Chef Denis is a seasoned chef with 43 years of experience working in the culinary world. His past roles include banquet chef, executive sous chef, private chef and even being the owner of a catering business, where he hosted both private events and intimate dinners. For the last 28 years, he's spent his time working as a culinary teacher, sharing his passion and knowledge with his students and aspiring chefs to create outstanding, memorable events.
Chef Highlights
50+ years culinary experience
New York Tech, Brooklyn
Specializes in Fine Dining and Baking
Award-winning: 1st Prize Table, Société Culinaire Philanthropique Exhibition
Share the joy of homestyle food from Southeast Asia in this cooking class with Chef Denis.
Learn the secrets to traditional Vietnamese recipes brought to you by a world-class chef. Chef Denis shares his wisdom from traveling, cooking and dining across beautiful Vietnam with you in this hands-on cooking class.
First, lightly fried squid with a spicy red chili sauce to start off the culinary journey to Southeast Asia. Next up, prepare curried chicken with glass noodles, fresh herbs and a side of pickled carrots with a nutty peanut dipping sauce. Finally, whip up a unique yet classic dessert: Ginger and coconut rice pudding with black eyed peas.
Guests are welcome to provide wine and beer to enjoy during the class.
Your Menu
Fried Squid and Spicy Red Chili Sauce
With lime and basil
Curried Chicken and Cellophane Noodles
With chili peppers, lemongrass, limes and cilantro
Pickled Carrot Salad and Peanut Sauce
With vinegar
Ginger Coconut Rice Pudding
With black eyed peas
Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated if noted prior to the event. Please mention this in the message field when you submit your booking request as adjustments to recipes cannot be made during class.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
No prior cooking experience needed
All ingredients and equipment are provided
Dietary accommodations available upon request
Private classes available for groups and special events
Chef Denis is a seasoned chef with 43 years of experience working in the culinary world. His past roles include banquet chef, executive sous chef, private chef and even being the owner of a catering business, where he hosted both private events and intimate dinners. For the last 28 years, he's spent his time working as a culinary teacher, sharing his passion and knowledge with his students and aspiring chefs to create outstanding, memorable events.
Chef Highlights
50+ years culinary experience
New York Tech, Brooklyn
Specializes in Fine Dining and Baking
Award-winning: 1st Prize Table, Société Culinaire Philanthropique Exhibition
Chef Denis will travel to guests within NYC for this experience.
Verified guest reviews for this experience
Julianne N.
Booked
with Chef Denis
in NYC (test)
Chef Denis was an absolute blast to learn from! He was so kind and patient and walked us through every little detail. He also showed us different cooking and plating techniques to try when we're cooking on our own. He has so many great stories and recipes from his many years of experience. Our Vietnamese meal was delicious and we cannot wait to try and recreate it. Can't wait to see Chef Denis again for another meal soon!
Kayla C.
Booked
with Chef Denis
in NYC (test)
Chef Denis was extremely personable, knowledgeable, and made the experience extremely enjoyable! He was also very flexible which I appreciated. The food was delicious and the portions were generous for a party of 2. I would 100% book again for a different cuisine in the future.
Feras A.
Booked
with Chef Denis
in NYC (test)
Great Vietnamese cooking lesson! Highly recommend
Verified guest reviews for other experiences with Chef Denis
Chef Denis brought us to Middle Earth with his Lord of the Rings inspired menu. We cooked and ate delicious food while learning different culinary techniques and hearing interesting stories about his career. We highly recommend booking an evening with Denis for your next culinary adventure.
We cooked a great Italian meal for 2 with Chef Denis who was so lovely and taught us so much - we needed the lesson! The food was amazing and he made cooking it fun and easy. I would highly recommend Chef Denis.
An amazing private dining experience! The dinner was perfectly curated. Every bite was a delight. Chef Denis was not only talented but also incredibly friendly, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Great conversation, impeccable service, and a truly memorable meal. Highly recommend!
Chef Denis is a gifted cooking teacher, who managed to engage our whole family for a this Lord of the Rings themed meal. We had a great time cooking together, while he imparted a ton of helpful cooking lessons like good knife skills, browning meat, simmering, baking skills, and more! And we were absolutely stuffed by the end of the evening. We all want to do this again soon!
Chef Denis was great! He checked in ahead of time to make sure everything was set and tailored to our needs. He’s so skilled and knowledgeable, and the whole experience was a real pleasure. Highly recommend!
What a super unique and personal experience! I booked this a birthday gift for my husband, and the both of us loved all 3 courses. Besides meal leftovers, we were given extra ingredients (sauce, dough, cheese, etc.) to keep and use for later - that was an unexpected but lovely surprise. Chef Denis was very accommodating and personable with plenty of stories to share. I would book again for other cuisines!
Chef Denis Williams truly delivered an unforgettable dining experience right to my doorstep! From the moment he stepped into my apartment, his warmth and expertise set the stage for an enchanting evening. The Lord of the Rings-themed 3-course meal he prepared was nothing short of extraordinary. Each dish was a culinary masterpiece, showcasing his talent and creativity. Not only was Chef Denis incredibly kind and sweet throughout the evening, but he also shared his extensive knowledge of the culinary world, adding a delightful educational element to the experience. What truly impressed me was his attention to detail and professionalism - he left my kitchen spotless, as if he were never there. I cannot recommend Chef Denis Williams highly enough for anyone seeking an exceptional private dining experience.
Chef Denis,
Did a great job and feeding a group of 43 people at our private corporate event. He also created an alternative menu to accommodate for food allergens. The staff was great to work with and very buttoned up.
Denis was awesome and so fun to spend the night with!!! It was fun to have a professional chef in out apt for night :) he was sooo sweet!! cant wait to hire him again
Chef Denis was on time, kind and informative. He was patient with my skill level and made me feel like I could cook more in my own. The food was delicious and beautiful.
Chef Dennis is the best! We have had him over for both vegan sushi and northern italian and couldn’t recommend him more! He is incredibly kind, patient, and will answer any questions you have. We will definitely be having him back again!
We had a great time with Chef Denis - he went above and beyond. We learned tons and would really recommend it to anyone who wants to cook at home with a professional chef.
Chef Denis was simply put…outstanding. We had quite possibly the best time learning and cooking with him—he is a wealth of knowledge and great company…not to mention the food we made was absolutely delicious. We learned so much for him and will definitely be booking him again. I couldn’t recommend him more—you will not be disappointed!
We had an amazing night cooking our vegan meal with Chef Denis for my husband's birthday! He was able to accommodate our dietary restrictions and even asked about alternative dessert options for us. We ended up making a delicious matcha cake that we garnished with his homemade rose petal jam. Chef Denis helped us make our leftover food into a tasty salad. We can't wait to book another class with him in the future.
Chef Dennis was incredible! My husband and I made such an incredible 4 course meal under his guidance and loved every minute of it. Came out absolutely delicious and learned a lot! Would highly recommend.
Chef Denis lead a wonderful pizza experience for me and my boyfriend. He helped us learn new tips and tricks and we laughed for three hours straight! Highly recommend.
so much fun.... we had a great nite with delicious food, great stories, great tricks and tips of the trade as we all participated....even my noncooking son got roped into
the activities..::
This was our first experience with a Cozymeal chef and it was great! Denis was very patience with my boyfriend and myself throughout the whole experience. He explained everything thoroughly and made us feel comfortable. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our anniversary. I will definitely be booking another class with Denis soon
We had a wonderful experience with Chef Denis this past weekend and highly recommend his cooking class. We were able to cook delicious French meals and was a wonderful date night after a busy work week. All the meal items he chose for us were incredible and brought all the ingredients to our apartment. Cannot recommend him enough. He was patient, kind and made a very memorable experience for us.
Amazing meal with Chef Denis! He was a great, patient teacher and the food was delicious. He customized a pre-set menu for us and made it Italian, which we loved.
I hired Chef Denis as a gift for my husband James and we had the BEST TIME. Not only was Chef Denis extremely kind and easy to work with, the meal he curated was INCREDIBLE. He taught us everything from the most efficient way to chop an onion all the way to how to *properly* devein shrimp (I've been doing it wrong my whole life)! The entire evening exceeded our expectations and we're so happy we have leftovers. If you're thinking about hiring him, please do. You will not regret it!
To Chef Denis:
We cannot wait to have you back for another cooking lesson with more laughs and wine. You were absolutely incredible and we seriously adore you. Thank you a million times, again.
Cheers,
James and Griselle
Chef Denis was very helpful and crafted a delicious meal that we were also able to help with. He is very knowledgeable around technique and food history. He was punctual and the menu he cooked for us was delicious. I highly recommend for a fun date night or special occasion at home!
From me:
Chef Denis was great! He was very knowledgeable and patient (I literally didn't even know how to hold a knife). He was also just interesting to chat with! My boyfriend, Greg, and I had a great time taking his class! Everything was delicious! He was great at giving instructions and brought any cooking tools I might've not had in my kitchen.
I think the only feedback I'd give is having more options for vegan recipes on the Cozymeal menu overall! I'd totally love to do another class in the future, as one of the most difficult parts of going vegan/vegetarian is cooking things from scratch as opposed to heating up the overpriced/over-processed meat substitutes ?
From my boyfriend who took the class with me:
Hey yeah absolutely seconding everything Isa said. Denis was a great instructor and a joy to cook with. He walked us through the recipes at our pace, demonstrated all of the steps, and made sure to get us both involved as often as possible. As a person, he was funny and interesting, with many stories to share about cooking and beyond.
Denis' knowledge of cuisine and sublime cooking made for a memorable anniversary. Highly recommend if you want to excite your palate with a scrumptious meal.
We had a wonderful time with Chef Denis! We learned new skills and had great conversation, all while making delicious food. Chef brought ingredients from his own garden and some even a goody bag for us to make our own pizza dough at a later date. We so look forward to using the tips Chef taught us in our next cooking adventure. I would highly recommend a class with Chef Denis to anyone who asked!
Chef Denis had his hands full with us. 6 people in a galley kitchen and it was awesome! He taught us so much, kept us all organized and we cleaned as we went. Chef not only came prepared with high quality ingredients but also had supplies (like extra cutting boards and peelers. I also appreciated his communication leading up to the event - we were engaged in the shopping process and he gave me a heads up about tools and supplies needed. And the food! It was so yummy - from the soup to the fish to the chicken to dessert everything was yummy. He even left me with good plans for the leftovers. I highly recommend Chef Denis and this menu. Was such a great bday party experience.
This was a great experience. Cooked an amazing 4 course (!) meal with Chef Denis’s guidance, but also learnt plenty of skills along the way that we can use in the future. We don’t have a huge kitchen, but Chef was very flexible, friendly and accommodating. My husband was very happy with this birthday gift!
Had a great class with Chef Dennis - learned a lot and food was delicious. Just make sure you talk to him beforehand on what ingredients and supplies you have, so he can bring the appropriate things.
Chef Denis was awesome. He made an amazing meal and we learned a lot about cooking.
He tells great jokes and stories. Highly recommend booking Chef Denis for your date night.
I booked Chef Denis’s pizza making class for my husband’s birthday and we had an amazing time! Denis provided all the ingredients, including several that were fresh from his garden, as well as some of the kitchen tools that we needed for the class. The food was delicious and we are already using some of the knife skills and cooking tips he taught us during class. He also had some great stories from his time working as a professional chef in NYC restaurants. We will absolutely book again!
Chef Dennis was a pleasure to work with. He was extremely pedagogical and helpful. He even brought fresh vegetables from his garden for us to cook with. Every dish we made was delicious and fun to make. Thank you for a memorable experience!
We had a wonderful experience with Chef Denis making delicious homemade pizza and cherry apple crumble. The food was excellent and we really enjoyed the event.
Our evening with Chef Denis was fabulous and I highly recommend. I brought in Cozymeal/Chef Denis for my husband's birthday gift and we had a wonderful time, learned new cutting and cooking techniques, and the food was outstanding. Not to mention, he was right on time and incredibly well-prepared.
We couldn’t have asked for a better experience than our time with Chef Denis. Chef Denis is an extremely skilled and thoughtful teacher and we loved this hands on experience. He left us with a lot of awesome tips and tricks- and some of the most delicious food!!! (A risotto dessert to die for!). We will absolutely be recommending Chef Denis to everyone- and taking another one of his courses.
Chef Denis was awesome! Such a great guy and he taught us so much! He was informative, showed us how to make a gorgeous pizza from scratch, and we got to learn about his culinary past! A lovely evening and we are already planning to book him again! Thank you, Denis!
We had a wonderful time with Chef Denis. The food was fantastic and he was always happy to explain every step of the process. He is fun and easy to talk to. I would highly recommend him for both a great lesson or a party.
Chef Denis was passionate and fun. The cooking experience was the perfect balance of cooking in the beginning and then having Chef Denis finish off the dishes with his expert touch. Great for birthday celebrations.
What an amazing experience! We wanted to try something new and have a gourmet dinner without having to go out. Chef Denis sure did deliver that. He was prompt, had excellent communication, curated an amazing menu, was very thorough and kind and showed up to serve us dinner in the middle of a snow storm! We are already planning our next dinner party. Thank you so much for everything, the food was truly delicious and everything was grand!
Denis was amazing. He came with all his ingredients and other stuff- explained everything he was doing and gave us lots of helpful tips. The food was delicious and we didn’t have to clean up afterwards!! Plus there were leftovers for another two days. Highly recommend. Would definitely do this again.