Beginner Cooking Classes East Bay

Korean Kimchi Making and Bossam Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area

Korean Kimchi Making and Bossam Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area 2

Adrianna V.

Booked the class Korean Kimchi Making and Bossam with Chef Polly in East Bay (Alameda)

We really enjoyed this class with Chef Polly. She made us feel welcome in her home and we learned different recipes that were flavorful and easy enough to prepare on our own. We've already prepared several of the recipes we learned in class at home and have recommended this class to friends. Definitely worth checking out!

Korean Food Essentials Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area

Glenda H.

Booked the class Korean Food Essentials with Chef Polly in East Bay (Alameda)

What a treat to be welcomed into Chef Pollyâ€™s home to learn how to cook Korean food. Chef Polly has a way of familiarizing Korean food and making it feel more accessible. Iâ€™m looking forward to making these dishes on my own!

Spice-Filled Indian Cuisine Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area

Connie L.

Booked the class Spice-Filled Indian Cuisine with Chef Rajeswari in East Bay (Union City)

Chef Raaje was so welcoming and a pleasure to have as an instructor. The class and recipe was very easy to follow even as a beginner. She is mindful of your spice tolerance and everything came out so delicious! I would definitely recommend her class to anyone who has an interest in learning how to cook Indian cuisine.

Korean Food Essentials Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area 2

Korean Food Essentials Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area 3

Korean Food Essentials Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area 4

Lorena C.

Booked the class Korean Food Essentials with Chef Polly in East Bay (Alameda)

Chef Polly was so welcoming and made the entire experience unforgettable! She didnâ€™t just teach us how to cook â€” she took us on a beautiful culinary and cultural journey through Korean history and flavors. Her explanations were clear, engaging, and filled with fun stories that made everyone feel comfortable and connected. I loved how she encouraged us to interact, share, and truly enjoy the process. It felt more like cooking with a friend than being in a class. Highly recommend this experience to anyone who loves learning about food and culture!

Biryani and South Indian Classics Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area

Biryani and South Indian Classics Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area 2

Biryani and South Indian Classics Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area 3

Biryani and South Indian Classics Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area 4

Siwin C.

Booked the class Biryani and South Indian Classics with Chef Rajeswari in East Bay (Union City)

From chopping and mixing to sautÃ©ing, frying, and tasting, my two teenage boys had an absolute blastâ€”every step of the cooking class was filled with fun and laughter. Chef Rajeswari was incredibly warm and welcoming; it felt like weâ€™d known her for years! This was truly one of the best family experiences Iâ€™ve had with my teens in a long time. And the highlight? Chicken 65â€”my absolute favorite! It is a MUST-try!

Korean Kimchi Making and Bossam Review Photo from Cooking Class in Bay Area 3

Brendan F.

Booked the class Korean Kimchi Making and Bossam with Chef Polly in East Bay (Alameda)

Chef Polly is super knowledgeable and brought some amazing recopies to the class. She was so easy to talk to and guided us throughout the whole day and even prepared a few special side dishes along the way as well. We very much enjoyed our time with her making delicious food, and the cooking space is so beautiful as well with great scenery. We can't wait to try another one of her classes in the near future (and bring our friends!)

Elias C.

Booked the class Biryani and South Indian Classics with Chef Rajeswari in East Bay (Union City)

Chef Rajeswari was truly a delight. I can not stress how easy and personable the class was. From the moment we came in, Chef greeted us with a smile and took care of taking the time of not only explaining what we would be cooking, but also a bit about her self, her background and asked about us as well. She would make sure to constantly check on how we were doing while cooking, and would give us tips on what could be done if we wanted to make the food on our own time. Genuinely, can not express how much I recommend this class, it was a privilege learning how to cook from her.

Stephanie B.

Booked the class Korean Kimchi Making and Bossam with Chef Polly in East Bay (Alameda)

Chef Polly was amazing! Not only was the food delicious but she was so warm, inviting, and informative. This is my third time doing a Cozymeal cooking class and my evening with Chef Polly was by far my favorite. I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed the experience and how tasty the meal was. 10000/10. Would highly highly recommend this class (or any class) that Chef Polly offers.

Amanda B.

Booked the class Quintessential Chinese Cooking with Chef Wen

Very good hosting and Chef Wen's son is also very cool

Kienan H.

Booked the class Korean Food Essentials with Chef Polly in East Bay (Alameda)

Awesome teacher and fun hangs! Took a vegan Korean cooking class with my Mom, it was a ton of fun and we learned a lot. Chef Polly is great!

Mary L.

Booked the class Authentic South Indian Brunch with Chef Rajeswari in East Bay (Union City)

Chef Rajeswari is very proud of her culture and this experience included her sharing a LOT about Indian food. We chose the South Indian Brunch class for a date night. 1) We were greeted with a wonderful chai which made us feel warmly welcomed. 2) We LOVED the coconut chutney--Chef showed us the ways to add spice and bloom peanut oil to give it more dimensions. 3) Our favorite dish was the dosa and we cannot wait to try it with various options as a snack. All in all we recommend Chef Raje! This was a great date night and I could see it being a great mom-child experience or a mom's night out. Thanks!

Daniel M.

Booked the class Biryani and South Indian Classics with Chef Rajeswari in East Bay (Union City)

This was an extraordinary class! Chef Rajeswari is impeccably organized, and everything was perfectly measured and arranged for us to use. Especially since this is a new class, I was amazed at how smoothly everything flowed - Disney could take notes from her on how to handle cleaning and transitions! We chopped the vegetables, chopped fresh herbs from her garden, and cooked/assembled all 4 dishes. I really appreciate how while we were assembling, she explained all the sorts of techniques and varieties in this style of cooking. For example, in our session I learned how to prepare the ginger garlic paste at home, the different varieties of Indian rice besides basmati, what sorts of oils work best for frying Chicken 65, and the delightful story of its name! Most important, of course, is the listed dishes themselves - and those were phenomenal. For the Chicken 65 we prepared the marinade and fried the chicken, along with the delightful touch of fresh curry leaves at the end. I've never made biryani before - that is why I took the class - and the biryani that we made was more delicious that what I've had at restaurants. The raita and lassi were simple and very good - and I learned, for example, that I can add milk (and even ice cream) to my lassi to make it a bit smoother. After taking this class, I feel that I can make these on my own. When we sat down to dinner, there was a ton of food that we'd cooked and it all smelled and tasted delicious. Chef Rajeswari also brought out a few items which were not on the menu that she'd prepared beforehand, and they were - of course - fantastic. Chef Rajewsari (and her husband) is kind, charming, welcoming, and an absolute delight to learn from. Her recipes are delicious, and she is just really fun to be with! I will be trying out the printed recipes on my own in a few days, and I fully intend to take more of her classes in the future.

Anna B.

Booked the class Korean Food Essentials with Chef Polly in East Bay (Alameda)

We had such an amazing experience with Chef Polly. She is extremely knowledgeable and experienced and we walked away inspired to cook more at home. Thank you so much!

Evan N.

Booked the class A Taste of South India with Chef Pooja in East Bay (San Ramon)

Chef Pooja showed my partner and I how to make some very tasty uttapams, dosas with a curry potato filling, and ladoo, all of which were new experiences for us! She was an expert guide in the cooking process, and did most but not all of the prep work, so we could participate a little bit in the prep as well as all the stovetop cooking. We also really liked the chutneys that were part of the dish! Pooja was also very personable and was easy to hang out with as we prepared and ate the food. We had a mix-up with timing for a previous reservation and she was very accommodating, and helped to plan a new time as well. All around a friendly, professional experience.

Ame P.

Booked the class The Mastery of Spanish Fare with Chef Roddy in San Jose (Campbell)

Great evening with Chef Roddy and his team. The food was great. We had a good blend of helping to cook and also networking with our team. A wonderful night overall. I would highly suggest. We did the Paella cooking class and it was delicious and plenty of food for all 9 of us. Thank you Chef!'

Barb H.

Booked the class Signature Italian Cuisine with Chef Lorenzo

He was a wonderful chef. Explained all the preparation of the dishes. He also told us a little bit about the history of the dishes, and he was very personable. He was easy to understand, and we very much enjoyed the experience we would not hesitate to book another experience with him. He responses to text messages and is knowledgeable. Barb Hantsbarger

Tabitha B.

Booked the class Vegetarian North Indian Cuisine with Chef Pooja in East Bay (San Ramon)

Chef Pooja was wonderful and we enjoyed our dinner tremendously. Learned a lot about Indian cooking.

Elliot E.

Booked the class Vegetarian North Indian Cuisine with Chef Pooja in East Bay (San Ramon)

We had a great time. Chef Pooja was well prepared with everything laid out and was very knowledge with all the answers to our questions. The food was great and we even had leftovers for the next day. We've already incorporated a number of her techniques into cooking other dishes which has definitely elevated their flavor.

Erin Nicole V.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

Chef Sara was awesome and the experience overall was amazing! How cool to have a private chef come to your home and teach just you and your friends!! I mean, the whole idea of this service is absolutely incredible and I can't believe I never knew it existed before now! We felt like chef Sara was very fun and knowledgeable, and extremely savvy in the kitchen! We felt like real stars learning from her and we can't wait to find another excuse to do this again! Thank you Chef Sara!!! We appreciate you!!!! ??

Nicholas M.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

Brilliant! We had a wonderful time and learned a lot from Chef Sara!

Kirsten S.

Booked the class Vegetarian Indian Delights with Chef Sara

We had a wonderful time with Chef Sara. She shared stories about her family and their food. She taught us new techniques. And the recipes were extraordinary. The best Indian food weâ€™ve ever had. It was really fun, relaxed and a special evening among friends.

Neal Hansch H.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

Fantastic experience to Chef Sara, who was not only a wonderful chef but also conversationalist during the experience.

Phong C.

Booked the class Vegetarian Indian Delights with Chef Sara

Chef Sara was great! Easy to communicate with and she made our cooking session fun. She gave a lot of tips throughout the lessons. Setup and cleanup was a breeze.

Alex D.

Booked the class Pie and More in the Bay Area with Chef Frances and Chef Sasha in East Bay (Northwest Berkeley)

The class was great! Chef Frances and Chef Sasha were great teachers!

Nathanael B.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

Chef Sara was fantastic. My wife and I had a great time learning how to make curry and other delicious Indian dishes. Sara explained every step of the process and made the whole experience so much fun. We'll definitely be back!

Marcelle A.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

I booked this class to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday and we had an incredible time learning Chef Sara's many tips and eating a delicious meal. Chef Sara immediately made us feel welcome in her home, and we really enjoyed her authenticity and generous spirit. Highly recommend!

Thomas T.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

I thought it was fun. We weren't sure how it would turn out. The Chef definitely knows her stuff and is a professional. If I had one criticism it is that the kitchen is pretty dated Which impacts the overall experience. Doesn't take anything away from learning to cook, but if you have a modern kitchen at home, it may remind you of your 70s remodel project. That said, the Chef is personable, funny, and gives a lot of practical tips even to experienced home cooks.

Sandra G.

Booked the class Vegetarian Indian Delights with Chef Sara

Thanks to chef Sara for showing us how to cook great indian food. Unique experience :)

Aleks K.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

Chef Sara was awesome! I signed up my mom and I for her Curry Cooking class and we had a wondeful time. Her cooking was absolutely delicious and we learned a lot!

Chad S.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

Could not have been more pleased. Chef Sara was incredible - one of the most fun things me and my fiance have done together!!

Emma Z.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

Super nice and patient teacher! Really learned a lot of things with Sara~

Elizabeth D.

Booked the class Vegetarian Indian Delights with Chef Sara

Chef Sara was warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. She made us feel welcome and had lots of great ideas for innovative cooking. My only recommendation would be to cut back on use of oil - it was a very filling meal. Thanks!

Joe K.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

My wife and I really loved our time with Sara. We learned a ton of great tips and tricks, and look forward to recreating the dishes that she made for us. Everything was delicious, and Sara is a great teacher.

Sydney M.

Booked the class Sweet and Savory CrÃªpes with Chef Charlene in East Bay (Lakeshore)

Chef Charlene's crÃªpes are outstanding. She makes the process look so easy and can whip up all sorts of flavor combinations in minutes! Trying her s'mores crÃªpe really added so much happiness to my life.

Jim M.

Booked the class Vegetarian Indian Delights with Chef Sara

Thank you chef Sara for the wonderful cooking class. The Indian food was delicious and we learnt a lot.

Sam C.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

I loved breathing in and tasting the rich, incredible smells and flavors coming out of Chef Sara's kitchen. She's a patient and kind teacher, and very knowledgeable about the spices and ingredients she puts into her cooking. I look forward to my next class with Chef Sara!

Rachel F.

Booked the class The Art of Pasta Making with Chef Roddy in San Jose (Campbell)

Horrible experience that was essentially a scam. Chef Roddy was not present. We were barely given an opportunity to prepare any of the dishes and were essentially taught nothing. Starting with the sauce, the chef just made the sauce themselves. They did not give instructions, only listed ingredients or quantities when we asked. There was no instruction given on how to make the pasta besides combining flour plus egg and barely any oversight as they were focused on making the sauce behind us. There was no option to make gnocchi or ravioli as in the description. We were not taught to make the salad address from scratch as in the description as this was prepared in advance. Additionally, the panna cotta was also prepared in advance so there was no teaching there. At every opportunity, things were made in advance and done as quickly as possible by the chef without us and without any sort of instruction. We felt rushed despite being the only group of 3 and left an hour before our designated time. This seemed like this â€œcooking classâ€ was doing below to bare minimum just to check off the boxes.

Joey W.

Booked the class Crash Course in Curry with Chef Sara

Chef Sara was a very nice person...however, her home is not well equipped for "teaching" a cooking class, and the whole experience was really just very uncomfortable. If I'm going to pay $99 a person to be uncomfortable, I should at least get to keep my leftovers! One feels like an intruder when entering her home, which is mostly devoid of furnishings and a little run-down. We huddled around the counter in the kitchen for "instruction": When I think cooking instruction, I think a well apportioned kitchen, stations where each attendee can participate, cleanliness, readiness, and great food. While the food was undeniably delicious, there was very little participation- I sliced a tomato and 3/4 of our group rolled out 1 ball of dough for Roti, and that was the extent of the cooking. One of the rice dishes on the menu was already completely prepared and was simply heated in the microwave before being served! In addition, mirroring the rest of the weirdly empty, run-down home, the kitchen sink faucet handle was broken, the cook-top needed to be manually lit (because it was broken, not by design), and I would not argue the kitchen was particularly clean. We brought our own wine as the website urged was OK, and when we were directed to a cabinet for glasses she literally had 2 wine glasses, and nothing else in the cupboard. When we sat down to eat there were not enough forks for everyone so two of us used spoons, and when we asked for napkins, she opened boxes of Kleenex nose-tissues in response. It is completely mystifying to me how she is able to accommodate parties of 6. She hovered while we ate, not eating with us as invited, just standing over us, really. And when we were done eating but still talking and enjoying the last of our wine and well within our time-window of the 2 hour experience, we felt obvious pressure to leave before we were ready. She moved us along by pulling out her phone and inviting us to move to the foyer to take snapchat photos before sending us off. It felt like her way of getting us up from the table and out of the house. Quite uncomfortable. To top it off, Cozymeal's interface had created confusion for our party, so we ended up being 4 instead of the RSVP'd two. This is no fault of chef Sara's, but she was set up for two and cooked for 2 and mentioned nothing about the fact that we would the next day be asked to pay another $99 per person for the additional 2 guests who were not really accommodated for. Weren't we surprised when we were charged by Cozymeal another $198-- $400 for an uncomfortable, under-prepped 2 hour experience, the best part of which was the friends we had come with and we were rushed out prematurely in the middle of enjoying them. Luckily Cozymeal reversed charges for the additional 2 persons after complaint, but $50 a head is still a GROSS exaggeration of the value this experience has and they offered no additional savings to make up for our AWFUL EXPERIENCE.

Peter M.

Booked the class A Taste of Vegan Indian Comforts with Chef Rajeswari in East Bay (Union City)

We cooked tomato daal, jeera rice, carrot poriyal and moong dal paayasam and learned to use a simple pressure cooker. All were excellent. Chef Raaje is very personable and gave good pointers to make cooking easy and for best results. She modified the recipes for my dairy allergy. We highly recommend her class.

David A.

Booked the class The Mastery of Spanish Fare with Chef Roddy in San Jose (Campbell)

Chef Edie showed us how to make Paella, grilled shrimp with bruschetta. Everything was delicious.

Katlin K.

Booked the class North Indian Vegetarian Fare with Chef Rajeswari in East Bay (Union City)

My mom and I had a wonderful time with Chef Rajeswari! We made roti, paneer tiki masala, and a potato dish that ended up being so delicious! I canâ€™t wait to make these dishes again and was grateful for the experience with my mom.

Aimee R.

Booked the class Biryani and South Indian Classics with Chef Rajeswari in East Bay (Union City)

Loved this class! We loved learning from Raj. She is so knowledgeable about cooking and helped us learn how to make an amazing meal would highly recommend.

Siobhan H.

Booked the class North Indian Vegetarian Fare with Chef Rajeswari in East Bay (Union City)

This was our first-ever cooking class and Chef Raaje made it special. My husband is vegetarian so we opted for her class on Northern Indian vegetarian fare, including a delightful, simple-to-make potato curry, and a deeply flavored paneer butter masala. Rose lassi and warm roti rounded out our meal selection. Chef Raaje is a consummate host; she had snacks and drinks ready after our hour-long drive over. Her beautiful home and kitchen were sparkling clean. She gave us a short introduction and briefly explained the differences between northern and southern Indian food, as well as the philosophy of using the freshest spices and produce. I appreciate that our class was very hands-on. We cooked while stood to the side and answered questions we had. Our meal was delicious and we ate while Chef Raaje handled the dishes. (My least favorite part of cooking!) When we ended the evening, she gave us lovely parting gifts (including one for my daughter who wasnâ€™t with us!) and printouts of our recipes â€” which I will absolutely be making again in the near future. I would absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend taking a class with Chef Raaje.

Glenda H.

Booked the class North Indian Vegetarian Fare with Chef Rajeswari in East Bay (Union City)

What a treat to learn how to cook Indian dishes in Chef Rajeâ€™s home! Chef Raje shared some great time-saving tips that made cooking Indian food more accessible to the novice. We made tomato dal, jeera rice, and carrot poriyal and she gave plenty of tips for making the dishes vegan and/or vegetarian. She even made a special potato dish just for us! We felt very welcomed and I would definitely take another class with Chef Raje! She made our day very special!

Kaylynn .

Booked the class Homemade Pasta & Tiramisu by Hand with Chef Esh-Marie

We had a small group for the Italian night! The food was delicious and Esh-Marie was very knowledgeable and fun! Would totally recommend for a girls night or a date night!

Nathan K.

Booked the class Pizza Night Reinvented with Chef Esh-Marie

â˜…â˜…â˜…â˜…â˜… Fantastic pizza night experience. Chef Esh-Marie did a great jobâ€”very knowledgeable, friendly, and made the class fun and engaging. We learned a lot, had an amazing time, and the pizzas turned out great. Would highly recommend! If youâ€™re looking for a fun-filled date night or family gathering, give Chef Esh-Marie a try!

Lauren W.

Booked the class Homemade Pasta & Tiramisu by Hand with Chef Esh-Marie

She was kind, easy going, and brought flowers to us upon arrival. We had a wonderful experience

Dechen N.

Booked the class Korean Kimchi Making and Bossam with Chef Polly in East Bay (Alameda)

Chef Polly greeted us warmly with roasted barley tea, instantly making us feel at home in her kitchen. She patiently answered our many questions while preparing a delicious bindae-tteok appetizer and guiding us step by step through each cooking process with helpful tips and encouragement. Thoughtfully checking in beforehand about dietary restrictions, she also showed me how to make a gluten-free hoettuckâ€”something I had always wanted to tryâ€”ensuring I could fully enjoy the class. Beyond cooking, she generously shared her favorite Korean businesses and insider tips. The conversation went well beyond Korean food making the experience feel like hanging out with old friends over a wonderful meal. No matter your skill level or dietary needs, Chef Pollyâ€™s energy, warmth, and genuine hospitality make this class truly special!