Chef Franklin

Unfortunately, this class was extremely disappointing and not worth the $55 per person we paid. We were not told beforehand that the class would be outdoors, and it was around 90 degrees, so we spent the evening hot and uncomfortable. The class also seemed very unprepared for approximately 15 attendees. There were not enough vegetables or sauce for everyone, and we were literally rationing ingredients. I do not eat chicken and was told I could make a vegetarian meal, yet there were not even enough vegetables available to properly accommodate that. Toward the end of the night, they ran out of the prepared sauce and had to use a jar of Alfredo sauce for the remaining guests. The biggest problem was the cooking setup. There were only three cooking vessels for the entire class; one for pasta, one for meat, and one for sauce. We waited more than an hour to cook, and there was no organized system for managing who went next. People who arrived about 45 minutes late were trying to cook before guests who had arrived on time. By the time I finally cooked, everything felt so rushed that my pasta wasn't even cooked to al dente. Our class started at 7 p.m., and the last person in my party didn't make her plate until around 9:30 p.m. The chef had a great attitude and seemed to be doing his best, so this is not a criticism of his demeanor. The event itself was simply poorly planned, under-equipped, and inadequately supplied for the number of people who paid to attend. I expected a fun, organized, elevated cooking experience, and unfortunately, that is not what we received.

The concept of the class was good, and the chef seemed well-prepared and knowledgeable in the beginning. Unfortunately, the overall experience was unsatisfactory and did not feel like an elevated experience, especially for a $99 class. Facility: The facility was not great. It was hot, steamy, dark, and drab. Since the class was held virtually outside with no air conditioning, the heat made the experience particularly uncomfortable. Air conditioning or a much better climate-controlled setup is especially important for a summer cooking class. Timing and organization: The timing was terrible. I arrived at 6:50 and did not get to cook until around 9:00. I was the second person to arrive, and my group was the first table to fill up, yet we were the second-to-last group to cook. Only two late arrivals at the other table cooked after us. There should have been two cooking stations, one for each table. A good rule would be to have one additional cooking station for each additional full table. This would significantly reduce the wait time and make the class much more enjoyable. Waiting over two hours to actually cook was unacceptable. Pasta instruction: The pasta itself was not very good. The directions needed to be much more direct and specific about rolling the pasta ball extremely thin. My pasta ended up fat, thick, gooey, and tasteless. This part of the technique needs to be taught much better, with more hands-on guidance and clearer instructions. It’s the key part. Ingredients and preparation: The chef did not have enough vegetables and ran out of heavy cream. He also ran out of several other ingredients and had very limited extra ingredients available. For a cooking class, there should be enough ingredients on hand to accommodate the entire class without running out. Cleanliness and sanitation: This was one of my biggest concerns. I did not like cooking on top of previously cooked food. I would have preferred for the pans to be cleaned or wiped out, the pasta water changed, and each group to have a fresh start. We were handling the pasta with our hands, and people were using their hands to place pasta into the pot one after another. That did not feel sanitary. What made this even more frustrating was that the other table got to cook in clean pans, while my table had to cook on top of pans that were already caked up. Whatever the reason for the difference, I strongly disliked that experience. Every participant should have been given the same clean and sanitary cooking setup. Plates and dining setup: The plates were also too flimsy for wet pasta. Sturdier plates would be much more appropriate for a pasta class. We also did not want to eat while surrounded by the flour mess from cooking. There should have been a cleaner transition from the cooking portion to the eating portion. Overall: The chef was very knowledgeable, and the concept of the class was good. However, the execution fell flat. There were too many issues with the facility, timing, organization, ingredients, pasta instruction, sanitation, and overall setup. For a $99 class, I expected a much more polished and elevated experience. There are many areas that need improvement, particularly the timing, cooking-station setup, cleanliness, ingredient preparation, and climate control. The class has potential, but significant improvements are needed to make the experience worth the price.

Great experience! Easy but fun class

Great food, dope personality! Gigi