07/05/09

Can be good, with some caveats

by chimmychimmycocoapops

I took the beginners class here, which was $500 for 6 classes, which is roughly $83 per class.

The space itself is not the best acoustically, which can make it hard to hear the instructor with their voice echoing off the walls. The blasting music from the yoga studio next door, as well as the trucks barreling down Melrose and La Cienega don't help. The instructor insisted on leaving the front door open for ventilation, which allowed lots of street noise to seep in.

That said, one of the instructors was excellent... the assistant instructor was a bit militant for what seemed to be a hobbyist's class. They often gave conflicting information, and the asst. instructor was prone to chewing people out for not adhering to her standards.

The recipes were good, but the biggest problem was that you could only make one dish out of five per class. And only 2-3 students per recipe. Therefore, if you don't get there early and rush the sign-up sheet, you could get relegated to making something uninteresting, like a Caesar salad, while others make more complicated dishes.

The equipment and supplies are decent, even though they're a bit old. The knives are sharp, the cooktops high grade, and you feel as if you are in a commercial kitchen.

The pricing for the workshop is a bit steep... around $85 and you'll probably only get to cook one recipe.

For those who want to take the professional classes, the tuition, while seemingly high, is much more reasonable than similar classes at Cordon Bleu or Kitchen Academy.

• Pros: Plenty of hands-on time. Generally 2-3 students per stove.
• Cons: A bit pricey for workshops, noisy location.

02/05/07

super informative

by rcage

I recently took the Beginners Course at Epicurean. I heard about it from a friend who said she took the class several years ago and the recipes she learned are still some of her favorites. The class was great. The instructor was informative, helpful and upbeat. The working environment was perfect. I looked forward to the class every week and look forward to taking more classes there with friends.

• Pros: talented staff/instructors

02/01/07

Great instructor!

by shellarella

I just finished the Professional Baking I program with Suzanne Griswold. She was fantastic. I researched a few other baking programs in Los Angeles and decided on Epicurean because of it layout and its Wolf ovens.

I learned so much and can't wait to continue on with Baking II and Baking III. I just signed up for Cake Decorating too.

• Pros: great working space