We've taken the Cookbook Company classes a few times. Overall, Id give them a good review. It sounds like youd want to take the couples cooking classes that are offered on Friday and Saturday nights. Its more of a fun experience rather than a learning experience but you do come away with some new knowledge (depending on your skill level going in.)
The new kitchen they have is really a big improvement over the old one in the basement.
The way the night goes for the couples classes is like this:
The chef leading the class picks a menu which could be used for a dinner party. It will be appetizers, a couple of main courses, then dessert. Theres a number of islands around the kitchen which are workstations. Each island gets 2 or 3 or 4 different parts of the meal to prepare. You want to get there early so you can chose want you want to make otherwise youll get little or no choice (which isnt a bad thing because it might make you prepare something you otherwise wouldnt.) So then you have 2 or other couples at your island. You might have to work with them because it might be something that 4 people are assigned to or you might work only with your partner. They give a brief overview at the start of what the meal will be, the tricky parts of it, and what you need to do. Then youre off on your own. The chef along with their assistants will walk aroundt the kitchen helping you out and giving you tips and instructions. There is also wine served. usually right as you walk in they will pour you a glass of wine and then walk around refilling it thru the evening. Somenights it seems they have more bottles of wine than others and that the wine flows more freely. Then as the meals are almost done cooking, everyone will go sit down at tables at the back of the kitchen and the chef and his assistants will serve the meals.
Overall its pretty fun. It depends a bit on the type of couples in your particular class; sometimes theres a lot of younger couples and other times theres older couples who are out for a fun night but regardless Ive never had a bad time. I know some people think the cost is a little pricey but you get a decent meal and some wine out of it plus its a few hours of fun and youll come out with at least a little bit of new knowledge.
Hope that helped.
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