classes are hands on, some are just demos, some are for kids, and some are for couples. There’s a wonderful variety that will allow you either to just get a handle on basic skills or to work on more complicated techniques.
If you are interested in taking a class but are slightly deterred by the cost, keep an eye out for specials, which you can learn about in-​store or online. There are regular discounts on classes.
And the store? Love their stuff! Great place to pick up neat kitchen items and ingredients as gifts for people who love to cook. I usually pick up a few things when I take a class to take advantage of the 15% discount.

I just came from one of the classes offered here. It was a hands-​on class with Patsy where we made six or seven dishes. Patsy was patient and knowledgeable, and didn’t even bat an eye when I screwed up and put the wrong ingredients into the dessert.
I only signed up for the class because it was half off ($ 35 instead of $ 70), and it was a great bargain. They offered 15% off everything in the store and 15% off cooking classes booked tonight for class attendees. Try to catch them when they’re offering a deal. $ 70 is reasonable for the class because they use a lot of high-​quality ingredients (goose fat instead of olive oil, vanilla paste instead of vanilla extract, etc), but it’s not in my budget so as much as I’d like to go back for more classes I’ll have to wait until they have another sale.
Bonus: they offer wine and beer sales during the class.
In all it’s a great experience and I highly recommend it if you can budget for it.

What a fantastic experience!
I have wanted to take a cooking class for a while — largely to encourage my boyfriend to embrace cooking — so have been looking at some of the cooking schools in Chicago. I stumbled upon Flavour and it’s the perfect place to go for some great classes. The first thing that struck me when we walked into the shop was what a beautiful shop it is; it is quite large, and has absolutely gorgeous architectural features in the moulding and chandeliers. Next, your eye is immediately drawn to the large kitchen class area which — as mentioned — looks like something from the Food Network. I think I would sleep in my kitchen if it looked like that.
We took the stir fry class, and at first, it seemed that it wasn’t going to work out very well; there are 12 people (max) per class, and the first thing we started working on was something that only utilized about 3 people. It picked up pretty quickly, though; the instructor parsed out the ingredients to different people and then we all got a chance to cook, try/​learn a new technique and, finally, taste our creations. The instructor and other staff were incredibly helpful and friendly, and they have all kinds of great items in the retail areas of the store.
Another great thing? Parking. Forest Park has several municipal parking lots near the shop, as well as quite a few metered spaces along Madison.
When you attend the classes, you get a 15% discount on any purchases made that day — INCLUDING CLASSES. That’s big. I’ve taken classes at different yarn shops, have had a friend take a class at another cooking place, and the highest discount offered was 10% at any of them, and I don’t believe it ever applied for future class sessions. We’d been thinking about taking the Culinary Bootcamp class, a 2-​day, 12 hour intro class, and couldn’t pass up the opportunity today. Good timing, too, since we filled the final two available spaces (and the class is still a month away).
I know I will definitely be taking more classes here, I just wish it was a bit closer! Oh, and the class did its job: when we got home, my culinary-​challenged sweetie cooked the stir fry himself, with me offering help in cutting the veggies only. Thank you, Flavour!