Whisked Away

Thanks Maggie. We had a great evening enjoying your hospitality and learning to
prepare some delicious southwestern recipes. Your teaching approach is excellent. Though far from novice cooks, we left with new skills added to our cooking repertoire. We highly recommend others check out Whisked Away. Barb and Rich Haase

Way fun, learned a lot of great tips and ideas. Like, why didn’t I learn that before. Very hands on, she makes it easy to enjoy. We had 2 with us who do not cook and they enjoyed it too. We all will use what we learned, the recipes and not forget the day. We used this opportunity to celebrate w friends birthday. Maggie is a special person who loves her «life», it is NOT a job. This was the best Girls bday we have ever had and it will be repeated.
Thank you Maggie!

Ok first off it’s no wonder she’s highly rated and tops Unilocal for «cooking classes for couples» — my wife had asked about doing a cooking class for a date night so I did a little research.
We had already attended the frys on shea baking night making scones where we just helped the chef… It was more an informational class to sit across the bar because I suppose their insurance doesn’t allow you to really get involved there. Other courses in the valley are larger scale classrooms with more students where you won’t get as involved and you may as well watch a video online for free.
I have to say when I talked to Maggie about how the structure was and if we cooked or helped, I was happy to hear that her response was «oh, I give you an intro and sample how to make things but you’re doing the prep and the cooking.»
She gave an intro that is great for beginners and culinary experts alike. Pay attention during her review of recipes though, because the rest of the class will be sharing your dish when you are done preparing it.
The kitchen environment allowed for plenty of room for six people in our class to both cook and move around safely as well as plenty of preparation knives, cutting boards, measuring and mixing bowls, A beautiful set of all clad cookware and a gorgeous Viking 6 top gas grill. If you’re concerned that it needs to be a professional kitchen for classes I’d say she and her husband setup the kitchen in a professional manner.
My wife and I absolutely loved our date night, the prep work together and with the other classmates, and the food to top it off was awesome!
My advice to this :
Be hungry– there will be a ton of food to enjoy!
Bring wine :)
Take notes so you can make the dishes again at home.
Thank you Maggie!

A small group of friends and I attended Maggie’s Dim Sum class this past week. My young children did Maggie’s summer cooking camp a few years ago and I also attended a parent/​child private class at Whisked Away, but this was my first time participating in an adult class. I can’t wait to go again!
Some details:
— Whisked Away is in Maggie’s adorable Arcadia home and she immediately makes you feel welcome. Her kitchen is set-​up perfectly for her introduction, demonstrations, and hands-​on work.
— Classes are typically 3 hours long and start with an introduction of her background and culinary experience, overview of the recipes, and demonstration of skills and techniques you will need for the class. I feel like I learned more in this first hour than I have in all my years of cooking (did you know that cilantro and parsley are the only herbs you can chop the stems into your recipe too? ME NEITHER!). She also gave really helpful information about where to purchase unusual ingredients. You should attend one of Maggie’s classes just for the first hour.
— Maggie then breaks you into pairs to work through the recipes. We had a group of 7 at our class, so one person worked with Maggie’s help but at the end we all chipped in and helped finish recipes. We were a group of 4 and it is fun getting to know the other 3 attendees. Everyone was so friendly and fun. Maggie has the kitchen throughly prepped before you start with all of your ingredients, measuring cups, bowls, etc. When the cooking starts, Maggie weaves her way in and out of the kitchen, doing the dishes, grabbing items from the refrigerator, gently providing helpful hints and working with you on your skills. She was a huge help with my knife skills (i.e. Prior to this class I had none, so what I actually mean by «my knife skills» is my zero knife skills). I left with a ton of helpful hints for the kitchen.
— The last hour we all helped finalize our dishes, make the sauces, and enjoy the amazing recipes! We made four dim sum recipes with three sauces: traditional spring rolls, salmon money bags, golden shrimp balls, flower dumplings, sweet cilantro sauce, ginger soy dipping sauce, and sweet and sour sauce. Everything was awesome and it was so nice to sit down and enjoy a glass of wine (you can drink during the class to, just outside of the kitchen) and visit with our new cooking friends and Maggie.
— I highly recommend one of Maggie’s classes! You should go to her website now and sign up. You won’t regret it.

We just finished up a cooking class with Maggie in her lovely Arcadia home. We had a private class with several close friends.
First, she gave us a few prep tips which will save literally days of time over the course of my lifetime. The tips were the kind you think to yourself, «wow, why didn’t I think of that?».
The recipes we prepared was moderately complex, yet allowed all of us to greatly expand our culinary skill set. Really what Maggie does is demystify some of the aspects of cooking by first demonstrating the skills then immediately turning her kitchen over to the class to prepare an amazing meal.
Maggie is a wonderful teacher, and a lot of fun too. I strongly recommend Whisked Away to expand your culinary horizons.

My in-​laws gave my husband and I gift certificates to Whisked Away for Christmas (A no-​brainer if you ever need ideas on a unique/​fun gift!!!), and I finally got around to scheduling it for March 29. Maggie was very responsive to emails and even though she had to reschedule due to a personal emergency, she made sure when she reschedule our meal/​menu it worked for us.
As others mentioned, the class takes place in Maggie’s charming home, and was not intimidating at all. Only 3 couples signed up for our night (Delicious Duck Dinner), and one didn’t even show! Their loss — in more ways than one! That left 4 of us to tackle: Haricots Verts & Artichoke Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigretter, Polenta with Wild Mushrooms & Robiolo Cheese, Pan-​Seared Duck Breasts with Red Wine-​Raspberry Sauce and Meyer Lemon Shortcakes with Meyer Curd & Mixed Citrus.
Maggie started the «class» by introducing herself and telling us about her career and background. Then we reviewed each recipe step by step, and she would demonstrate any tricky or unique ingredients/​prep (artichokes, kumquats, etc).
Since it was the four of us, she volunteered to take on a dish, and we happily obliged! Maggie got started on the mixed citrus marmalade/​sauce for the dessert, and we split the rest up from there. She has all the measuring cups/​spoons, utensils, bowls, cutting boards, knives, etc. all ready, so it makes the process a lot smoother. She even cleans up after you as you go — which helps to not destroy her kitchen in two seconds flat.
I would consider myself a pretty good home-​taught cook, but was really intrigued to learn how to prepare duck. I even picked up some other little tips and tricks along the way, surprising but very welcomed! She also has enough aprons for everyone, which was a very charming touch, and has since made me pull mine out more often at home!
At the end, we sat down to a massive feast and had enough food to feed a small army!!! It was late by the time we finished since we were short on cooks, but she never rushed us even though we started to feel bad it was getting so late. She even sat down to enjoy the fruits of our labor with us and chat. You can’t take the leftovers home due to Maggie’s business license/​regulations, so I hope she was able to use the leftovers somehow! She also allows you to BYOB — but, no drinking in the kitchen. Safety first people! She also gives everyone print-​outs of the recipes so you can brag to people about the fancy pants meal you just made!
Overall, a great experience and I hope to go back soon. In fact, I plan on setting up a private event with Maggie for my team off-​site event at work!

What an amazing experience! I was fortunate enough to be included in a girlfriend’s birthday dinner recently at Whisked Away. Over the course of three and a half hours (without feeling rushed), Maggie welcomed all eight of us, expertly demonstrated highlights from the four dishes we would be making (we had chosen the «Italian Feast»), assisted our preparations in her kitchen and left us enjoy our delicious meal in her dining room. Can’t decide what was better — the components of the meal itself or the fun we all had in making it. If you are looking for a special way to celebrate an occasion or simply want to advance your culinary skills in an a user friendly but expert environment, you must try Maggie’s Whisked Away!

Absolutely fabulous! My girlfriends signed us up for a class with Maggie and it was one of the most fun birthdays I’ve ever had. Despite many of us being «decent» chefs at home, we all learned new recipes, cooking tips and techniques. After creating our masterpieces, we sat down and enjoyed a fantastic meal. It was so much fun and I can’t wait to go back and do more with Maggie — she was absolutely wonderful! Thank you for a great time and a wonderful learning experience in your kitchen!

I dreamed of fragrant fresh herbs, perfectly braised pork, expert chopping techniques and many laughs with my girlfriends after our cooking class with Chef Maggie. She was a pleasure to work with in planning our girls night out and I would recommend this experience for anyone with any level of cooking experience. Chef Maggie’s home/​classroom/​kitchen was perfect for our occassion and left me drooling over her stove/​oven! This is a must for anyone interesting in taking a cooking class!

My wife and I did a lesson for the two of us for lunch. Maggie was so accommodating and designed a menu around our tastes and skill level: scallops with haricot verts and endive salad, halibut with almond brown butter sauce and Israeli couscous salad, finished off with a dark chocolate soufflé with orange blossom whip. Sounds fancy and complicated but Maggie’s laid back and professional demeanor made this a very relaxing, fun, and delicious experience for us. We are very novice cooks but everything came out so nicely, It was almost like we were eating food we didn’t make!

This was a great experience for me and my family! Chef Maggie was very professional, yet warm and personable. Cooking in someone’s house could be a little intimidating but Maggie understood that and made us feel at ease right away. «My kitchen is your kitchen tonight» she told us, except she did all of the dishes and had everything right at hand for us! The food we made was excellent (as I am not a good cook, I was very pleased with how everything turned out thanks to Maggie) and I actually learned some things I didn’t know! I would highly recommend Whisked Away.

Just wonderful. I went Saturday night with my wife and another couple. Maggie taught us many cooking tips that we didn’t know. She was very helpful and patient and then we had a wonderful meal.
I can’t recommend this highly enough. A great value and the perfect date night.

We set up a private cooking class for just two of us on a Monday evening. The entire process was completed in two short emails; Maggie was quick to respond and very accommodating.
Maggie was ready and completely set up right on time. After a few short demonstrations we were off and cooking. The menu I selected seemed simple, but all four food items had techniques Maggie helped us through. The menu she created took us out of our cooking comfort level and had us trying new methods. Under the watchful eye of the chef, we were soon prepping, braising, baking and cooking.
The food we made was great. Each dish was flavorful and well received. There is no doubt we will utilize the new skills to re-​create the menu at a later date to impress our friends.
The entire evening was fun. From her cooking lessons, to stories about her experiences, Maggie was as engaging as she was professional. The event was a complete success, one that I would highly recommend to anyone.

Wonderful classes, lots of fun, but a scheduling nightmare.
Maggie is very kind and patient and an excellent instructor with creative menus and a nice venue. We had a wonderful time and learned a lot of handy tricks that we can take home to our own kitchens.
However, our first class was cancelled at the last minute due to not enough people being enrolled in the class. The second time we got our own group together to avoid this problem, and after scheduling a month in advance we got an email the week before cancelling because she booked another group for the night we had reserved. In the end, the other group was able to switch and it all worked out, but it’s stressful and embarrassing to get a group of friends together, change work schedules and flights to be able to make it to the class, and then have to tell everyone that the event is off.

Received a cooking class as a Christmas present from my sister who purchased it from Groupon.
The class took place in the chef’s home, Maggie. She was very welcoming and greeted all the participants with a warm and friendly handshake upon entering.
Her home is very cozy. She has it set up classroom style for the first half of class where she explains what we’ll be cooking that evening. Then we head into the kitchen and start cooking.
Maggie weaves her way in and out of the kitchen, helping people with measurements, finding ingredients, taste testing and offering her tidbits of cooking advice.
At the end of class, everyone sits down to a family style dinner and eats what we just cooked. It was a fabulous evening and I highly recommend these classes to everyone from the beginner to the advanced chef. I would love to attend more classes and plan on doing so!
This would be a great idea for a unconventional bridal or baby shower or bachelorette party and even a fun date night for husband and wife!

Calling all Desperate Housewives (and husbands)!!
Several times a month Chef Maggie Norris opens her beautiful home to teach those of us lacking in kitchen know-​how or looking to spice up their personal repertoire.
At first, I was a little thrown that the class was being held in a home, but as soon as I walked through the front door I was immediately put at ease. Her home is charming and warmly decorated. The kitchen is exactly as you would imagine: large, open, fully outfitted and well, pretty much perfect!
Maggie has an extensive background. First off, her mother was a caterer so she was called upon to assist frequently. She recounted a story of a Christmas break filled with tying bows to packages of gingerbread men instead of playing with friends. After college, she received cooking classes as a gift and off went the proverbial light above her head. Soon, she began her culinary career at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, ensuring that she graduated at the top of her class so that she could do her externship at the Food Network. She told she arrived in New York shortly after ⁹⁄₁₁. The tone was different than she remembered, having grown up in DC. Odd as it may sound, it was warmer. Everyone was on the same page about where they wanted the country to be. The pace was a bit slower, the people a bit more friendly. Here she worked for Mario Batali and was able to rub elbows with Emeril, Gale Gand, Sara Moulton, Kat Cora, Rocco Dispirto (can you hear me seething with jealousy??) and many other big names.
Upon returning to Arizona, she taught at the now disbanded Cooking with Class. She then went on to do cooking demonstrations for Dacor Appliances in Phoenix, Las Vegas and Tucson. About a year ago her neighbors found out that she had led cooking classes and gave her the necessary nudge to get started on her own… and now we all have the opportunity to attend any of the variety of classes offered by Whisked Away. The classes are so popular that she is booked through February — and it didn’t take long for me, or any of the other attendees, to figure out why.
Maggie is warm and patient and very present. She wants the experience to be very laid back and enjoyable for everyone. After a very short time it feels as if you are in your own kitchen with a few friends. She is very high energy and very informative without talking down to anyone. She wants to make sure she covers all the bases — so no one walks into the kitchen and has that deer in the headlights look going on.
She provided many tips and tricks as we walked through the recipes. As with my review of AndyFood — I will not reveal them. You really do need to attend a class to get the whole experience. I will tell you that she despises when a menu notes the wrong version of «filet» for the wrong foods. She told us that for fish there should be 2 l’s and only one with beef. I hate to admit it, but I had no idea.
We made a lovely Italian meal. I was on the cheesy garlic bread station with a lovely young man — and I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I tell you that this is hands-​down the absolute best garlic bread that has ever passed my lips. Simple but so incredible! We also dined on a traditional Bolognese and Béchamel Lasagna, Classic Caesar salad and a de’light“ful tiramisu. The dinner was incredible and the company a treat.
Please visit whiskedaway. netl and schedule your class, you will not be disappointed on any level.
If you will excuse me, I need to run to the store for some ingredients — I have garlic bread on the brain now!
Visit our site for a full view of our complete interview with Maggie:

My sister and I gave a Whisked Away cooking class as a gift to our mom, step-​mom and 4 stepsisters for Christmas. On December 26, Maggie opened her home (and business) to us and taught us to cook with pumpkin! There were chairs set up in classroom style on the living room side of the kitchen pass-​through with vintage fabric aprons draped over the back. We brought a couple of bottles of wine to enjoy and poured ourselves a glass as we took our seats. Maggie introduced herself, and her mother who was visiting for the holidays, and got to work reviewing the recipes and offering up tips for cutting onions, getting the smell of garlic off your hands and answering questions along the way.
When it was our turn, we donned our aprons and entered the kitchen. While it did strike me as unusual to have a cooking class in someone’s home, I must say, the familiarity of a homey kitchen contributed to a more relaxed and paced learning and cooking experience (I’ve taken classes in kitchen shops, etc. before and it had a more scattered and sterile feel). That said, the fact that I was surrounded by family — some of the most wonderful women I know — probably also added to that affect.
With our menu complete: Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup, Green Beans with Pepitas, Pan-​Seared Scallops with Pumpkin Risotto and Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce, we reclaimed and refilled our wine glasses (they weren’t allowed in the kitchen) and took a seat at the family’s dinning room table. We enjoyed the fruits of our labor and each other’s company while Maggie and her mom did the dishes.
Let me tell you: It was a GREAT gift idea! Everyone loved it and there’s talk of making it an annual event.

I had the pleasure of partnering with Maggie on a special kids cooking class on a Saturday morning. She is an exceptional cook as well as professional businesswoman. Her culinary experience, creative flair and delightful personality makes her a pleasure to work with and will certainly lead to much success for Whisked Away… and what a fun name. We should all be so lucky as to be Whisked Away with Maggie. Kudos!