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Cooking Class - Rustic Vegetarian Italian
Cooking Class - Rustic Vegetarian Italian
352 reviews
352 reviews 
$ 145 Per person
all-inclusive: 3-hour class, 4-course meal.
Gift card can be used for any experience or cookware
What You’ll Do
Create a delectable vegetarian Italian meal with Chef James.
Learn how to make a rustic, vegetarian four-course Italian meal in this dynamic hands-on cooking class.
The class begins with an antipasti course comprised of a seasonal appetizer such as “pimientos del Padron†(seasonal May through October), followed by a little gem salad with radicchio and orange. Chef James will then show you the secrets of creating gorgeous handmade potato gnocchi, paired with his “comfort pasta†sugo of San Marzano tomatoes, a touch of cream and hot pepper. The class ends with a terrific dessert made with fresh local cheese and berries. 

Note that some ingredients may vary with the season and market.
Guests are welcome to bring wine and beer to enjoy during the class.
Your Menu
Antipasti
Spanish olives with anchovies, artisan cheeses and Acme olive bread
Primo
Gem lettuce salad with orange segments, sherry vinegar and olio nuovo
Secondo
Handmade potato gnocchi
Sugo of San Marzano tomatoes, cream and hot pepper
Postre
Prepared in advance by Chef James
La quesada with local berries
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.
Details
- Minimum Guests 4
- Maximum Guests 14
- Meal Courses 4
- Event Duration 3 hours
- Labels Couples, Italian, Mother's Day, Pasta Making, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian
Meet your chef
Chef James Verified Chef
Chef James' true passion in life is cooking. There's almost nothing he loves more than throwing dinner parties and curating wonderful and creative dishes completely from scratch. He offers a variety of cooking and catering services, including cooking class parties, private dinners and catered events, and features Italian and Spanish-inspired dishes of the highest quality, using locally grown and artisan ingredients.
Other Cooking Class Experiences you may like
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Cancellation Policy
Flexible booking: Cancel or reschedule this event's reservation for free up to 48 hours before the event.
This experience is not refundable as it includes a meal kit.
Event location:
What You’ll Do
Create a delectable vegetarian Italian meal with Chef James.
Learn how to make a rustic, vegetarian four-course Italian meal in this dynamic hands-on cooking class.
The class begins with an antipasti course comprised of a seasonal appetizer such as “pimientos del Padron†(seasonal May through October), followed by a little gem salad with radicchio and orange. Chef James will then show you the secrets of creating gorgeous handmade potato gnocchi, paired with his “comfort pasta†sugo of San Marzano tomatoes, a touch of cream and hot pepper. The class ends with a terrific dessert made with fresh local cheese and berries. 

Note that some ingredients may vary with the season and market.
Guests are welcome to bring wine and beer to enjoy during the class.
Your Menu
Antipasti
Spanish olives with anchovies, artisan cheeses and Acme olive bread
Primo
Gem lettuce salad with orange segments, sherry vinegar and olio nuovo
Secondo
Handmade potato gnocchi
Sugo of San Marzano tomatoes, cream and hot pepper
Postre
Prepared in advance by Chef James
La quesada with local berries
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.
Details
- Minimum Guests 4
- Maximum Guests 14
- Meal Courses 4
- Event Duration 3 hours
- Labels Couples, Italian, Mother's Day, Pasta Making, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian
Reviews
Verified guest reviews for this experience
Carl
30 Dec 2017
We went as a family group, and had a great meal and a great time! Chef James is a patient and engaging teacher. The meal was wonderful, and we learned a lot. Overall a wonderful afternoon, and highly recommend him!
Ryan
03 Jan 2017
We had a great time!
Jacqueline
13 Dec 2016
My co-workers and I had an amazing cooking experience with Chef James! Chef James has a beautiful house in SF and graciously welcomed us in and made us feel right at home. He was so knowledgeable, patient, and pleasant to chat with. We're all still drooling over the homemade raviolis and dessert. Thank you for a wonderful time James!
Sophie
30 Oct 2016
Food was delicious, though the experience was a bit less hands-on than we'd expected.
Samantha
12 Jul 2016
James was an amazing teacher. My sister and I loved this class and really appreciated the small size class. Got a great glimpse at James' amazing kitchen, his wonderful collection of cookbooks and got to pick his brain on his technique and his experience cooking in Italy!
Martha
29 Feb 2016
My boyfriend and I had a great time! It was just us and another couple who we didn't know, and we ended up having a great evening with delicious food and very enjoyable conversation. The ravioli was really easy and fun to make, and Chef James was very welcoming in his beautiful home. I would definitely recommend it!
Jamie
01 Feb 2016
We had a great time with Chef James and our fresh ravioli was delicious
Philip
03 Sep 2015
Great host and chef. Had a wonderful time learning how to make ravioli from scratch. My girlfriend enjoyed herself as well and was happy with the course as an anniversary gift. We will definitely take more courses in the future.
Federico
20 Jul 2015
Samuel
23 Feb 2015
James was a very welcoming host and his beautiful home provided an excellent setting for our last night in San Francisco. Quite possibly the tastiest ravioli we have had the pleasure of eating!
Nick
03 Jan 2015
We learned in this cooking class how to make our own pasta from eggs and flour! I can't wait to try it again at home.
Brittany
24 Oct 2014
Chef James was great. Super hands on cooking, took the Rustic Italian class and it was amazing!!!! Can't wait to make it again!
Jill
16 Feb 2025
This was such a fun experience! We loved cooking with Chef James. Highly recommend.
Angie
09 Aug 2024
My colleagues and I had a great time at Chef James' class! The cooking space was comfortable and clean. He made pasta-making fun and easy. I highly recommend this class.
Sophie
18 Dec 2021
We had a blast and learned a lot!
Puja
24 Nov 2018
Cooking with Chef James was really wonderful! He has a beautiful cozy home and the food was delicious! A perfect activity with friends or family.
Anish
09 Sep 2017
Amazing experience. I can't recommend Chef James enough to anyone interested. Very thorough in his explanations of the process and why we were using certain ingredients. I had a great time!
Neal
16 Jan 2017
It was fun, but it's definitely not a traditional cooking class. You don't have a setup where everyone is making food in parallel and following along with the chef. Instead you're in his kitchen watching him make food and then you take turns with whomever else is in attendance to make food as well. Also, you only make the pasta, the salad and dessert are prepared by the chef at that time or ahead of time.
A fun experience overall, but definitely not a traditional cooking class.
August
04 Jan 2017
The cozymeal experience with Chef James was fantastic! I booked the evening as a surprise, fun event for my boyfriend and I. We were one couple among many, none of us knowing one another, however conversations flowed and the learning experience was equally shared between the couples. Absolutely recommend booking an evening with Chef James
Emily
02 Dec 2016
Chef James was great! We loved our evening in his lovely home.
Celina
18 Feb 2016
Cooking with James was a great experience. The recipes were simple and delicious. It actually inspired us to start making homemade pasta at home!
rebecca
03 Sep 2015
Chef James welcomed us warmly in his lovely home. He was very organised, had everything ready, and is a good teacher, explaining all the steps, what we need to look out for, and how to do the techniques. The food was absolutely delicious, and i expect to try the recipes at home.
Jake
13 Jul 2015
Great experience - great night. Treated my girlfriend and a few of her friends to a cooking class and was not disappointed. James gave us a wonderful experience - I'd recommend him to anyone.
Andrew
23 Mar 2015
Chef James was a fantastic host! The hands on pasta making was awesome and the final product was delicious!
Nicole
02 Mar 2015
James was a great Chef! He was very informative and we all had a chance to make our own ravioli!
Rich
03 Jan 2015
Best pasta making class ever!
Merran
03 Jan 2015
We booked the Italian cooking class with chef James. The class was fun and the chef was really friendly and knowledgable. We will definitely come back to Cozymeal and James for another class!
Michael
22 Nov 2018
Didn’t happen
Verified guest reviews for other experiences with Chef James
Brian
09 May 2022
Great class! We had a lot of fun and the food was terrific.
Tobi
10 Feb 2022
Great class!
Gabrielle
02 Feb 2022
Had a great time with Chef James! He taught us about paella, and we were able to help. He lived in Spain, and he showed a lot of love and enthusiasm for the cuisine and culture. Would definitely book again!
Meredith
04 Jan 2022
I booked this experience with Chef James as a Christmas present from our grandma to her granddaughter. She's 11 and is interested in being chef. Chef James was wonderfully inviting and friendly from the moment we all stepped into his home, and enjoyed some cheese, meats, and anchovy stuffed olives. We then helped to cook the risotto, and enjoyed the fruits of our work :) The risotto was amazing, cooked perfectly and so flavorful! We also loved the dolce cake for dessert - it was a wonderful end to the evening. I would recommend this experience to anyone!
Mike
07 Sep 2021
Chef James was fantastic and our Element Team had a fun and super educational cooking experience. Thank you! -Mike Streibig, Element Technologies
Steph
28 Jul 2021
The gnocchi was delicious!! Chef James directions were spot on and helped a non- chef like myself create a hard dish with ease. Will continue to cook this for friends and family! Super fun experience.
Eliza
27 Jul 2021
Chef James' Gnocchi 101 class was fabulous. He was a great teacher, well-paced and informative. The gnocchi was the best I've ever had, truly. Would very much recommend.
Vivien
13 Jun 2021
Great class!
Carla
17 Apr 2021
Had a wonderful experience with Chef James. He was very patient and informative with great instructions! We will book another class soon!
Robert
20 Mar 2021
Chef James was awesome! He made the class very enjoyable and informative. I would definitely take another class with him and would highly recommend him to others. Outstanding experience!
Jackson
25 Feb 2021
Chef James was fantastic! The dish we made seemed simple from the face of it, but he showed us tips and tricks to make it an amazing meal for our "stay in date night". Thanks again!
Julia
22 Feb 2021
The class was so fun and the food came out perfectly!
A.J.
21 Feb 2021
My wife and I had a wonderful experience. Chef James was patient, knowledgeable and did a wonderful job.
Emma
16 Feb 2021
Great gnocchi class! We're so excited to be able to make pillowy soft gnocchi at home now, and we're still so amazed at how simple the recipe is. Easy and packed full of flavor. James was a great online teacher and easy to talk to. Highly recommend!
Geoff
06 Feb 2021
What a fun experience, and a delicious meal. Thanks Chef James for teaching us a new dish, and the history behind it. Great way to sip wine and celebrate a birthday in the comfort of my home.
Sheila
06 Feb 2021
Chef James was a delight! His instructions were easy to follow and his interest in chatting on numerous topics like places, food, and cookware was fun and informative. A wonderful evening!
Andrew
26 Jan 2021
Chef James did an excellent job teaching our development team how to cook gnocchi. Highly recommended!
Kim
18 Jan 2021
Chef James was very enjoyable and moved our Paella cooking class through at a steady pace, making sure everyone was at the same place at the same time. All instructions were clear, easy to follow, all questions answered, culminating in a delicious meal. Thank you, Chef!
Carly
18 Jan 2021
Our team had a wonderful time making this dish with Chef James, and everyone raved about the outcome. Someone even said their kids ate it all and were very upset there wasn't more for second helpings! Would definitely recommend this experience to anyone, and our team will definitely be booking another virtual experience soon!
Anita
17 Jan 2021
It was a fun and great experience. Despite some snafus. Chef James was patient with us all.
Jordan
12 Jan 2021
This was an incredibly informative class! Chef James’ friendly demeanor and exceptional cooking skills upped my steak game immensely!
Krissie
29 Dec 2020
Chef James is educational, friendly, and accommodating. He creates an atmosphere where you can ask questions and create an excellent meal. He manages the group well, especially over Zoom. Thank you Chef for all of the pivoting you've had to do to create online cooking classes.
Maria
26 Dec 2020
My expectations were met in the manner with which Chef James handled the cooking experience. He was patient and polite with his answers to some of the cooking questions. I enjoyed hearing about the little anecdotes about how the Spaniards love their own olive oil and other PROPER ingredients that they use for their paella!
Ethan
17 Dec 2020
I really enjoyed the class, and the gnocchi came out tasting great too.
Carie
10 Dec 2020
Very pleasant and informative experience. Would cook with him again.
Colleen
03 Dec 2020
How fun! I had such a grand time, and made something I have never tried before. Can't wait til the next class!
Erin
01 Dec 2020
My grandmother and I had so much fun making the gnocchi with Chef James. It was a delightful evening and we'll definitely be making
Hulda
24 Nov 2020
Wonderful class for my husbands birthday. He loves gnocci and now knows how to make it thanks to Chef James's instruction. He made it fun and interactive. Food turned out great and we were happy with the experience
Patti
23 Nov 2020
The class was awesome.
Leora
31 Oct 2020
We had a great time and the gnocchi Chef James taught us to make, were delicious.
Sling
27 Oct 2020
Great experience-thanks! My husband (who is notoriously hard to please) is already asking what other classes we can attend!
Sasha
03 Sep 2020
Awesome recipe! Now I know how to prep a meal.
Josh
28 Aug 2020
Chef James was friendly, knowledgeable, and easy to follow. I joined the event with a few coworkers and we had an absolute blast. The result was so tasty!
Cassandra
25 Aug 2020
Great experience
D
11 Aug 2020
Great class. The food turned out well too.
Rosy
23 Jul 2020
He led the class in a responsive way and took something like gnocchi - which I was afraid I wouldn't be able to make - and made it easy! Enjoyed the class, enjoyed Chef James and the gnocchi was delicious!
Leticia
04 Jun 2020
Chef James is an excellent instructor. He explains and demonstrates each step well. He is extremely knowledgeable and I look forward to taking more classes with him in the future.
Courtney
28 Jan 2019
Wonderful evening!! Chef James was informative and friendly. We will be back!
Linda
30 Sep 2018
Unlike many other meatballs in the restaurant, the savoury tradition meatball dish that we had with James was authentic and made from very fresh ingredients (only the best) that makes it extremely enjoyable - one that you cannot miss if you haven’t already tried it. It leaves a lasting impression on our stomach and minds; we constantly crave for more. At the end, we had the most tasteful blueberry cheesecake that we thoroughly enjoyed.
Beyond the food quality, James is a very down-to-earth person who is knowledgeable in his expertise and is warm, patient and friendly. These attributes contributed to our very fun-filled cooking class. He was also very thoughtful in the dinner set up with the candles and music which made the ambience very pleasant and romantic (you could even think of it as a candlelit dinner in the comfort of your own home)
I would love to come back to the cooking class with him when I am back to San Francisco, I think our flight of 15 hours from Singapore is all worth it. Bravo to Chef James! I will highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for a dinner party or just a private cooking class! He is THE Chef you are looking for. Too good to say good bye ! Love from Singapore .
Brenda
30 Aug 2018
What a fun, special night with our son and daughter-in-law. Of course the food was excellent. Being a part of making the meal in a San Fransico home made it that much more special. Chef James is entertaining and was happy to answer all of our questions. Highly recommend Chef James, so much better than just going out for a nice meal!!!
elizabeth
25 Aug 2018
James was wonderful! Our whole family enjoyed his beautiful home and cooking instruction. I would highly recommend this class and this experience to anyone looking for a great night out.
Kaila
21 Feb 2018
Fantastic experience with James, the food was delicious and he had the perfect combination of cooking vs. sitting back and enjoying our wine. Would happily recommend his courses to anyone interested in a great date night!
Aronima
12 Feb 2018
We had an awesome time learning to make pizzas with Chef James. He is fun to work with and took good care of us - there was a cheese plate with olives waiting for us on arrival, followed by all the pizzas that we baked (everyone gets to make their own pizzas, and then eat them too :D) and then a yummy dessert in the end. He walked us through the baking and the technical details around the ingredients and the process, as we were making our pizzas - so an informative session. He was open to questions and patiently answered each and every one of them! All in all, will recommend this class to any pizza lover out there! :)
Michela
13 Nov 2017
James was a gracious host and taught us some valuable cooking techniques. The whole event was a huge success. It was a perfect amount of 'get your hands dirty' and sit back and enjoy a delicious meal. Highly recommend Chef James and the Cozymeal experience.
Angela
29 Oct 2017
Thank you so much for a great meal and lesson in making tasty gnocchi!
Danny
01 Oct 2017
James was a friendly and knowledgeable host for our cooking class. James had everything ready on time, his place was tidy and clean, and made us feel at home. The meal itself was delicious! We had more than enough food for the 4 of us, and he bagged up the leftovers for us. We are very satisfied and very full. Thanks!
Claudia
09 Sep 2017
Chef James was very personable. He made us feel so welcomed in his house. It was a pleasure to take his cooking class. I am definitely going back!
Michael
14 Jun 2017
Best pizza ever
Alex
12 May 2017
Chef James was very friendly and hospitable. He's very knowledgeable and passionate about food and I had a great evening learning about cooking. Thanks!
Natalie
29 Mar 2017
What a wonderful experience and welcoming host! My team and I visited Chef James's lovely home and impressively well-appointed kitchen as part of a small corporate offsite event, and left with not only a great meal (Neapolitan pizza) - that we helped to prepare! - but also tons of interesting information about the cuisine. Highly recommended
Adrian
23 Mar 2017
Chef James was fantastic. Our team of 9 had a great experience at his home. He showed us how to make our own Neapolitan style pizzas and prepared a delicious desert to end the meal. The food was fantastic and Chef James' instruction was very thorough. Would recommend this experience to a small group of 5-10 people.
Simon
01 Mar 2017
James was very knowledgeable of Spain and their cuisine. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at James' warm and welcoming household. Paella is a very hands off dish however James was able to incorporate some volunteers into the cooking experience. He had fantastic Spanish appetizers, sides, and desserts to compliment the Paella. Strongly recommend bringing a bottle of wine to share with the fellow aspiring chefs.
Thank you James!
Roman
25 Feb 2017
Amazing. Everyone loved the food, atmosphere, attention to details. If you love cooking, Chef James gives you all info you need. If you just want to enjoy the dinner, relax and enjoy. Perfect evening, everyone loved it
Shannon
01 Feb 2017
Chef James graciously hosted us at his house for a team event. There were around 10 of us and we opted for the vegetarian paella menu. Even though it was pouring rain in San Francisco, we had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed our Paella lesson. I would highly recommend Chef James, especially if you are planning a team event or a dinner for a small group of friends! Thank you!
Danielle
23 Nov 2016
Chef James was an amazing host! Such a lovely home and great atmosphere! Thanks so much for a wonderful evening and AMAZING FOOD!
Christine
15 Nov 2016
So much fun learning to make gnocchi and the 5 Dot beef dish he prepared was delicious!
Mike
27 Jul 2016
Awesome experience!
Ellen
25 Jul 2016
Chef James was amazing! So nice and very educated. The food was excellent! I loved everything we made and the way it was presented from start to finish was great!
John
22 Jul 2016
My team visited Chef James for a corporate offsite. He made us feel right at home in his lovely abode. He provided us with great food, great conversation, and great pizza-cooking tips. We would highly recommend him! Pizza was great, and he also suggested Paella as a fun group item.
Stephanie
13 Jul 2016
We had an amazing time! Thank you Chef James!
Jeff
29 Jun 2016
Thanks for the great lesson. It would have been nice to have a bit more hands on time, but overall the food was delicious and we had a great time.
Leslie
15 Jun 2016
We had a fun night with Chef James. We bought food together at a market and then joined him in his kitchen for the prep and then meal. By one critique is that I wish there was more content to the evening--meaning learning more, hearing more stories about what we were eating and the style of cooking. Overall, the food was fantastic.
Eric
08 Apr 2016
Very friendly and engaging - hope we can have another experience with Chef James!
Teale
31 Mar 2016
Chef James was wonderful! We used this as a team building event and everyone loved it. Food preparation was not time consuming and we all had an opportunity to participate and relax and enjoy each other's company. Our team wants to schedule again! Can't wait.
Samuel
29 Feb 2016
Just had a great experience with Chef James.
Karen
25 Feb 2016
Great experience, we had fun!
Graham
27 Jan 2016
Chef James was awesome! He provided a laid back cooking class atmosphere and the individuals in our group were just as great! We talked the entire night and exchanged emails. Good food and an even better experience.
Kristen
24 Jan 2016
Chef James did an amazing job. The class was very informative and the food was delicious - I can't wait to try out the recipes on my own. The environment was very friendly and not intimidating at all. The class was pretty casual so it made for a fun and relaxing evening. I would recommend this class with Chef James'
stacy
27 Dec 2015
The hands on experience was very fun and the food was delicious.
Allen
26 Dec 2015
Delicious food. Great home. Chef James was terrific for my wife's bday. He was accommodating of our party of 8 with 1 vegetarian.
Carmen
05 Oct 2015
The Italian themed meal that we shared with Chef James was delicious and expertly prepared. Our group enjoyed the pasta making so much!! We would love to experience an even more hands on class in the future. Chef James choses local and in season ingredients and has knowledge about the history of the ingredients, which added another dimension to the experience.
Chelsey
20 Sep 2015
Awesome food, beautiful home and a ton of fun making pasta!
Karla
16 Sep 2015
Chef James is a gem! We had a such a great time and wonderful meal. Would do it again 100x!
Angela
14 Sep 2015
My roommate and I did the class (belated birthday gift) and couldn't have asked for a better experience! Great food, great wine and most importantly great company. The food was great and we learned a lot from James - he is friendly, knowledgable and passionate. It really was like an awesome dinner party. Thank you chef James!
Ana
31 Jul 2015
Our Italian dinner with chef James was just amazing. His beautiful Victorian home was the perfect setting for a cozy dinner. At first we snacked on some delicious appetizers while chatting about food and travels. And getting ready to make PASTA! Chef James introduced me to Padron Peppers which I have been making since then at least twice a week. They are in season now! Thanks chef James. Everyone was able to give the pasta dough a knead and roll some. We had the pasta with yummy Bolognese, followed by a delicious main course of slow-cooked beef with corn and peppers. Dessert: Light cheese cake. This diner was a great experience and can only recommend it for locals and new-to-the city people top meet new friends! Cheers!
Sam
20 Jul 2015
I took a guest with me to Chef James's Italian cooking class where we joined another couple who had booked the same class. The entire experience was fantastic and the food delicious. We started off the class with some tasty tapas and Padron peppers, then made homemade pasta from scratch. The main dish was a delicious beef brisket and we finished the evening with my favorite dessert prepared by Chef James.
christina
20 Jul 2015
This was such a fun night. There were 4 of us learning how to make noodles. Chef James was a wonderful host and has a lot of knowledge. More of a dinner party ambiance than anything.
Mark
10 May 2015
Thank you for a tasty meal.
Kelly
12 Apr 2015
Very had a great time! Looking forward to our next class!
Brittany
11 Apr 2015
Delicious!
Andrew
15 Mar 2015
Chef James was friendly, very knowledgeable about food, and the meals he prepared for us were delicious, especially the bolognese. It was a lot of fun learning to make pappardelle, however that was the only thing we did that got our hands dirty, and I would've liked to do some more actual cooking :)
Sarah
22 Jan 2015
chef james was personable and welcoming and gave great description of all the ingredients, where they come from and easy ways to recreate the dishes at home. he also had delicious local appetizers to snack on while the food was cooking. i would definitely recommend him to friends and want to book another class with him again soon!
Robert
03 Jan 2015
Wonderful Spanish evening with an amazing Chef. I look forward to my next cooking class!
Kaitlin
23 Nov 2014
Chef James was a wonderful host! He was very interactive and helped people of all levels find a passion for cooking. His recipes were simple and delicious!
Cindy
20 Nov 2014
I got lucky and was in a group with very friendly and approachable people. We had great conversations throughout the night. The food was amazing and I liked how Chef James was very personable and gave us a chance to get to know him. I'm giving this 4 stars because I wish it was a little more hands on. This was more of a social event, but I wish we had a chance to all work together on the dish or even the salad and dessert.
Grace
20 Nov 2014
So much fun! I enjoyed the hands on portion and the appetizers were delicious! Thank you so much Chef James!
Maureen
20 Nov 2014
The gnocchi was delicious. James was a fun interesting person to share a meal with as well.
Kim
14 Nov 2014
Chef James was awesome!! The class was really engaging and it makes me want to try and make gnocchi myself.
Ziyan
13 Nov 2014
We had a nice dinner with Chef James at his beautiful home in Haight-Ashbury! This was in conjunction with Yelp, so we got a good deal ($15 a person!) and a slightly shorter/smaller meal: we made gnocchi, followed by salad & dessert that was already done. There was plenty of wine all evening, and there were bowls of local olives, chorizo, and nuts to nibble on. Everything was set up to start cooking the gnocchi and Chef James was welcoming. He let us pitch in where we wanted and answered any questions we had about cooking, whether it was related to this meal or not, and about the food scene in general in SF. He could've been a little more engaging when interacting with us - he's a bit introverted (which I totally understand as a strong introvert myself. But I can also "fake" being much more extroverted when needed for networking, etc). I found we had to make a good deal of the effort in having a conversation with him, especially for the first 30-45 minutes when we were mingling and just hanging around the kitchen (not everyone knew each other either). The CEO of Cozymeal was also there, and he was very pleasant and great to get to know. He was genuinely interested in our experience with Cozymeal but we also got to know him as just another San Franciscan who's interested in the food scene!
Abby
12 Nov 2014
James is a gracious host and chef. Enjoyed dining at his home in Upper Haight!
Michael
12 Nov 2014
Chef James has a beautiful home, and a wonderful kitchen! He was very gracious to provide a demonstration of making handmade gnocchi, as experienced from his days working at the restaurant Quince. He was very patient and supportive, and guided us through a wonderful prep and follow through of the meal preparation. It turned out excellent, and I picked up some tips along the way! Thank you!
Austin
10 Nov 2014
What a fun paella cooking class! We had a great time with Chef James.
Sierra
06 Nov 2014
My team's experience cooking with James and enjoying our meal in his home was amazing. We loved the hands-on lessons and had a lot of fun learning how to create the meal. After the meal was prepared, James made us feel really welcome dining in his beautiful home. This has been our best team bonding event yet!
Sierra
06 Nov 2014
My team's experience cooking with James and enjoying our meal in his home was amazing. We loved the hands-on lessons and had a lot of fun learning how to create the meal. After the meal was prepared, James made us feel really welcome dining in his beautiful home. This has been our best team bonding event yet!
Krista
20 Oct 2014
We had the best experience at Chef James's home. It was a gorgeous set-up, and the food was absolutely delicious. He had prepared a lot ahead of time so it was completely seamless and we were able to participate in the cooking (making pasta from scratch!) but also enjoy socializing with each otehr in a great location.
Erin
19 Oct 2014
Chef James was incredibly hospitable and made a delicious meal (with a bit of our help). We did a private, 15-person dinner at his home which was a great way to do something a little different. We had groups of 5-8 rotate through the kitchen, contributing to different steps in the meal. This worked out great as it allowed the group to socialize and also get involved in the cooking. Those that wanted to do more participated in all of the steps whereas others were in and out. The whole night was a big success thanks to Chef James!
Monica
14 Oct 2014
Wonderful Spanish cooking class with Chef James!
Chen
14 Oct 2014
Delicious and very informative Spanish Paella cooking class!
Alex
14 Oct 2014
Fantastic Italian cooking class - great food, great Chef, wonderful venue!
Charles
12 Oct 2014
Great experience for meeting new people and enjoying amazing dishes.
Sam
16 Sep 2014
A great class! Chef James is patient and very knowledgeable about Spanish cuisine. It was great to see the paella being put together from start to finish, and well worth the wait -- it was delicious. The flavors were rich and nuanced and the soccarat was perfect. And the Quesada was a great finish -- sweet and satiating but light and refreshing. Thanks, Chef James!
Sam
16 Sep 2014
One of the best Spanish Paella cooking classes I have had so far! We chose to make seafood Paella and chef James did a good job explaining how to make the dish. It tasted great and the whole process was really fun!
Debbie Yan
02 Oct 2025
Lovely time meeting James and learning to make pasta with him! We had a great time and it was a chill and fun experience
Amanda
27 Aug 2025
The Night in Spain personal chef experience was absolutely everything I hoped for and more it honestly exceeded all expectations. From start to finish, it felt like such a thoughtful, elevated, and immersive evening.
The chef was phenomenal not only with the food (which was beyond delicious and beautifully presented) but also with the way they shared the story and flavors of each dish. It really felt like being transported straight to Spain without ever leaving home. Every detail was executed so well, and it made the entire experience truly memorable.
It was one of those rare evenings where everything aligned perfectly the atmosphere, the pacing, the food, and the personal touch from the chef. I can honestly say it was one of the most amazing dining experiences I’ve ever had.
I’ll definitely be booking again in the future and recommending Cozymeal to friends and family.
Thank you again for helping make such an unforgettable evening possible!
Michael
19 Apr 2025
Lovely class/meal at Chef James' house in SF. Learned several things, had great food, and a lovely evening. Totally would recommend.
Anna
18 Jul 2024
Very personable and made us all feel at home!
Kimiko
21 May 2024
Wow! Such a nice food tour with Guide Shawn!
Erlun Lian
18 May 2024
great experience. nice house!
Dave
11 May 2024
Chef James share a lot of his knowledge about Spain and Spanish food while also preparing, with our assistance, a wonderful meal. I highly recommend this experience.
Jalene
22 Jan 2024
Chef James was a great host. We enjoyed learning how to make fresh pasta and sauce as well as the yummy food that was provided. It was a wonderful time.
Jo Ann Babcock
19 Jan 2024
We all enjoyed the class very much. It was a great experience and Chef James was very knowledgeable and friendly.
Gene
17 Dec 2023
Great, intimate experience. Food and cooking class were excellent. Pre-meal snack was lovely. Chef James really knows his stuff and was really patient explaining everything. Market tour was pretty short and could be better structured.
Sarah
07 Jun 2023
Chef James was great. He answered our questions, was very welcoming and overall a lovely host. It was a great escape from the office for our team of 8 people.
Bernard
04 May 2023
Chef James was a great host and taught valuable tips on making pastas. His full of knowledge and very enthusiastic about cooking. I was very impress how he went from the corporate world to the culinary world. His journey to becoming a chef inspires me to learn more about cooking and food from different culture.
Adeoluwa
04 May 2023
The class was really great. Patient and explained all the needed steps and most importantly, the meal was great!!!
Marta
18 Jan 2023
James was wonderful. He was a great host and explained everything in detail. His house was beautiful. The group enjoyed each other's company. I wish we had had some more hands on experience on cooking, though.
John
16 Jan 2023
We had a wonderful evening. First stop this morning: The Spanish Table to buy a Paella pan!
Deborah and Bruce
06 Jan 2023
What a fascinating evening, of delicious authentic Spanish cuisine, historic perspective of its origin, great instruction and gracious hosting. We throughly enjoyed this special opportunity and look forward to working with Chef James again.
Marcilie
28 Dec 2022
Fun and yummy!
Alexia
10 Jun 2022
Thanks so much for the intimate and unique experience, our whole group had a fantastic time and felt truly "at home". Having attended other cooking experiences, this one definitely showcases the personality and style of your chef in a setting that let's you and your party connect with your surroundings in an awesome way.
Alyce
17 May 2022
The food and experience was lovely! I had hoped we would be involved in all the courses, not just the pasta, but perhaps that was my mis-read of activity. James is very nice and knowledgable and we would recommend for a great intimate team event
David
08 May 2022
So wonderful
Gilbert
19 Mar 2022
Chef James was very personable and made the event enjoyable and informative. Learned a lot about the dishes themselves (e.g., history of ingredients, history of the dishes, etc.) and the process of making them
Pamela
10 Feb 2022
Chef James is fun, personable and knowledgeable. His tips for use of herbs was great (with butter) on the steak, YUM, and the stuffed potatoes OMG. Added bonus, he has a cute pup named Lucy Hill. We would love to cook with him again.
Courtney
10 Feb 2022
My boyfriend and I had a great time at the market tour and pasta class. The class was the perfect mix of informal and formal teaching. Chef James was very knowledgeable and friendly. We will be back in the future for Chef James' other classes!
Russell
10 Feb 2022
James' recipe was fantastic! Thanks so much
Mary Ann
31 Jan 2022
They thought it was great!!
Anthony
20 Jan 2022
Steak was great! Chef James answered any and all questions that people had. It was a great class!
Mack
10 Jan 2022
Had an amazing experience at Chef James’s paella cooking class! The food was incredible, Chef shared with us some history on the meal, and the ambiance was fantastic.
Will definitely be booking another experience with Chef James
Preeta
09 Jan 2022
Wonderful food, conversation, and atmosphere. A cozy meal, as promised!
isabele
02 Sep 2021
Our team had a great time cooking steak with Chef James! We learned a lot of tips and tricks on how to cook the perfect skillet steak. I appreciate all his knowledge and sharing with us. We all really enjoyed the class and the food was delicious. We would love to take another class with him in the future. Thank you!
Deb
23 Jun 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed the class and dinner was delicious. This was my first online cooking class and I found it a very pleasant way to learn. Thank you!
CLAIRE
14 Jun 2021
This was my first Cozymeal class and Chef James was the perfect host to initiate myself to the world of virtual cooking. He was friendly and entertaining, providing us with some history and trivia about gnocchi. He did not rush the group and calmly demonstrated each step of the process. By then end of the class, I had created a respectable meal. I also appreciated the clear instructions he sent ahead of time regarding the preparation of certain items prior to the start of the class. I would not hesitate to sign up for another Chef James class or to recommend his class to a friend.
Scott
13 Jun 2021
Absolutely fantastic. James was a wonderful instructor, and the gnocchi was divine. This is a must have recipe in the arsenal of every chef.
Larry
03 Jun 2021
Great evening!!!
Laurie
30 May 2021
Chef James did an amazing job, keeping it simple and delicious and adapting quickly to our style and needs. He is relaxed and natural and very knowledgeable. We all had a blast!
Maria
23 May 2021
Loved the recipe and James was great at leading us..I did not think my cooking would have produced the results I wanted and even though I messed up...it was okay...it was delicious.. he was calm knowledgeable and allowed us to ask question..will be back
Cindy
09 May 2021
It was so much fun and the meal was AMAZING !!!
Stephanie
28 Apr 2021
Chef James was great! He was interactive, extremely detailed and very patient. He interacted with each member and offered many suggestions for substitutes ingredients. I recommend Cozymeals for sure, specifically Chef James.
Carol
28 Apr 2021
Outstanding! Thought I knew how to cook steak, but with James instruction, I can do it better! Thanks ?
Adam
26 Apr 2021
This event was a blast. James did a great job of keeping everyone engaged and teaching us about some good wine and food pairings from Spain. Fun group too.
Steve
13 Apr 2021
James was awesome. Great appetizers, food was amazing and he even let me into is bar. He explained everything he was doing and using and techniques which was all very interesting. He even followed up by sending us recipes and the types of cookware he used. The only reason I don't give it a 5 star is I wish we would have had some type of role in the cooking. I know this is difficult when you have a group in your kitchen but I would have liked to participate more then just the eating. Then again, I know this wasn't a cooking class so I would make this a 4.5 if possible.
Aleks
10 Apr 2021
Chef James was incredibly welcoming! We had a great time learning about history of the meal and learning how to make it. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.
John
16 Mar 2021
James was very knowledgeable and helpful. I learned a lot and would definitely take another class with him.
Richard
23 Feb 2021
My wife and I attended the Pantry Paella class and we had a wonderful time. Chef James was patient and very knowledgeable. We would not have been able to make such a delicious meal without his guidance. He taught us so much about the history of paella in addition to how to make paella. I would definitely take another cooking class with Chef James.
Phil
12 Feb 2021
Very informative and entertaining evening. Chef James told stories of the culture and history of the food and the regions the dishes and wine originated from.
Bailey
09 Feb 2021
What a great meal! We had a blast cooking with Chef James and cooked a full steak dinner that could easily be served at a posh steakhouse. The recipes were straightforward, easy to follow at a relaxed pace, and tasted great. Perfect date night, thank you!
Barbara
09 Feb 2021
The Gnocchi 101 private class for our family was great fun, and the gnocchi was delicious! Chef James was calm and very patient, despite the crazy. chaos of dealing with our family on Zoom.
Courtney
06 Feb 2021
Chef James is a font of knowledge and my very talkative family only energized his teaching! He listened to all of our travel food stories with delight and answered all of our questions. We’re hoping to book his Paella class soon!
Kelly
27 Jan 2021
Loved the class. Chef James showed us how to make perfect steaks. The best asparagus we've ever had.
Susan
27 Jan 2021
What a great evening. We joined a dinner session with a bunch of strangers, and chef James did a great job getting us all introduced and comfortable. Generous with his time and tips, and the meal was delicious .
Manuel Arredondo
21 Jan 2021
Great communication and ability to lead people of all skill levels. A treat to be with.
Michael
21 Jan 2021
Was an excellent experience and so much fun to pick up some new cooking skills!
Kathleen
19 Jan 2021
Enjoyed class a lot.
Ann
19 Jan 2021
Great Class! This was a wonderful way to spend an evening. Chef James did a wonderful job of explaining the details as well as providing some background on the tadeonal meal. Being able to ask real time questions as well as show the Chef our progress helped take away any questions.
Debbie
12 Jan 2021
What a delightful time! I have already recommended Cozymeal to a friend!
Somer
03 Jan 2021
I’ve never cooked steak before and it came out perfect!
Mark
30 Dec 2020
Chef James was friendly, incredibly inclusive for all on the lesson and very skilled. Would thoroughly recommend to anyone. Even ay past Covid as this gets people and family together from all over the country/world.
Nelson Brewer
24 Dec 2020
Lots of fun. Thanks Nelson
Andrew
23 Dec 2020
Chef James was so relaxed and patient with the class. We learned a lot and would recommend him!
Emily
21 Dec 2020
Chef James was awesome! So friendly and patient with our group. He answered all of our questions that we had.
Jennifer
21 Dec 2020
Great class. Amazing meal
Renee
15 Dec 2020
Chef James was engaging, shared stories and history of the dish we were making. He provided the recipe and tips well in advance of the class. He also took us on a nice tour of his home as we waited for a colleague to catch up with his cooking steps to fill the time, which was very sweet/nice of him to share with us.
Chris
14 Dec 2020
Good experience. Provided good conversation during "down" times of cooking so things weren't awkward. Would recommend to others.
Claire
14 Dec 2020
Great class and the best gnocchi I've ever had.
Sandi
13 Dec 2020
Fun experience! Chef James was easy to follow and my meal turned out delicious.
Karen
11 Dec 2020
Chef James did a great job!
Keith
10 Dec 2020
Knowledgeable, entertaining and flexible. Chef James had a great approach to a group event such as this, and I would highly recommend him!
Jan Shober
08 Dec 2020
First chef produced class--informative and fun.
Selena Bordewyk
07 Dec 2020
We had a great time. Everything was so easy to follow.
Cheryl
05 Dec 2020
Chef James was great at helping us all learn to make gnocchi! Fun class!
Gary
02 Dec 2020
Had a great time with Chef James. Great event for couples or families. Learned some new things about cooking which was awesome.
Yvonne
01 Dec 2020
What a fun experience. My niece gifted me with this so we got to share the fun together, she’s in Texas, I’m in NY. The meal was delicious. Will do it again & already recommended it to others.
Raquel
01 Dec 2020
Excellent time learning how to make Gnocchi. Chef James knows his stuff and it was so great to connect with others around the country. I did this as a birthday event with my sister and friend. Definitely recommend.
Vincent
29 Nov 2020
Had a wonderful time
David
17 Nov 2020
Wonderful experience - highly recommend Chef James.
Gia
02 Nov 2020
We thoroughly enjoyed our group cooking experience with Chef James!
I have already made the recipe again with great success!
Cheers!
Linda Marlow c/o
28 Oct 2020
This was the first time attending a virtual cooking class and I loved it! We made gnocchi which I have never attempted and now I know I can make it and a comforting red sauce. I will definitely be looking for other virtual classes on Cozymeal to expand my cooking skills. I totally recommend Chef James.
Cheryl
28 Oct 2020
Chef James was awesome and super knowledgeable! The dish turned out incredible.
Jennie
26 Oct 2020
We had a great time with Chef James! Great opportunity to learn and meet some great people. We've already booked our next experience. Highly recommend it!
Adriana
22 Oct 2020
Chef James was wonderful and we had a fantastic time making gnocchi in his class. He was patient, answered all our questions, and left us with a delicious meal. Would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a fun date night during a tough year!
Kristen
17 Oct 2020
So much fun. Chef James was so interactive and informative. The food was delicious! We will be back for more classes!
Brandi
17 Sep 2020
I loved Chef James! and can't wait to cook more with him in the future. Thank you!
Clara
02 Sep 2020
Amazing class!! Loved it!
Jill
01 Sep 2020
Great class - excellent instructions and the meal was very tasty!!
Gary
30 Aug 2020
A really wonderful class. If you want to learn to make light and fluffy gnocchi, this is the class for you.
Emily
16 Aug 2020
Wonderful class! The gnocchi and sauce were fabulous, and Chef James was friendly and easy to follow.
Sherry
22 Jul 2020
Best virtual cooking experience!!
Brittney
10 Jul 2020
We had a great time and Chef James was fantastic. I’ve had several team members reach out after to share how delicious and easy, and how fun and engaging!
Lindsey
09 Jul 2020
Thanks for a great cooking class!! It was great to cook and talk with you!
Janalee
30 Jun 2020
Chef James did a great job teaching us during the class. The process was simple and will be easy to repeat after class. Definitely take this class if you've ever want gnocchi or you want to impress at your next dinner party.
Rebecca
10 Jun 2020
Chef James was great. Made the class very fun and interactive. Explained each step and made sure we were cooking right along with him. Wonderful dish. Had a great dinner because of Chef James. Highly recommend this class!
Joanne
09 Jun 2020
Wonderful class. Chef James was very engaged and super helpful. The gnocchi and saice delicious!
Karen
31 May 2020
We had a great time. Everything turned out delicious. The sauce was especially good. We will definitely be making the recipe again.
Lisa
22 May 2020
Thank you Chef James! We had a great time in this class...and the gnocchi was delicious!!
Francesca
24 Apr 2020
Fun and informative. Who wouldn't love to learn how to make gnocchi. Really delicious meal.
Vanessa
11 Feb 2020
Chef James' food was fantastic. He was very flexible when we needed to shorten the evening and when accommodating dietary restrictions. It was a great balance of relaxed and hands on and I personally can't wait to make the recipes he taught us. I would recommend his experience to anyone and I would definitely go back if I am ever in SF again.
Sasha
04 Feb 2020
Great atmosphere! Yummy food and detailed instructions!
Elsie
09 Jan 2020
Our experience with Chef James was wonderful! His home was a beautiful and welcoming setting for a night of teambuilding. Our team had so much fun learning the how-to's of pasta making. The food prepared by Chef James was incredibly delicious. Everyone on the team asked him for the recipes at the end of the evening. I would absolutely recommend this experience as a great way to spend time with friends or colleagues!
Nancy
21 Dec 2019
My husband and I did Chef James Pizza class and had a great time! He was so welcoming and hospitable in his home. We enjoyed trying different types of pizzas. Great way to meet other people in the city!
Would take another one of Chef James' classes again! Thank you for your hospitality!
Amy
25 Nov 2019
Our cooking experience with James was great. He has a beautiful space and the dinner was fabulous!
Jamie
20 Sep 2019
It was a pleasant intimate setting for our team outing! Thank you for the history and lessons in the Italian Experience!
kirk
01 Aug 2019
Great host! Set up a great experience, adaptive to how the group was feeling. Had a great time.
stephanie
05 Jun 2019
Quite a pleasant afternoon. Food was very good. However, way too expensive for a group of 10. There should be some discount per head the more people you have participating.
Lyneen
02 Jun 2019
Everything was wonderful!
MARCIE
01 Jun 2019
Chef James was the best! The food was excellent and he was very friendly and made our day the best!!
Susan
01 Jun 2019
It was relaxing yet fun and delicious afternoon event. Our group of friends will do it again! Thanks, James!
Tiffany
07 Dec 2018
The group had a really great time. They learned how to make pasta and also had time to socialize and hang out. Many thanks to Chef James for the memorable and fun experience. We'll definitely book with him again.
Dominique
06 Dec 2018
Chef James was excellent. Perfect evening with a good balance of cooking, eating and being allowed to socialize. The Gnocchi and beef were sublime. Would highly recommend.
Jim
30 Nov 2018
My wife Cathy and I had a great afternoon and cooking experience with Chef James. We really enjoyed his hospitality and cozy home and kitchen atmosphere in the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury District. Most of all we appreciated him teaching us how to properly prepare Spanish Paella. Looking forward to returning.
Mercedes
10 Oct 2018
Chef James was amazing! Very down to earth too. He had us all in his kitchen making great food and wonderful conversation. I would highly recommend to anyone who is a foodie.
M
Preston
09 Oct 2018
Chef James was a great host! He was really helpful in answering all our questions and made us feel very welcome in his home. He is very knowledgeable in his field and gave us some great cooking tips. I would recommend Chef James to anyone!
Ryan
14 Sep 2018
Chef James was a great host and a better teacher and cook. Our team loved camaraderie and hospitality.
valerie
01 Jul 2018
Chef James!
My parents had the most wonderful time taking your class. Today they made my sister and I the paella you taught them to make yesterday! It was so delicious. They posted pictures of their experience on their social media accounts and now all their friends want the details about how they can take a similar class.
Sindy
25 Jun 2018
Great experience with Chef James. He shared with us how to create a part of the meal and waited on us for the remainder of the meal. It was a perfect combination of learning and relaxation. Thank you for the memorable evening for my daughter's birthday.
Jennifer
10 Jun 2018
This was a very unique and different experience, especially as part of our bachelorette party weekend. Chef James has a beautiful home and I loved how we were able to see and witness every step of the cooking process. The ingredients he bought were gorgeous and fresh, the Bouillabaisse was unbelievable and I am still drooling over the homemade garlic aoli he made. Our entire party had a blast and I would highly recommend to anyone to take a class, especially for a large group, because you will be able to interactive with the chef as well as your party versus going to a restaurant.
mary
24 Apr 2018
Very fun event for our small group. We did the Might in Spain and Chef James Executed very well
Alan
15 Apr 2018
James was amazing. The food was fantastic and he was great to work with. I highly recommend him.
Eric
25 Feb 2018
We had a very enjoyable time with Chef James! HIs home is very pleasant, he is very personable and he was a great host and instructor. We started with apps (all premium cheeses, meats, breads and olives) while we gathered everyone who was a part of our class together. We had a number of people who did not know each other, which made for a fun time of interacting, getting to know each other and sharing experiences and perspectives.
We cooked gnocchi together - from the boiled potatoes to the ricing to the kneading to the rolling and cutting to the forking - with each step explained and options shared. Then Chef James cooked it into an amazing (yet simple) sauce and we ate that as our first course. We were all stuffed - and then came the main course of meat and salad - and then dessert! So much amazing food - all high quality ingredients and well prepared. We were stuffed - and happy! (We all brought wine and shared it, too)
Chef James took pictures of us throughout and forwarded them to us with the recipes for what we learned to cook as well as the recipes for the other foods he prepared. Now we can cook the at home.
Overall, a great experience that we highly recommend.
Tracy
24 Feb 2018
Such a fun night! The meal we cooked as a group was delicious, the cooking and food tips Chef James gave us were great. Looking forward to another cooking lesson. Thank you Chef James!
Petra
23 Feb 2018
Chef James was a wonderful host with a cute apartment in a nice part of SF. He did a great job of explaining his cooking methods and giving us tips for what to do and use at home. The food was absolutely delicious and we are definitely going to try to make the dishes at home as well. The only disappointment I had was the amount of hands on activity throughout the whole experience. When booking this class I was under the impression that we would be cooking all of the dishes but we were only in the kitchen for about 30 minutes all together and only got to participate in prepping the gnocchi. This will affect my choice of booking a class in the future.
Peter
24 Jan 2018
Chef James is very professional and personable. He prepares a meal that is simple, tasty, but also sophisticated and gives guests the opportunity to learn something new. He sets up his space perfectly for entertaining and creates an environment where strangers can come together for a lesson and a satisfying meal.
Jason
17 Jan 2018
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Sergio
16 Jan 2018
Chef James was a charming host and teacher. He taught us how to make gnocchi in a relaxed and fun manner.
The meal was excellent as well.
Corey
06 Jan 2018
We had a great time with Chef James. Great food and fun meeting new people.
Julie
20 Dec 2017
We had a group of 6 girls for Pasta Making and had such a great time with Chef James. It was so much fun making the noodles, and they were mighty tasty! His home is lovely too. What a fantastic evening. We will definitely return to cook with James soon.
Sharron
26 Oct 2017
Our office spent a fantastic afternoon with Chef James at his beautiful home in the Haight, watching him create a perfect seafood paella while sipping on wine and munching on appetizers. It was the perfect way to celebrate our agency's 30th anniversary. Highly recommend Chef James.
Annie
26 Oct 2017
Class was wee-done! Dinner was delicious and chef knew all about paellas! Wonderful experience
Pathma
22 Oct 2017
We so loved the evening with James! It was very relaxed and truly cozy..... we learned a lot, laughed a lot, and definitely enjoyed the delicious food James cooke up for us - Yum!! We definitely leaned all the tips and tricks to cook a perfect Paella during this class as well as other kitchen related know-hows! I highly recommend booking a class with James!
Henry
16 Oct 2017
Chef James was very kind and welcoming to our group of 8. Making pasta the old-fashioned way was a new and exciting experience for the many of us. We each took turns mixing, kneading, rolling, and cutting the dough. Afterwards, Chef James served us the remaining 3-courses of our meal. Everyone in our group thought the food was delicious and thought the entire experience was fun and a great opportunity for bonding.
Helen
22 Sep 2017
Our experience with Chef James was fantastic! He is very warm, welcoming, knowledgable of his food and a great chef! This was my 2nd time making a meal with him - we did the Sardinian Gnocchi and loved it! Delicious meal. 5 stars all around!
Kris
06 Aug 2017
Absolutely wonderful! Chef James was the perfect host and chef, he went above and beyond to make sure we have the most wonderful experience ever! This was the best team building event I have ever attended.
Jacqueline
03 Aug 2017
My team and I spent a terrific afternoon with Chef James! He couldn't have been more warm and friendly, and knowledgeable. It was like being in a friend's home, with the added benefit of having a top flight chef guiding you to make a delicious meal. Everything about the experience was first class, including the high quality ingredients. I would highly recommend this experience!
Stacey
03 Aug 2017
Lots of fun in a great, casual environment. The food was wonderful! Chef James is very knowledgeable and has a wide range of experiences which was fun to hear about. Highly recommend!
Lia
15 Jun 2017
Chef James was great! I'm fighting off a food coma, but our team had a lovely afternoon making fresh pasta at his home. Definitely make sure to come hungry, he will make sure you leave WELL FED!
Tiffany
22 May 2017
From Mr. Timen - leader of the group that attended the experience "James was incredibly knowledgeable about Spanish cuisine, the dining scene in SF, and just the overall kitchen stuff. We walked away not only knowing how to make a mean paella, but also where to get the freshest seafood, what's in season when, best stovetops and equipment for aspiring culinarians, and how to watch out for 'knock-off' saffron. James' expertise was only eclipsed by his "mi casa es su casa" hospitality: the cheese plate awaiting us on arrival was exquisite and the guitar music remarkably on-point. A number of us have already started to architect plans that would bring us back to this homey dining room in the Haight-Ashbury."
Johanna
14 May 2017
Chef James taught a private Neopolitan style pizza class in my home for my husband's birthday, and it was so much fun! He's very knowledable about Italian cooking, and presents clear and concise demos for various steps of the pizza making process.
For our class, he had already prepped the pizza dough and topping beforehand, so every person in our group was able shape, top, and bake their own pizza. He also prepared a salad, some simple apps, and a dessert to go with the meal, so I would definitely classify this as a hybrid cooking/eating class, rather than just a cooking class, as we really only made 1 part of the meal as a group (this is fair, as he wants us to be able to eat something at the end of the night, and this class would be much longer if we all made everything we ate. I thought this is something to call out so people are aware).
Chef James is also very personable, responsive over email, and Instagram-famous, so you'll be featured on his Instagram feed, if you'd like :) Thanks again, Chef James, it was a blast, and everything was delicious!
Karen
04 May 2017
Great experience, amazing food. The team loved the event.
Jamei
18 Apr 2017
Food was delicious!
Evan
14 Apr 2017
Chef James was a very welcoming, hospitable presence. A beautiful home, and clearly very passionate about spanish-style cooking. The meal was delicious, and all in all it was a very relaxing experience. It would've been nice to have a slightly more interactive experience, but given the dish he made (seafood paella), I don't know if it was possible here.
Ryan
08 Apr 2017
Chef James was extremely friendly, kind and talented in the kitchen. He had an amazing environment for a cooking and dinner experience. Our friends had a total blast and memorable experience. I highly recommend Chef James for group gatherings or corporate events. One of the best nights out!
Madeline
27 Mar 2017
We had a great time!, everyone really enjoyed the experience.
Louise
23 Mar 2017
My grand daughter and I had a wonderful evening with Chef James in his lovely home. The whole experience was memorable. We learned a few things about cooking Italian as a family or just with friends. It will take some practice to get it all together. He made it look sooo easy. All while chatting, eating, drinking , cooking, instructing, demonstrating, and entertaining!
Thank you Chef James.
Louise
Hawaii
Russell
06 Feb 2017
Chef James was great, the meal was awesome.
The only issue that we had was this was labelled a cooking class, however we were only involved in making the gnocchi (and not the other meals). Otherwise, the meal was great and Chef was extremely nice.
Alison
18 Jan 2017
Chef James was so nice! His home is beautiful and the food was AMAZING!!!
Jake
05 Jan 2017
Great meal and activity for our small work offsite
Anthony
15 Dec 2016
James did a great job teaching and was a pleasure to talk to. He made cooking the meal look very easy.
Armelle
13 Dec 2016
Wonderful experience for our company holiday party. Original. Great way to bond over cooking and lunching together. Chef James was wonderful. His home lovely and welcoming, full of unique antique pieces. And the food was succulent. Highly recommended.
Lana
13 Dec 2016
Excellent!
Kim
12 Dec 2016
Chef James was fantastic. We had a lovely meal in his beautiful home. He was warm, inviting and was open to all questions. The conversation was easy and light he gave us a great class on how to make an impressive gnocchi. James has been in the bay area for many years and has many SF restaurant recommendations. We got our hands "floury" while learning how to make gnocchi and were able to relax, drink wine, and chat while he prepared the rest of the meal. A great date night that was a little different and fun!
Bobbye
01 Dec 2016
Our team had an amazing time.
Kathleen
09 Nov 2016
Our group of 15 felt pampered by Chef James and his crew at Chef James' lovely home. The food was fabulous from the plentiful and tasty hors d'oeuvres to the bitter lettuces salad, the homemade pasta with locally grown mushrooms, the very tender brisket and French beans to the light and satisfying French cheesecake. Thank you Chef James for a memorable experience!
Christy
31 Oct 2016
Nice guy - good food!
A little awkward to be paired with other people you don't know, but overall a fun, enjoyable night!
Chrissy
30 Oct 2016
Chef James was wonderful! The lesson, food, and atmosphere were perfect! So delicious - will definitely book again!
Devin
28 Oct 2016
Wonderful meal and wonderful experience. Chef James was very accommodating in preparing a vegan menu for us. Thank you Chef James!
Kellie
17 Sep 2016
James did s great job not only teaching us how to make homemade pasta but also welcoming us into his home.
Ryan
14 Sep 2016
Great experience! Thank you for sharing your home with us.
Danielle
01 Sep 2016
This was a team dinner for 5 people celebrating their success on a project they worked on and winning an award. Chef James' home made you feel very welcomed and warm; his kitchen is every cook's dream to have if you are living in the city. He taught us how to make gnocchi and the reason for the cooking tools being used. The team had cooking questions outside of what he was preparing and he graciously answered all of them in detail. Food and presentation was amazing and we didn't feel rushed at all to leave. Great choice of Louis Armstrong music playing in the background.
Alex
27 Aug 2016
My girlfriend and I had a wonderful evening with Chef James. He's a warm and professional host, extremely knowledgable about his craft, and keeps a lovely home. Most importantly, everything was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a memorable class.
Jessica
23 Aug 2016
Overall, fun experience. We would have liked to cook more, though it was a fun dining experience.
Anthony
14 Aug 2016
Great experience and food! Chef James did an amazing job explaining and showing us the basics of pasta making. If you're looking to get experience making home made pasta, this is the place. My girlfriend and I are now looking forward to our very own pasta night, thanks to chef James!
Tom
14 Aug 2016
Great food and great company.
Chef James made us feel welcome in his home and had excellent knowledge to bestow. I would recommend his for couples who are looking to meet new people.
Heidi
25 Jul 2016
Had such a great time! Wonderful hospitality and a delicious meal. Felt like an intimate dinner party more than a cooking class. Beautifully done and the meal was insanely delicious. Will be excited to try making ourselves!
Hannah
15 Jul 2016
Chef James was great! So knowledgeable and fun.
(Note: I tipped him while there.)
Szymon
29 Jun 2016
Great job.
Szymon
29 Jun 2016
Great job, was fun. Only negative was scheduling it at noon, many of the participants did not eat prior and were hungry for over an hour
Landen
25 Jun 2016
Had a wonderful experience with Chef James. Delicious food, learned a lot, fun evening!
Svetlana
22 Jun 2016
Amazing dinner and a memorable evening - a truly delightful all around experience!
Renee
16 Jun 2016
Beautiful home/setting. Very cozy and good for group cooking/entertaining. Chef James is a fantastic instructor and gracious host. Very well trained. We all left inspired to make our own pasta!
William
12 Jun 2016
A terrific meal, simply prepared. I was looking to learn some cooking techniques. He made a pasta with cream sauce, a salad, sauteed squashes and ramps, and a leg of lamb, each with only a few ingredients, but all wonderful.
Diana
23 May 2016
We loved our experience with Chef James. We enjoyed designing the menu for a variety of tastes within our family, and helped pick the veggies and meats at the local market and pasta shop. Chef James is very hospitable and is truly gifted in making all cooking steps easy to grasp all while being a gracious host in his beautiful home. I encourage any family visiting the Bay Area to use Cozymeal and Chef James for a unique travel experience.
Nijil
19 May 2016
Chef James's Italian cooking class was one of the best company off-sites I could have organized. Chef James' home is beautiful and spacious. We had a large group of 12 and we had enough room to be in the living room while a small group of us helped Chef James in the kitchen. The class itself exceed expectations and the food was delicious. We made pasta from scratch and we helped contribute to the meal as much as we individually wanted to. I could not recommend this class more and I'm excited to try Cozymeal in the future!
Stephanie
02 May 2016
We had a very nice evening at Chef James' beautiful home. He was very friendly, personable, easy to talk to and very knowledgeable about the cuisine. The dinner her prepared for us was delicious and healthy. It was a bit pricey but I would still recommend it.
Mary
25 Apr 2016
Great time, delicious food, enjoyed the other guests! Chef James was great at explaining what he was preparing and even joined the rest of us afterwards in story telling.
Mary
24 Apr 2016
Excellent food, great conversation, awesome people, loved every minute! Nice too that chef James spent time with us after the meal!
Michela
23 Apr 2016
Chef James was incredible. My siblings and I decided to do something different for my dad's 60th birthday and we decided on an evening with Chef James. As a group we made pasta while Chef James had the other plates already cooking. We drank wine, ate cheese, and had amazing conversation. Everyone was thrilled with the experience!
Robert
07 Apr 2016
We had a great time with James. The atmosphere was great. The food was wonderful. James was very accommodating in allowing us to move back the time and he was easy to work with in terms of the menu. We also enjoyed his company very much. We are already looking at our calendar trying to decide when we can do this again.
Rob & Brittany
gabriel
23 Mar 2016
Chef James was all-around amazing! The food selection was superb, and he was great company. I would definitely share a kitchen with him again!
Lucas
09 Mar 2016
James was great. The class was practical and the food was fantastic. James's home makes for an intimate space and it ended up feeling like half class, half dinner party. Chef emailed all the recipes and tips after the class. Would go again.
Heidi
06 Mar 2016
My husband and I had a great time with Chef James! We learned how to make an easy, authentic Spanish dish and hung out with another great couple. It felt like we were hanging out with an intimate group of friends. Preparing the food and dining in the beautiful home of Chef James made the experience even more unique!
Audrey
01 Mar 2016
Great experience! My company opted to do a cooking class for a work event. Chef James was very communicative prior to the event and helped to customize the content so it was EXACTLY what we wanted. Everyone was thrilled and stuffed by the end of the event... which made me look very good! ;) I can't wait to do another class!
Dana
23 Feb 2016
Chef James has a beautiful house and had a great set up. He's also a very nice guy and was very accommodating to all of our requests and changes. My only complaint is that I wish there were a little bit more participation. I understand that that's difficult with a big group (we were 12), but even so, it would have been nice to participate in more of the prep work.
James
18 Feb 2016
Our evening with Chef James was fantastic. His home is lovely and he clearly enjoys teaching others about Spanish cooking. We even picked up some great tips on where to go for the best ingredients in SF. It should be noted that the paella class is not the most interactive (a by product of the way the dish is prepared, not a criticism) - so bring a few bottles of wine and plan to spend some time getting to know the others in your party. I highly recommend the experience and Chef James in particular.
Jonathan
27 Jan 2016
We very much enjoyed our experience with Chef James. Aside from wishing it could have been a little more hands on and involved more of our big group, it was an otherwise memorable experience.
Heather
22 Jan 2016
Our group had a great cooking experience with Chef James. The food was delicious.
Diptish
07 Jan 2016
Chef James' house was lovely. We met up there with another young couple and the whole experience of making pasta with Chef James and taking turns kneading and rolling the dough was a lot of fun. I just wish we had the chance to cook more of the dishes.
Debbie
14 Dec 2015
What an awesome night! We reserved Chef James for a work holiday party and really enjoyed the conversations and the meal. Chef James really knew what he was doing and was happy to answer all of our questions. The paella wasn't a lot of prep work, which was great for a more casual evening. We loved watching the paella cook and asking James a ton of questions about everything.
Debbie
14 Dec 2015
What an awesome night! We reserved Chef James for a work holiday party and really enjoyed the conversations and the meal. Chef James really knew what he was doing and was happy to answer all of our questions. The paella wasn't a lot of prep work, which was great for a more casual evening. We loved watching the paella cook and asking James a ton of questions about everything.
Josh
16 Nov 2015
I booked a class with James for my wife's birthday along with a group of of friends. I can't speak highly enough about what an amazing experience we all had. First, James' home was beautiful and he was an extremely welcoming and gracious host. Our night was part cooking class and part private dinner. We had a hand in making the pasta and appetizers. The main course and desserts were incredible. We eat out quite a bit, and this hands down beat any restaurant experience we could have had for my Wife's birthday. We're already planning another trip back to James' home with friends. Thank you so much for a great night and we highly recommend this class/event to others!
Laurie
15 Nov 2015
Wonderful evening and amazing food! Chef James created a fun a lively atmosphere of everyone getting to know each other. He has a lovely place to learn how to make pasta for our Italian Comfort Food evening. Thanks for sharing your place and the pleasure of good food and company.
Sebastian
24 Sep 2015
Booked the Italian cooking class:
5-stars for the wonderful atmosphere. Loved chef James' home. James was also very accommodating regarding our ending time and never actually asked us to leave or anything. So we were truly able to enjoy the food and company.
4-stars for the food. It was very very good.
3-stars for the actual learning/hands-on cooking experience. We enjoyed watching chef James in his kitchen prepare some appetizers, ask him questions, and then make the pasta for our first dish ourselves. Unfortunately, the rest of the dinner was pre-prepared so we didn't actually get to see him make the beef, sause or desert. Chef James simply served us the dishes as we were sitting at the dining table. He did explain how he made the dishes if you asked, I just wish we could have at least watched him actually make it. If you're looking for a very hands-on experience then this class might not be right for you.
Debbie
23 Sep 2015
The cooking class was a gift for my daughter and her boyfriend. They are still talking about the fabulous evening spent with great food along with a great group of people. Will for sure give this gift again to my son who also lives in SF.
Michael
10 Sep 2015
Great experience! James was personable and knowledgeable. The food and atmosphere were fantastic!
May
09 Sep 2015
Class was cancelled due to not enough people signed up, however, Chef James kept me posted. Awaiting for refund.
Katie
02 Sep 2015
Chef James was an amazing host. Not only was the meal spectacular (seafood paella), he had ample knowledge of Spanish cuisine that he shared throughout. We learned a lot!
Rachele
20 Aug 2015
Chef James was great! Paella was delicious and it was fun to assist in each course
Antoin
10 Aug 2015
Everything was wonderful from the time we got up until the time we left Chef James was very accommodating and we found out he's from our home town which made it even better the ladies really enjoyed their birthday surprise. We're looking forward to doing this again.
Kevin
27 Jul 2015
Lovely evening. Chef James was a gracious and knowledgeable host. The food was excellent and the company sparkling as well. Will recommend to others.
Joanna
29 Jun 2015
Great Night, great food, Great Chef!
Osarenkhoe
05 Jun 2015
Great atmosphere me and my finance loved it. Food was great. Although we still haven't recieved the recipe and photos, don't know how long its suppose to take.
Chelsea
18 May 2015
The "Neapolitan-Style Pizza" class was awesome! I highly recommend it! The pizzas were amazing and we had a great time. Will definitely be taking more classes in the future!
Bernadette
17 May 2015
We had a great time cooking in a cozy atmosphere at his home! James is super hospitable! Now I am thinking about another session with him for a team building event.
Karl
10 May 2015
More than just a cooking class, really a great food experience - a combination of Paella background and the ingredients, the actual cooking learning the nuanced technique to creating a delicious Paella, followed by a very fine dinner with three new friends enjoying great food and conversation. I had an outstanding evening as a guest along with three other fellow foodies who I had not previously met, with Chef James as a great host and teacher. Highly recommend this experience, now time to practice up on preparing some Paella at home.
Raquel
07 May 2015
Location was great, food was delicious and overall team event was positive. We would of hoped to have been more "hands on" involved with prepping and cooking. Chef James was a great host and has a lovely home.
Dana
03 May 2015
Our experience with Chef James was absolutely incredible!
From the moment we walked into his beautiful , welcoming home up until the moment we left we had an an amazing experience both preparing the delicious food, and enjoying his company.
We learned how to make a delicious, home made ravioli, and we had fun doing it!
I would definitely recommend anyone who is looking for a fun delicious and overall good cooking experience to book Chef James!
Thanks for everything James!
Dana & Amir
Robert
02 May 2015
Chef James was very personal and gracious. He opened his lovely home to my team and instantly made us feel welcomed. We enjoyed making pasta together. The wine and food was excellent.
Joyce
11 Apr 2015
Breanna
11 Apr 2015
We booked the vegetarian pasta making class with Chef James and had a blast! Looking forward to our next Cozymeal cooking class.
Emily
11 Apr 2015
Didi
11 Apr 2015
Kurt
08 Apr 2015
Chef James was a great host and created a wonderful evening atmosphere for my friends and I. I would definitely recommend his service to all my friends
Gavin
26 Mar 2015
We celebrated our anniversary with a private class with Chef James and had an awesome time. Chef James was both a great host & teacher. We learnt a lot about how to prepare paella & source local ingredients and had a delicious meal as well. We couldn't have been happier with our private class!
Adele
27 Feb 2015
We booked the Italian cooking class with chef James as a team event. We enjoyed making pasta from scratch although some of us thought it may be better less al dente. The rest of the dinner was pre-prepared but he did explain how he made the dishes and explained the way the sauces are made in different regions in Italy. Great tip about adding grated carrots for sweetness. And appetizers were fun as we chatted and made the pasta. James was also very accommodating regarding our starting and ending time which was appreciated. Our team enjoyed the experience. Remember to bring your own drinks.
Beth
27 Feb 2015
Wonderful food and Chef. Appreciated Chef James sharing with us the techniques and ingredients that make the difference in his recipes. Throughly enjoyed the evening, thank you.
Allison
16 Feb 2015
Delicious paella and great company. I just wish the class had been more hands on.
Jaimie
28 Jan 2015
Chef James was a great host! His place was beautiful and he had fresh ingredients, state-of-the-art cookware and an awesome attitude. We had so much fun on our team offsite, making fresh ravioli and enjoying a wonderful meal together. I would definitely recommend taking this hands-on cooking class with Chef James, and we hope to be back for another class soon!
Debbie
25 Jan 2015
We had a great time with Chef James. The food was delicious and we learned a lot in this class. We will definitely come back again.
Abraham
03 Jan 2015
Fantastic pasta making class!
Tyson
16 Nov 2021
Although James was a gracious host, the experience was underwhelming for $125 per person. This was mostly because the main part of creating a pizza is the dough and we arrived with the dough already made. In the description of the class, it says at the very beginning "You'll learn to make pizza dough from scratch". Unfortunately, this was false advertising and rather we merely added toppings to the existing pizza dough and baked the pizzas in the over.
Connie
01 Jul 2018
I am kinda disappointed after attending this class. I would say this was actually not a class, it was more like a social or eating event to be exact. We were not provided any hands on experience at all during the whole class. No receipes were given during the class. We were just standing in the kitchen and watching James cooked for about an hour. He gave little details on how he cooked the Paella. Most often times, people asked him why this and why that, then he answered. Seems like he is very passive in a way of teaching but he cooked a really yummy Paella. If I knew the class will be like that, I would not have signed up this class. We can just watch YouTube online. Maybe this is not the class that I expected. I expected a more hands on practice. And I expected the chef/teacher will explain more details to enchance our cooking knowledge and of course on how to properly cook a Paella. I wonder if all the classes at CozyMeals are like that. I would like to sign up for other classes but this class makes me think twice before I sign up the next one. One thing I found funny is liek I received an email asking me to tip the chef. Is it a restaurant? Or a class? Felt like it's more like a restaurant to me if I am being asked for a tip. If you are looking for a real cooking class, it's not a place. If you want to eat yummy Paella and spent few hours together with your significant half, that's the place.
Jessica
23 Feb 2018
While James was nice, this was not an Italian comfort cooking class. We cooked one dish- gnocchi- which was delicious and then we sat at the table while he cooked the rest. The dinner also took over well over 3 hours. We just felt like this was falsely advertised- it was a one dish cooking class. James was a great host but it wasn’t the cooking class we thought we were paying for.
Kerra
28 Apr 2021
The class was ok but not amazing. The chef seemed very low energy so it was hard to get into it. He also didn't really take charge of the class by calling people out to introduce themselves, instead giving a plain "introduce yourselves" command, so it was hard to know when to unmute or not. There was someone in the class who didn't really know how to properly use Zoom, and instead of just muting them himself, they kept interrupting with loud feedback noises.
A few things bothered me that he said, unrelated to the cooking. One was that the Spanish "discovered" potatoes... The Incas were actually the first to cultivate potatoes thousands of years ago, and the Spanish took potatoes back to Spain only after they came and rampaged the Americas. Another was that he called the San Fransisco neighborhood he lived in a "War Zone"... There are quite a few of those in the world right now and I'm pretty sure they're not comfortably in California making grass-fed ribeye. Lastly, he asked a someone in the class with a similar name first name to mine if she was Italian, and when he said her name my boyfriend and I both thought he'd said mine. I answered him to say my (first) name wasn't Italian but Irish, and noted I was Mexican and French, but instead of just going with it he decided to correct me and then weirdly include that he spoke both Italian and Spanish. Ok... I also speak both of those, plus German and French. Would've been nice if he'd chosen to engage me in the story I'd just told about my heritage instead of correcting and bragging about something unimpressive, but alas, that was the only real "conversation" my boyfriend and I had with James during our class.
Bottom line, we didn't really do or learn anything we couldn't have done or learned from a YouTube video, and on YouTube we would've left without being ever so slightly put off.
Christi
18 May 2020
Fun experience and Chef James was very friendly! The class went a little fast though so not great for beginners, but helped a lot to get the recipes beforehand.
Kimberly
16 Aug 2016
We had a great time and it was a seamless experience. Food wasn't bad and it wasn't great. We all were expecting something different and we wouldn't recommend this type of cooking class or meal considering the price point (over $100 per person). It was more like having a private dinner party with a friendly chef.
Pros:
Chef James is very organized, responsive and a great host. He was kind enough to take some of our photos and send us receipes via email. - 5 stars
Cozymeal website is easy to use and they were very helpful in setting up last minute. -5 stars
Venue was slean, organized and they took care of everything. - 5 stars
Cons:
"Class" - It's not the class experience we expected. We basically stood around and watched. Several folks tried to make it more of a class by asking a lot of questions. The class was not hands on or very interactive. We watched him make one basic dish and the paella itself. - 2 stars
Food - Not bad but not great.
In general, for a 3 course "class" and meal over $100 per person not including drinks plus we had two no shows so there was an extra profit margin for Cozymeal, it didn't meet our expectations. Chef James used good ingredients, however, the entire group felt the food was - 2-3 stars.
Veggie Food - 3 of us had a vegetarian main dish which consisted of garbanzo beans, squash and eggplant in a ight red sauce. It was basic and I never heard of a veggie paella that didn't have rice in it... :/ ..? Also, there was a limited amount so 3 vegetarians left the dinner still hungry. We couldn't share with our friends who wanted to try our dish because we were still hungry... I'm not trying to be mean, however, I would say our main dish was more like a appetizer comparable to a side of hummus with squash and eggplant worth ~$6-8. It would have made a big difference to have rice and some additional veggies in the dish. - 1 star
I hope this is helpful. Cheers!
