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September 2023 by Zay T.
I showed up for a French cooking class after a long hike, with no time to change or shower in between (I didn't smell bad, just looked like someone who spent half the day outside lol). Most of the other couples looked like they were on date night, and there were a few solo cooks too. It was pretty uncomfortable being the only obvious person of color in the group, especially looking the way I did. Some of the other cooks were pretty dismissive and awkward when I had to interact with them, BUT the chef who led the class was so kind to me throughout the whole experience. I felt she really listened and took the time to answer my questions, and it felt like she valued my thoughts and opinions on ingredients. She really made me feel welcome, and that made a difference for me. 18 Reasons is a nonprofit that helps community members, and the chef treated me like a valued community member.The quality of the lesson was excellent, and the meal we cooked was delicious. I really enjoyed the format of the class and felt that we transitioned smoothly from one task to another. Instructions are clearly given; the chef and volunteers circulate to assist and give feedback. It was an enjoyable experience for me, and I want to come back for another cooking class.
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December 2022 by Danica C.
Just finished the Paste di Natale: Lasagna Primer at 18 Reasons on Sunday, 12/18 with instructor Viola Buitoni. Had the most amazing time. I could not believe I made the lasagna from scratch and it tasted better than any lasagna I've ever had. Viola was awesome-funny, personable, and I love the way she describes her cooking process and techniques. Looking forward to taking more classes. Would 1000% recommend you do the same
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November 2022 by Henry
I tried supporting this org with $2,800 for a private event for 14 people but they had bigger fish to fry ????????♂️ I asked in Sept for a date in Nov. Six weeks later, they offer me a date at the end of Nov, at which point I've already rescheduled with Thai Cooking with Sunshine.Then they had the audacity to send me an automated email asking for a corporate sponsorship for their "teach a community to fish" event. What a joke.
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November 2022 by ashley d.
I took the French pastry class with Jennifer Altman and it was fantastic. She's extremely knowledgeable, let us ask questions as we sat together to enjoy our creations, and had an excellent balance of demonstrating, talking, and helping us prepare our desserts. The space is fantastic - it feels very open with long workstations and a great view of the demonstration table. The staff on site to help for our class were great as well and baked our prepared desserts and prepared a delicious salad to share. I also felt like preparing multiple desserts at once was a new exciting skill I learned. As we went along, Jennifer shared tips for rolling in the desired shape, a less specific way to make pastry cream, and which doughs can last a few days in the fridge to be made ahead.There are so many incredible offerings - I hope more specialized dessert offerings and more cooking and baking classes that tie science in so it's more than learning a recipe, but also learning to troubleshoot or adjust recipes. Several of us at the October 21st class mentioned that in our review, so we can't wait for the January class schedule to come out.Thanks for an excellent date night - we will definitely be back soon! The organization itself is doing incredible things and I felt so glad to support their work educating the community.
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August 2022 by Aneesha C.
18 Reasons is a great community space to learn and share about clean, locally sourced food. I love the ranch visits where you can meet the farmers and see where your food is being sourced from. I also really appreciate the outreach to kids and low income areas to improve access and learning of growing and making high quality food. Thanks for your great work
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August 2022 by Ruben Schuckit
Took Basic Knife Skills. Very laid back and learned a lot. Plenty of individual attention and instructor is great with people.
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November 2021 by Marissa F.
My bf bought us slots in the Malaysian cooking class with Chef Linda for date night (a panic move on his end after getting a stern "you need to plan date nights" talk from myself) and I'm so glad he did!!Linda was a phenomenal instructor, giving us cultural context while also giving us some basic kitchen skills, info about what we were making, and where to find these ingredients to replicate the Nyonya meal we were cooking. The 18 Reasons staff were so friendly and helpful too! And most importantly the food was DELICIOUS!Would definitely recommend for groups of any size though It was like the game Overcooked come to life so I bet it would be very fun with a group of friends/family that can shout at each other.
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August 2021 by Allison Eckert
I really enjoy every 18 Reasons cooking class and dinner I attend. Their teachers are fun, organized, and dynamic, and I return to the recipes I have learned from them all the time!
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August 2021 by Madeleine T.
18 Reasons is a wonderful organization. I highly recommend it in every possible way. The goal to help and provide many to learn how to cook on a budget healthy recipes is invaluable. Their online classes are to be applauded and will hopefully remain a great tool to learn. It is a fun way to manage all recipes in one's kitchen. Very practical and didactic.
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August 2018 by Anisha Kumra
I just took an awesome cooking class there. It was so fun. I highly recommend going there to learn how to cook good food.
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August 2017 by Sarah Odeh
Went for a community meal. Pretty good flavors but the ramen was cold when it came out. Good space, friendly staff.
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August 2017 by Tatiana Marin
If you are looking for a place to bond with your team, relax, learn a trick or two about cooking and enjoy some fantastic food at the end, you got it all at 18 Reasons! Our event was hosted by Michael, Kourtney, Emily, and Chef Jaime. All of them have been so incredibly nice and helpful, and they made us feel so welcome!The venue itself has this French countryside allure to it, it’s super clean and it’s a fantastic space for a happy Friday afternoon with friends (or friends to be) family and more.Our team has prepared the juiciest and most flavorful chicken I’ve ever tasted, along with an amazing salad with a very refreshing dressing made from scratch, and other vegetarian delicatessens. The crown jewel piece of our Team lunch at 18 Reasons was the apple pie topped with ice cream. So light, so tenderly crispy, just enough to make your taste buds perform a happy dance and send you home with a memory of a great mid-April afternoon spent in the company of amazing people! I’m looking forward to our next Team outing at 18 Reasons and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves great food for soul and stomach!
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August 2017 by Cynthia Traina
Loved Shakirah Simley's canning class. She's a knowledgeable and delightful instructor. We went home and put the new skill to use and have tomatoes and peaches to last the winter.
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August 2015 by Jackie Chandler
This is a great place. I recently went for a bbq meal that they served but have also seen so many great events here.
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August 2015 by Angela Moras
Wonderful cooking school in a cozy space, and proceeds support a non-profit!
