Verified chef

76 Reviews

Classically trained under world-class chefs like Mario Batali, Mattahias Froeshcel and Wylie Dufresne, Chef Tess is equipped in a range of techniques and cuisines from molecular gastronomy to rustic Italian. After years in the restaurant industry and achieving second place on the Food NetworkвЂ™s "Chopped," Chef Tess decided to focus on her passion for teaching people how to cook simple and satisfying food. She's also been part of "Good Mythical Morning," a talk show series on YouTube.

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Private Chef Meals

Team Building Activities

Private Chef Meals WITH Chef Tess

Portland Private Chef Meal: Timeless Surf and Turf

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CHEF TRAVELS TO YOU

Team Building Activities WITH Chef Tess

Portland Team Building Activity: Together We Gnocchi

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CHEF’S PLACE

Great for Groups of 17-30

Together We Gnocchi

$159

Team Building Activity

$159

Fresh ingredients, authentic Italian cuisine mixed with an unforgettable team experience. Experience the thrills of traditional Italian cooking with top-rated Chef Tess for a delightful team building activity. Utilizing your collaboration and culinary skills, create the perfect meal together as a team. Under expert...

Portland (Southeast Portland)

No dates available

Cooking Classes WITH Chef Tess THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE

Portland Cooking Class: Explore Northern Indian Cuisine

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CHEF’S PLACE

Explore Northern Indian Cuisine

$125

Cooking Class

$125

Learn the art of crafting authentic Northern Indian cuisine. Stimulate your senses on this culinary journey to Northern India in this immersive cooking class. Chef Tess will teach you the essential basics for mastering this vibrant cuisine. To start, make a homemade garlic naan using fresh ingredients. Then, make a...

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Vegetarian Tapas

$115

Cooking Class

$115

Expand your vegetarian repertoire and learn how to make small bites that everyone can enjoy. In this hands-on class with Chef Tess, you will learn a colorful array of delicious vegetarian tapas that are easy to prepare and use techniques that you can draw upon for years to come. Chef Tess has thoughtfully prepared...

Los Angeles (Central LA)

No dates available

Portland Cooking Class: Popular Staples of Thai Cuisine

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CHEF’S PLACE

Popular Staples of Thai Cuisine

$119

Cooking Class

$119

Chef Tess demystifies the art of exotic Thai cooking with a simple and easy approach. In this hands-on cooking class with Chef Tess, you will learn how to prepare a few popular Thai staples using Asian kitchen techniques and ingredients. If it's your first time cooking Thai cuisine вЂ” or even cooking at all...

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Healthy French Country Cooking

$115

Cooking Class

$115

Pick up new cooking techniques to prepare French food with a healthy twist. Chef Tess has created a menu full of flavor and nutrition straight out of a French country kitchen. This class will teach you new techniques, like how to make a rolled turkey pesto torchon, and the best ways to substitute healthier ingredients...

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Healthy Mexican Feast

$115

Cooking Class

$115

Learn how to create a flavorful and bright Mexican feast with Chef Tess. In this hands-on cooking class, Chef Tess will impart her culinary wisdom as she guides you through handcrafting a gourmet four-course Mexican menu. You'll learn useful techniques for prepping ingredients and pairing flavors during the class,...

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Comfort Classics

$115

Cooking Class

$115

Learn a combination of Italian and French techniques in this class with Chef Tess. It's the perfect time to learn how to cook with bold flavors and learn the classics вЂ” French and Italian fare вЂ” at the same time, and Chef Tess is the perfect guide. This hands-on cooking class begins with a step-by-step...

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Casual Pizza Party

$85

Cooking Class

$85

Create a simple and pleasurable Italian pizza dinner with Chef Tess. Passionate about creating and sharing rustic fare, Chef Tess is a dynamic cook with a natural flair for bringing out the best in simple ingredients, which is showcased in this fun and relaxed pizza class. The class kicks off with an addictive...

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Stone Fired Pizza

$105

Cooking Class

$105

Learn how to make authentic pizza in a stone-fired pizza oven with Chef Tess. In this interactive, hands-on cooking class, experience the magic of hand-tossing and baking rustic pizza with Chef Tess. Begin with an appetizer meant for sharing as you prepare the pizzas: Tomato-chile jam with burrata and toast....

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CHEF’S PLACE

Homemade Italian Gnocchi

$115

Cooking Class

$115

Learn how to craft a timeless, authentic Italian culinary staple with Chef Tess. Gnocchi has been a fixture of Italian cuisine since being introduced in the 1700s and consists of potato dumplings that pair well with a variety of sauces. With the expert guidance of Chef Tess, who is classically trained with years of...

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CHEF’S PLACE

Making Pasta From Scratch

$119

Cooking Class

$119

In this interactive class, you'll learn all about the secrets to make pasta by hand. If you've ever tried handmade pasta, you know it's vastly superior to the store-bought variety in both flavor and texture. But did you know that pasta consists of just two ingredients вЂ” eggs and flour вЂ” and that it's...

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Pumpkin Lovers' Halloween Menu

$85

Cooking Class

$85

Learn how use pumpkin and spooky spins to make classic American dishes perfect for Halloween. In this hands-on class with Chef Tess, you will learn how to properly carve a whole pumpkin and then use it to prepare a fun and whimsical three-course menu perfect for a gourmet Halloween-themed dinner party. Some of the...

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Simple Sushi Making

$119

Cooking Class

$119

Learn how to make sushi with Chef Tess in a relaxed, fun environment. In this hands-on cooking class that's perfect for family, date night or a friends night out, you'll learn how to make sushi and mochi from scratch with Chef Tess. You'll begin by prepping the strawberry and mint mochi, a delightfully chewy rice...

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CHEF’S PLACE

Authentic Japanese Comfort Classics

$129

Cooking Class

$129

Learn how to make traditional Japanese comfort food with recipes you'll pass down for generations. Handcraft Japanese classics from start to finish in this hands-on cooking class with Chef Tess. Discover the traditional techniques that create the rich, savory flavors of comforting dishes that warm the heart and...

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Homemade Bread Making 101

$125

Cooking Class

$125

Explore the joy of baking bread with Chef Tess and fill your kitchen with joy. Learn the ancient craft of bread making in this hands-on baking class with Chef Tess. It's a skill that you will use time and time again! Start with a classic sourdough loaf using only wild starter, flour and water. You'll receive a...

Team Building Activities WITH Chef Tess THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE

Portland Team Building Activity: Classic California Autumn

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Great for Groups of 2-10

Classic California Autumn

$109

Team Building Activity

$109

Reap the bounty of autumn and create a simple yet elegant country dinner. Gather your team and learn how to put together a simple and wholesome meal. Chef Tess honed her cooking skills under some of the biggest names in the industry and is eager to share with you some of the tricks she picked up along the way. You and...

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CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Great for Groups of 2-10

Mexican-Spanish Fusion

$119

Team Building Activity

$119

Enjoy a Latin-inspired gathering with these zesty crowd-pleasers. Bring bold and spicy flavors to your next team building event by creating a Mexican-Spanish spread. Chef Tess honed her cooking skills under some of the biggest names in the industry and is eager to share with you some of the tricks she picked up along...

REVIEWS

Chef Tess's Overall Rating

4.9 / 5

Based on 76 reviews

Reviews guests left for Chef Tess

Ray Garcia

03/03/25

She's good at explaining everything

03/03/25

Cameron

02/07/25

Chef Tess was so awesome! We loved how casually she dropped her knowledge and expertise while making the whole experience fun and incredibly delicious! SheвЂ™s great, 10/10 would 1000% recommend

02/07/25

Merrell

11/21/24

Tess was such a delight! We had a really fun time learning how to make gnocchi and a few sauces along with asking Tess random cooking questions. Would highly recommend this engaging class!

11/21/24

Tiffany

01/25/24

Tess was super nice and funny! Her personality is a 5 star for sure! The reason for the 3 is because there was supposed to be a a variety of options to make ands there was only one. We ended up making an additional one that was listed because people wanted it. Also, she has a pretty foul mouth- not really a big deal for us but for others it could be.

01/25/24

Courtney

12/18/23

10 stars. I'm honestly still full of joy from our evening with Tess. Thank you, thank you, thank you. She is real, she is raw, she is COMFORTABLE. Aside from being fking FULL of knowledge, she is absolutely hilarious. There was not a single second where I felt out of place in my first ever cooking class. For some of us, it takes a lot to step out of our comfort zone to learn a new skill in front of a group of strangers, and not once did I worry about how others saw me or what Chef Tess thought of me as well. I left with confidence, a full belly, and I cannot wait to cook this meal for my family! Thank you, chef. I'll be booking another class ASAP.

12/18/23

Eileen

11/20/23

Tess was engaging, informative, and energetic. I had more fun than I expected and learned a lot.

11/20/23

Steven

01/08/22

My husband booked a lesson with Chef Tess for he and I as a Christmas gift. We had such an amazing time learning how to braise meat and use our cooking tools properly. Chef Tess entertained us with humor and delightful anecdotes of her culinary past. We laughed throughout the coarse and learned valuable tricks of the trade. I am already looking forward to booking another session very soon as everything turned out delicious. The cherry on top was the fun dessert. Thank you for the wonderful and unforgettable experience!

01/08/22

Ellen

01/03/22

My daughter and I really enjoyed the Thai class. Tess was fun to learn from and gave us some basic cooking tips that were very helpful!

01/03/22

Wendy

12/30/21

Chef Tess invited us to her beautiful home, and made us all feel welcome right away. She was flexible with our team showing up at varying times, and gave us all time to chat and catch up. She was hilarious, entertaining, and informative. The food was fun to make and was just as delicious. I learned a whole lot about the foods going into my meal and would absolutely do this again with Chef Tess! If you are even considering booking, go ahead and do it - it was a wonderful experience!

12/30/21

Brent

09/24/18

Chef Tess did a great job with our group. Everyone got involved in cooking and we all learned a bunch. Many of us want to do more classes with Chef Tess specifically! Amazing experience... and the chicken mole was bomb diggity!

09/24/18

Kevin

09/10/18

Chef Tess Was Amazing she was so cool at explaining everything very informative information made it fun for everyone I took my girlfriend who came from South Korea to her first cooking class in LA chef Tess made it super comfortable made us laugh the whole time with her impressions and her dog Bowie is adorable , really food experience from the cooking class I left feeling full satasfied with my experience and a little sad it had to end time flew by when your surrounded by a good instructor and group ! I would definetly recomend her thanks chef Tess !!

09/10/18

Josh

09/09/18

We had an amazing experience!!! Chef Tess welcomed us into her home with incredible hospitality and a waвЂrm and inviting personality, Not to mention she is SO FUN to not only learn from but to just hang out with. She also offered lots of practical insights and tips on the colonary arts taken from her own funny experiences, which was super entertaining and didnвЂ™t even feel like learning:) .Getting to meet new people from different places and backgrounds and work together to make a glorious feast was also really cool and created a sense of teamwork! Would highly recommend this to any couple looking to expand their skills and meet awesome people! Especially Tess!

09/09/18

Emily

08/28/18

Chef Tess was amazing! Very personable and relatable - great conversation and super friendly! She walked us through each step, but yet still "cooking on the fly" which personally, we love (I never follow recipes). Everything turned out wonderful and I am greatly looking forward to testing my hand at some of these recipes. Excited to book another soon!

08/28/18

Monica

07/01/18

Awesome evening, educational and fun. Will definitely book Chef Tess for our next special occasion, she rocks!

07/01/18

Monica

06/28/18

Chef Tess was awesome! I booked this class as a birthday gift experience for our dad, and we had such a great night. I will definitely make her delicious, healthy recipes again. We learned some new cooking tips while enjoying great conversation and stories with Chef Tess. She has learned some great techniques from working at European restaurants, which we loved learning about. Thank you so much! We'll definitely keep her in mind for our next special occasion event.

06/28/18

Olea

09/26/17

My coworkers and I had an absolute blast! Chef Tess is a great chef and entertainer. We even asked if she had other classes that she teaches, we would love to have her teach us again. I have learned so much about food and preparation, the gnocchi were delicious, the appetizers we made were incredible. Even Tess' kitchen is as so homey and complimented the Italian meal experience. I would highly recommend Tess and this gnocchi making experience to my friends and family. And will be trying to make gnocchi with my husband at home :)

09/26/17

Andrew

09/12/17

Chef Tess was great. The food was delicious. It was a fun night! Chef Tess was funny and informative. She has a lot of cooking experience and had stories about working in hectic kitchens. She had some great advice when it came to cooking and the meals we made was delicious! We highly recommend chef Tess.

09/12/17

Judy

09/11/17

Fun, informative evening, learning how to cook healthy French dishes ending in a scrumcios meal. Chef Tess is a brilliant, personable artist with a bright future!

09/11/17

David

05/24/17

I purchased time with Chef Tess as a Mother's Day present for my wife. Myself, my wife and our 14 year old daughter all went to her home in Los Gatos. Pros: Chef Tess is very personable, knowledgeable and patient with newbies. She explained everything she was doing and why she was doing it. The food was fantastic and it felt great knowing we had a hand in making the food so delicious. We even came home and purchased our first whole chicken and broke it down expertly a couple days later thanks to the instructions of Chef Tess. Cons: The kitchen was VERY small for 5 guests plus the chef. Through no fault of Chef Tess, it happened to be one of the hottest days of the year, and unfortunately the home had no AC. I thought the knives were dull and could have used some sharpening, but that might be on purpose so us newbies don't chop off a finger. :) The dessert didn't come together, again due to the hot weather and challenges associated with it being one of the hottest days of the year. Overall I highly recommend Chef Tess though and have given 5 stars to this experience.

05/24/17

Mathai

05/22/17

Wonderful experience - thank you, Chef!

05/22/17

Irene

05/13/17

We had an awesome time, not only did we enjoy a delicious meal, we learned some great techniques. She made us feel really comfortable. Definitely will take another class with her

05/13/17

Stephanie

01/19/17

Chef Tess is AWESOME--we had her in our home in SF for a cooking class with my husband and I. She's respectful, funny and accommodates to your level of skill of cooking. She's an easy conversationalist and a great teacher. Booking through Cozymeal is not so awesome, but if you are willing to stick with it to finally book the event you want than it's worthwhile and ask for Chef Tess!

01/19/17

Liza

01/09/17

We had a great time in Chef Tess' kitchen. We made the Paella dish, which was challenging for our group, but Tess made sure I came out great.

01/09/17

Travis

11/15/16

Chef Tess is absolutely amazing. From her flexibility in scheduling to her casual but information lacked teaching style. The class was one of the most fun evenings me and my wife have had in a very long time . I would recommend any of her cooking classes as a perfect date night treat for any couple . She made us feel welcome and a part of her family, and treated us as such. Three cheers for Chef Tess we can't wait to schedule another great session with you.

11/15/16

Denise

10/28/16

Our family had an amazing experience with Chef Tess! She came to our home and expertly taught us how to make gnocchi and the other items on the menu while entertaining us with her grace and wit. We learned some great cooking tips while working hands in in the kitchen together and we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. Lots of laughter and fun--and good food! This was a birthday gift for my foodie husband and he was super excited! Have to say - great experience all around.

10/28/16

Sam

10/05/16

We truly loved Chef Tess. We ordered her catering services (full-service/chef-attended) where she prepared a delicious Oxtail ragut alongside a bruschetta appetizer, a refreshing salad and a very tasty dessert. With every dish, she would give us a short introduction which made the experience even more special - like a chef's table. I give her 5 stars for service, food, and presentation.

10/05/16

Stephanie

08/07/16

I signed up for this class with my mom for mothers day. We have done cooking classes in the past but this was our first cozy meal class. The experience was awesome. We made pizza outside and was able to collect fresh herbs from the garden. Chef Tess was really nice and we learned some tips for making pizza in the future. The atmosphere was relaxed and perfect. We would sign up again.

08/07/16

Chef Tess

Private Chef Meals WITH Chef Tess

Timeless Surf and Turf

Collection of Italian Classics

Exquisite Spanish Selections

Gourmet French Finesse

Steakhouse For Connoisseurs

Specialty Seafood Spread

Exceptional Asian Dining

Sumptuous Brunch Bounty

Elegant Christmas Dining

Curated Thanksgiving Holiday Fare

Team Building Activities WITH Chef Tess

Together We Gnocchi

Cooking Classes WITH Chef Tess THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE

Explore Northern Indian Cuisine

Vegetarian Tapas

Popular Staples of Thai Cuisine

Healthy French Country Cooking

Healthy Mexican Feast

Comfort Classics

Casual Pizza Party

Stone Fired Pizza

Homemade Italian Gnocchi

Making Pasta From Scratch

Pumpkin Lovers' Halloween Menu

Simple Sushi Making

Authentic Japanese Comfort Classics

Homemade Bread Making 101

Team Building Activities WITH Chef Tess THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE

Classic California Autumn

Mexican-Spanish Fusion