Hipcooks cooking classes in downtown LA
Has anyone taken a Hipcooks cooking class in downtown LA? The 10 person class is $55 per person, and usually centers around a theme like a cocktail party, grill, japanese food, and so forth. I think it's a great idea for a fun girls' day/night out summer activity, but I'm wondering if it's actually worth it. If anyone's taken it, do you recommend it, and if so, are there any specific classes you'd suggest?
Thanks.
Link: http://www.hipcooks.com/
chica
May 10, 2006 09:05PM
I took the tapas class as part of a birthday party. It was a hip and stylish space, but I wasn't that impressed with the chef personally. She offered some fun tips, but I thought her teaching tone was a little condescending...but to be fair, no one else had a problem with her. I've taken cooking classes all over town (New School, Sur La Table, private classes) and I would go somewhere else first. Just "eh".
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What place[s] do you recommend? Thanks
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How funny - I also noticed somewhat of a tone, but everyone else seemed to love her so I thought it was just me. I've taken a couple of classes there (the sushi making one and a dessert one), but I felt that it wasn't hands-on enough. There was a lot of showing and not as much doing, especially in the dessert one. The sushi making one was better. I would also love to hear about other places that are better.
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I personally like hands-on classes, you learn so much more about technique. For that I prefer the New School of Cooking in Culver City. Good teachers, lots of room, quality equipment. I recommend any of Jet Tila's classes, at New School, Chef's Inc. or some he does in Chinatown because Asian technique is so different from classic French. Also Neelam Batra's Indian classes at New School are excellent. I keep meaning to try the monthly classes taught by Jean Francois Meteingner, the chef-owner of La Cachette, but I keep forgetting to sign up early since the classes are small.
Sur La Table offers viewing-only classes, but you get to see famous chefs (Jacques Torres did a chocolate class there, and I got Julia Child's autograph a few years before she passed away).
It really depends on what you want to get out of a class. There are a lot of people who treat classes like The Food Network on TV: they just want to be around cooking, have some fun and pick up a few tips. Hipcooks was like that for me. Fun, but not substantial.
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I kind of think that with cooking classes you tend to get what you pay for -- that is, it's unlikely to find a really good one under $75. I thought the one I took at New School of Cooking was very well organized and the facility is well-equipped.
I also took a class at Chef's Inc. which I didn't like quite as much -- it was the first time the chef (a restaurant chef) had taught a class so he wasn't completely prepared.
Link: http://www.newschoolofcooking.com/
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Thanks for your suggestions. Chowpatty, I looked at the New Schools site. I'd love to try the Springtime in Tuscany class - artichoke souffle, lobster fra diavola, chicken under the brick! wow. Thanks to everyone!
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New Schools has a wonderful reputation. Thier customer service is leaps and bounds better than Hipcooks and the classes are actually hands on which Hipcooks SAYS they are but really it's not. As someone said earlier, you get what you pay for.
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