Cooking Skills Academy

SO HERE’s THE DEAL! And I know this review is long — but if you really are considering going– then you should try to read this whole thing!
FOR THE COOK– you are going to walk in here– and it’s going to be a breeze. You will be given those tips on how to properly hold a knife, how to break an egg with one hand, and you will hear about the chef’s preferences and learn about his/​her personality.
FOR THE NOT SO GOOD COOK– Price AWARE! Please don’t take this class if you are seriously wanting to learn to cook. Not worth the 80 (or 40 if you got a GROUPON). You are better off using You Tube or finding a person who can personally teach you. Also– dietary restrictions– it depends on how strict you are but if you can’t be open minded– not the place for you. BUT feel free to ask questions– and remember you’re not working with the world’s most expert chef.
WHAT THIS CLASS IS GOOD FOR– Good food, BYOB, Fun Activity. I wouldn’t take this class seriously. The problem is that I have taken many cooking classes– and they are pretty much all the same. The mark up for these classes are ridiculous but they are always a fun experience. They do design the class to make it ‘pair’ friendly so I don’t recommend taking this class alone.
WHO IS THIS FOR: Probably a great date idea because I went with my girl friend and were the only ‘non couple’ but we had fun! I wouldn’t bring my parents here — may be too quick of a process with not many details.
HOW THE CLASS WORKS: You go in. Sit. And everything is prepared and organized. You learn to cook each dish with a quick presentation and you’re on your own. I’m sure with each chef– when you eat, to what you prepare is different. BUT– as other reviews have mentioned, some of the stuff is already prepared for you– so you don’t learn to make everything.
WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW: The communication with this company is terrible. Emailing to calling– don’t even try. It sucks, i know. But if you feel like you need to talk to them to get your money back– GO IN if you can, otherwise, keep on calling and be patient. They are friendly folks but I think they are still working out their kinks– as they are being advertised on Groupon and such.
WHY THE 5 Stars: Because this is just how cooking classes are and they are expensive. I’m rating 5 for the friendly service, organized environment, delicious food, and for fun! And I will be coming back– I won the raffle for a free class! AND– don’t forgot your bottle of wine! BYOB is always the best.

Thank you to Chef Anthony for making our private event a giant success! With ages ranging from 2 to 60 everyone had a great time and learned so much in the process. The facility is perfect– well arranged with a giant screen to see up close; a great sound system; and assistants ready to help if needed. Chef Anthony was informative and engaging. I can’t think of anything that would have made our event any better! Definitely coming back for more!

Chef Paul was amazing! My wife and I had wanted to take a cooking class for years and we are so glad we found this place. We joined their Sushi Makin’ Two class where Chef Paul’s vibrant and informative session made it a fun and learning experience.
We have already been back for their Pizza Makin’ class where Chef Tony was just as creative and enjoyable to learn from. I had honestly never rolled my own dough before in my life and Chef Tony made me realize in a short amount of time just how easy it can be.
This is a perfect place to go with your date or with a group of friends and have a great time and learn about food preparation and hone in on your culinary skills.

We had a great time attending the crepes class. The instructor was very helpful and engaging as well. A great date night, that ended in great food.

We went here on a team building outing. It’s in an industrial park. Kitchen design business by day/​crazy fun cooking classes at night. This was the best surprise ever. The chef was awesome and kept us all laughing. I felt like I was in the Master Chef competition. We made pizza, drank wine and ate pizza. Such a fun time!!!

Cooking Skills Academy will always hold a special place in my heart because that’s where my fiancé proposed to me. The space is incredible – the kitchens are so nice and fun to work in. The chefs are also good at what they do, and more importantly, very engaging. Chef Paul worked with my fiancé to tailor the night to exactly what he hand envisioned. The whole experience was amazing and we couldn’t be happier with Cooking Skills Academy!

I must say I had an amazing experience here with my wife. We have never done anything like this ever. We had a blast we made a southern style meal it was awesome. We made a biscuits and and gravy with a light fried chicken and peach cobbler. We left full and happy and we can’t wait to go back.

I’ve been here twice. Actually twice in the last week and a half. Last week it was steaks and chops with chef Tony and last night was fall in love with chef Manny. Great food and a great time. Will be back again for sure

Updating my review. It has been 9 months since I attended a class. Each of the 5 disappointment that I listed from my first review, has been resolved!
1) Aprons were provided to each student.
2) Each person had enough supplies to make all of the recipes, without having the assistants have to go wash utensils and bowls.
3) Our biscotti and scones were evenly baked.
4) Our individual cookie sheets were easily identified.
5) At the start of class, the instructor told everyone where the washrooms were.
What I liked about this particular class (Biscotti and Scones) is that there was a good mix between student participation and instructor demo.
I recommend this class.

My review is strictly on their customer service, as I was never able to get into a class. A girlfriend and I have purchased a groupon for a pasta making class. Cool we make our own pasta, as so we though… Our first class that we had booked got canceled due to the bad weather in Chicago Winter ²⁰¹³⁄₂₀₁₄. Alright, completely understand. Our groupon was close to expire so I contacted the Academy and they told me they will honor my expired groupon if I sign up for a future class (as long as it was in the same price range). I made it a habit to check for new class schedules once every two weeks. Every time I was disappointed, as either there were no new classes, there was a private event, or they were all filled up. I contacted the Academy again, no reply. Contacted them again, no reply. I was still in the habit of checking the class schedules, this time about once a month. At this point all of the pasta classes (which we really had our minds set on) were always booked up. Sure we could have taken a crêpe making class and paid extra, but that’s not the point of buying a groupon and experiencing the class you actually wanted for the price you paid for. This company has got to either help assist their unsatisfied customers (maybe answer some emails, or phone calls when we try to contact you), open up more class schedules, or give us some kind of forewarning. I’m sure the pasta they make in the class is amazing, but at this rate I’ll never know.

This is a detail-​packed review for the Pasta Making Class.
THE GOOD
–I learned of this class through Groupon. I was stoked for the deal, and even better, Groupon had 15% off Local Deals that day. Score!
–I was buying for a gluten-​free friend, so I first emailed the business to see if they could accommodate. Less than several hours later, Chef Paul kindly responded and said it wouldn’t be a problem — just let him know before booking so he could have everything ready for us.
–At the class, you watch first, then cook. It is difficult at first to remember the steps, but Chef Paul walks around and helps with any and all questions.
–The pasta is extremely easy to make! I devoured it, along with the two sauces that were made. It was delicious.
–Very clean place, super neat interior.
–Chef Paul is very kind and a great instructor.
–The BYOB option was nice and they provided both wine glasses and a bottle opener.
–You get to bring home dough for gnocchi. I made it three days later and it turned out wonderfully.
THE BAD
–The class is listed as going from 6:30 — 8:30pm. Be warned: YOU WILL NOT EAT UNTIL AFTER 8:00PM. Eat a snack!!! I wish I had had a warning. Also, plan for after 9pm, because that’s when I finally got to leave.
–While you make incredible pasta, there is no side. There is no salad. Not even a slice of stale bread. Just pasta with sauce. When they say BYOB, it’s not just Bring Your Own Beverage, but Bring Your Own Bread.
–Don’t come expecting to learn how to make anything but pasta. Chef Paul will make two sauces, but he does not teach you how to do this, nor does he provide recipes.
–The reviews. I should have listened to the other warnings about purchasing Groupons and then trying to use them (more, in THE UGLY). Regardless, the time to redeem is very, very short. Classes fill up quickly: good for them! Hard for people trying to schedule or use Groupons that expire in a short time period.
THE UGLY — The horrible, icky, ugliness.
–Upon finally finding a class that worked for my gluten-​free friend and I, I went to book and was unable. I think because my Groupon expired. No bother, I would just email the accommodating Chef Paul.
–And email.
–And email again.
–And again.
–And emailed again.
–And finally… again. Five emails and I still wasn’t registered. So I called. The scheduler (Crystal Lynn?) was very sweet. I held back most of my frustration, but enough to still get two spots in the now filled class. She tried to make us sit by Chef Paul during the class, and I refused. She said the class was overbooked already. Ironic, because as it turned out, I sat next to… wait for it… an open seat.
–When we arrived, I was so ready for it all to be over. Nonetheless, this was a birthday present, and I had to put on a happy face for the birthday girl. When we arrived, we asked where we should sit, since one of us was gluten free. They had no clue. Though I had emailed Chef Paul like I was told, and even though I told Crystal Lynn, and even though my email confirmation said «gluten free guest», they weren’t prepared.
–To make matters worse, they brought Chef Paul to me, and he insisted that, «Oh, I remember talking to you, I told you to bring your own gluten free flour.» I laughed. Here I was, having spent several hours trying to schedule this damn class, and you tell me we had a conversation that never happened!!! I was seriously offended. Cool as a cucumber, Chef Paul said not to worry, they’d provide it.
–Twenty minutes later, we were provided with gluten-​free flour and cook away we did. After several minutes, my GF friend asked what type of flour it was. It was not an accusatory request. She, alike every one else in the room, had never made pasta before, and just wanted to know what type they recommended she use.
–Two minutes later, a somber person walked up to Chef Paul with a bag… of NOT GF flour. Are you kidding me?! What if she hadn’t asked? While her intentions were innocent, thank goodness she asked, or we’d have a lawsuit on us.
–Another twenty minutes later, and she finally got to cooking. Though by this time, Chef Paul was showing us how to cook the sauce, so she got a back row seat and had to make the noodles while everyone else stood up and watching him prepare.
I wish I hadn’t had that experience. It seemed like a great class and had potential for an amazing time. I can’t help but provide two stars, based on that hopeful assumption alone.

I will start by saying that I should be ashamed of myself. I was born in a city known for its cuisine and in a family full of folks who love to burn the pots, but I prefer to have a spotless, «for display only» looking kitchen. I prefer to limit my cooking to holidays and special occasions. On all the other days, I would rather eat out. And when I am sick of eating out, I give in and cook, at which time I wish I had something new to try. So, it only makes sense that this LivingSocial deal caught my eye. The mini skeptic thought let me first confirm there are classes available worth taking. I looked and the tenderloin class was being offered in a few days.
I would be more inclined to order a tenderloin filled with a rub or coating while dining out. Reason being, I order things that I can not fix at home. Well, now, there is one more thing to take off the list because I learned of three quick, easy and tasty ways to tune up a tenderloin.
Chef Paul demonstrated the preparation of each meal at his station and then we returned to our area to make our own. Prepping for the first tenderloin was rough. Mainly because I was slightly intimated by the number of ingredients and the view of others who looked as if they were half way finished before I even picked up my knife. However, I quickly realized that a few people chose to leave out certain ingredients and preferred to eat their pork medium rare, meaning their prep time was slightly shorter than the time needed to prepare my loin.
All in all, the meals were quick and delicious. I had to force myself to only have a few bites of each as I knew there was no way I could eat 3 tenderloins and their side items in 2 hours. And admittedly, I wanted to bring a portion home to eat later and see if the wow, I really made this meal and it is amazing reaction remained.
The class size was very intimate (12 people).Most people attended class with a friend or significant other. I paired up with someone else who came alone and we hit it off instantly. We also kept pretty consistent and lively dialog with the pair next to us.
Other Neat Things about the class
— It is BYOB
— After class you receive special pricing on future classes and products you used

DO NOT BUY A GROUPON! I got a groupon that was WAY oversold. Classes are sold out as soon as they’re posted– good luck getting in before your groupon expires. Forget trying to contact them– you’ll never hear back. Oh wait, you say they never expire? Great, so I can pay full price for a class I’ll never get into, that I wanted a deal on because I’ve never been there. What a hoax. I’m contacting groupon to be reimbursed. This is some shady business.

I’ve been here several times for different classes. Both Chef Paul and Chef Manny are really great teachers. I admit, it can be pricey but it’s cheap as far as cooking classes go. Plus, if you sign up for their email list you get notified when they have specials. I would recommend starting out with the knife skills class and buy the knife! You learn how to hold your knife properly (sounds dumb, but it’s important) and all the different cutting techniques. You also learn to cut up a whole chicken — extremely helpful. The sauces class taught me how to properly make an amazing hollandaise sauce. The one-​hour meal classes are really fun. A great idea for a first date or just something different to do. AND it’s BYOB… just not for the knife skills class. I am looking forward to the grilling classes this summer :)

Went for the 20-​minute meals class and it was fantastic. The chef was very helpful and knowledgeable and did a great job explaining what he was doing and his rationales. They provide the recipes to take home and I’ve made the salmon twice so far, tastes delicious! The school is beautiful inside, very well kept, clean, quality ingredients. A couple kinks to work out: e.g. the iPad stopped working in the beginning of the presentation, we had to wait to eat our pork while we made the salmon so the pork was cold by the time we got to eat it. But overall, can’t wait to come back and try another class. Thank you much!

If you’re a hands-​on learner, take a class at Cooking Skills Academy.
My boyfriend and I attended the Sushi Maki’n class for our Friday night «date night», and enjoyed ourselves immensely. The time flew by.
We each had our own cooking station, set up in a semi-​circle, so students could see demonstrations, and everything at our station was set up neatly before the start of class.
The instructor, Chef Paul.…This guy knows what he’s doing. His teaching skills mirrored his knowledge of making sushi — both excellent. He didn’t just show us how to make sushi, but he explained all the reasons why it is done a certain way. He explained what to look for when buying a fresh piece of tuna, secrets in making the best rice, and tips on where to purchase ingredients locally. His enthusiasm for his work definitely showed.
We will be back for more classes in the future!
5 stars
Last visited 4÷19÷13

Chef Paul… the butcher, the baker and the pasta maker. Or sushi maker, or pizza maker or knife skills guru.
Super fun date night! Definitely a great option for friends or couples that want an experience instead of another dinner out. First time taking a cooking class and it was really fun! No experience needed for the pasta making class. We made homemade gnocchi and ate it right away. Then we made linguine or spaghetti to take home.
I do remember Chef Paul instructing us to put the linguine on a hanger when we got home. Oops! Too much fun and excitement over making perfect gnocchi (or maybe it was the wine… you can BYOB here), but I forgot. So tonight for dinner I made «lumpy linguine». It was pretty stuck together in the baggie that we brought it home in. Still tasty though!
Lots of two-​seater counter/​work surfaces set up around Chef Paul’s demo table complete with video to project a close up view of anything he is chopping/​cooking onto the screen. 16 to 20 ish people in a class. Really want to check out the knife skills class at Cooking Skills Academy. Has anyone taken that yet? I am a little worried that I might need a smaller class for that one.
Leave your rings and watch at home. You don’t knead doughy jewelry… oh, need doughy jewelry. ;)
P. S. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands.

This cooking class is really as good as you can expect.
I went for the first time about a year ago with my Girlfriend. I had never went to a cooking class before so as I guy I was a little skeptical. We took the knife skills class. Chef Paul laid everything out to make it easy for anyone. Even if you had no experience… when we all left we were cutting up whole chickens!
We have taken several classes since then, and the class has only grown. The setup now is amazing. With the projector it makes it so much easier to see what Chef is doing.
Chef Paul is very engaging, and is just like someone you would hang out with on the weekend. Very cool guy… but he is VERY knowledgeable as well. Nice to see that someone whom is so good at what they do is still down to earth (many of these chefs are stuck up and Chef Paul is the exact opposite)
If you have a question he will make sure it’s answered.
Not only do you learn how to cook amazing things… YOU GET TO EAT IT when it’s finished. So not only did you get a class, you got a meal for your money.
The things you learn are always practical to the REAL world and I use all the skills I learn there every day in the kitchen.
FYI this place is BYOB so you can bring wine or a cocktail to have while you are cooking!
CSA you have a fan for life! Thanks Chef Paul!

The words false advertising are too kind for this event! The review is for the Cooking Skills Academy as a Show Presenter of the Chicago Cooking Expo 2012 at Arlington Racetrack. This was an event that was promoted to gourmet foodies wanting a culinary adventure. Celebrity Chefs, Tasting Pavilions, the best restaurants and food trucks under one roof. Come nibble samples of international cuisines, sip wine and spirits. This is their promotional language not mine.
The event was unorganized and falsely promoted. No celebrity chefs, I didn’t see any of the best restaurants or international cuisines. Several vendors had nothing to do with food at all (dude selling sunglasses, Chicago Tribune) and tables were empty. Wine and spirits not really. Two tables with wine and the one table wasn’t serving because they didn’t have cups! Very disappointing! A complete waste of time and money.
Cooking Skills Academy you should be embarrassed to be the show presenter for this event.

I took a Knife 101 skills class here the other week and I was pleasantly surprised. I found out about Cooking Skills Academy though Living Social and had it not been for the deal, I never would have known this place existed. I work very close to here and I never knew there was a cooking class program. Perhaps a sign outside might boost advertising efforts? I was chatting with some fellow classmates and they never knew this place existed either.
The class itself ran from 6:30 pm to around 9:30 pm so it was jammed packed with basic knife 101, how to properly cut/​slice your veggies, how to properly cut up a chicken, how to sharpen your knife and how to use different cutting styles such as julienne and batonnet cuts. All of the items that we were cutting were used in our main meal (chicken with garlic mashed potatoes) as well as to make an appetizer of pico de gallo and fresh tortilla chips.
Our chef/​teacher, Paul Guerrero, was very knowledgeable and friendly. He taught us some tricks such as how to cut a green pepper and jalapeño pepper without getting any seeds anywhere. Also, did you know that you can cut onions without crying? The trick is you need a super sharp knife! Oh, and you can tell if a jalapeño pepper is spicy if it has the white stretch marks down the outer side.
All of the supplies/​tools are provided as well as aprons. For this particular class, they also provided everyone with beverages of water and soft drinks. At the end of the class they will even box up the meal that was made so you can enjoy it at home.
I would definitely take another class here if I came across another deal in the future.