CocuSocial — Attraction in New York

Truly one of the worst experiences I have ever been to and I have gone to cooking classes around the world. I have been living in NYC for years and this is by far the worst experience I ever had in the city. I never write reviews but this class and the organization that ran it are laughably bad. I even had to walk out half way through the experience.

I went to the "Mediterranean" Tapas Cooking Class on date night to try something better than just going to dinner. First off, the dishes being made were more akin to Latin American food but hey, they only missed by 5,000 miles.

To set the stage, the cooking class is located in the equivalent of a Holiday Inn breakfast room. You were not equipped with a professional stove or cooking devices. Instead, you were given plastic disposable cups to mix food in and Dollar Tree cutting boards. As you sat at the breakfast table you had a ratty camping burner that the head chef called "ghetto burner", noting half of the burners did not work due to how old and damaged they were. To paint a broader picture of the room, it looked like a band of junkies haphazardly threw together a cooking class with storage material and furniture scattered about the available space. There were clear signs of spills and unorganized inventory. Funnier yet, the two clowns running the show did not even have all of the spices available as they had been lost in the chaos (they located them about half way through the class).

When I walked into the room there was no one to greet or instruct us where to go. I said hello to one of the guys working who did not even acknowledge my existence. Pressing ahead, I found my way to a small table that was topped with vegetables of questionable freshness and a slab of rock hard frozen chicken cemented to the inside of a sandwich baggy. I was assured by the head chef that the fossilized chicken was a part of the plan but you do not need to be Gordon Ramsay to know cooking a chicken from frozen solid is a bad idea.

Enters the head chef. There was no introduction to the other guests in the room, we went right to cooking. I sat through a 45 minute lecture on how to cook all of the food and review the most mundane cooking methods like how to dice an onion. This is when I determined that the head chef was not qualified to put a BigMac together. This process was bizarre because most classes have some element of working together. In contrast, this was a long demonstration followed by “figuring it out yourself”. As the head chef was cutting the vegetables, he instructed us to discard any undesirable parts that had passed their expiry date. The raw produce looked like they had been selected right before they were unsaleable to the public. A brazen sign of the chef’s ineptitude was when he used a metal spatula on a non-stick pan. He also knocked over cooking material, including raw chicken, onto the floor not once, not twice, but three times.

I was surprised to learn that this chef was not some stand-in they had to take at the last minute but had worked with the company for years and had taught many different types of classes. Regarding the head chef directly, I cannot express enough how he was bland, uninteresting, and lacking in personal depth. Most cooking classes have some element of theater to keep the audience engaged.

To top it all off, THE HEAD CHEF ADMITTED TO SETTING OFF THE FIRE ALARM THAT PROMPTED AN EVACUATION OF ALL FLOORS OF THE BUILDING FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY. At this point I made a break for the elevator to escape this nightmare.

In short, this class is devoid of charisma, deficient in tools, has a disastrous layout, and is frankly in violation of NYC health and safety standards. Your money would be better spent elsewhere. This organization should be ashamed to offer such a pitiful cooking experience in a city renowned for culinary excellence.

To the owners, don't bother reaching out asking me to take down this post or responding to this message in the comment section. This experience was not an accident but the product of...

I had to request a refund for my recent attendance at the dumpling making class due to a highly disappointing experience. The class environment was unprofessional and failed to deliver several aspects promised on the booking page. I strongly believe that the value of the class did not match the amount I paid, constituting false advertising.

Our class was combined with an office holiday party group of 11 individuals who arrived late, causing the class to commence late and subsequently overrun. The promised instruction on “refining knife skills” was inadequate, with a shortage of knives for the students and no guidance provided on proper usage. Despite the assurance of “learning the art of making and folding dumpling dough,” pre-cut store-bought dough was provided instead.

Moreover, the commitment to creating a traditional pork filling was substituted with pre-cooked, unseasoned shredded chicken, inadequately supplied for the entire class of 16 participants. Insufficient guidance or recipes were given, leaving attendees clueless about the required ingredients and proportions for the filling.

The promise to teach “three traditional folds” for dumpling preparation - mandu, gyoza, and shumai - was unfulfilled, as only one folding technique was briefly demonstrated, making it impossible for attendees to comprehend from a distance.

Additionally, the advertised Chef Diego was absent, and the teaching chef appeared inexperienced in handling adult classes. Inadequate cooking equipment - only four frying pans and electric burners for 16 participants - caused extensive waiting times and hindered the learning process. Furthermore, one of the pans was damaged, making steaming virtually impossible.

Consequently, my partner and I spent around two hours attempting to make a minimal amount of dumplings, barely receiving an opportunity to cook due to the limited resources and extended waiting periods. The class structure seemed tailored more towards children and families rather than adult learners seeking a valuable skill-building experience.

I firmly believe that the discrepancies between what was promised and what was delivered warrant a full refund. The experience fell significantly short of expectations and did not provide the intended...

I recently attended a cooking class hosted by Chef Maichole, and I can honestly say it was one of the most enjoyable and enlightening experiences I've ever had in the kitchen!

From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with a warm welcome and an inviting atmosphere. The setup was perfect, with all the ingredients neatly organized and workstations ready for us to dive in. Chef Maichole has an infectious passion for cooking that instantly put everyone at ease and made the whole experience feel collaborative and fun.

We started the class by discussing the dishes we would be preparing. What I loved most was how the chef broke down each step in a way that was easy to understand. She demonstrated techniques with clarity and encouraged us to ask questions, making the learning process interactive and engaging.

During the hands-on portion of the class, I felt like I was part of a culinary adventure. I chopped and plated my way through the recipes while receiving personalized tips and guidance from Chef Maichole. It was incredible to see my skills evolve in just a few hours.

The highlight of the day was definitely the moment we all sat down together to enjoy our creations. Sharing delicious food we've made ourselves is a fantastic way to bond, and the laughter and conversations around the table made it all the more special.

By the end of the class, I left not only with new cooking skills but also with a newfound confidence in my abilities in the kitchen. I walked away with the recipes and a wealth of knowledge that I'm excited to put into practice at home.

I wholeheartedly recommend Chef Maichole's cooking class to anyone—whether you're a complete beginner or someone looking to refine your skills. It's a fun and enriching experience that will ignite your passion for cooking!

Thank you, Chef Maichole, for an unforgettable day filled with laughter, learning, and, of course, delicious food! My cousins and myself love your class on 4/4/2025. I can't wait for...