CAMAJE Cooking Classes

I planned a private party with the restaurant for 11 people. Having never visited the restaurant before, I was a bit nervous given some of the negative reviews. I'm happy to say that there was absolutely NO NEED to worry. Abby and her staff took great care of my friends and I. She started the class off with a basic run through of the menu recipes along with some basic cooking tips. Then we broke off into groups to begin prepping the meals. While you do only get to make one part of the meal you are completely free to roam around and see what each group is doing. To be honest the person who complained about only getting to make part of the night's meal is unrealistic. There's no way you'd ever eat your dinner if you had to prep and cook each course of your meal. Your group is left to its own devices for the majority of the time...however if you have a question or just want to know some other random cooking tip Abby and the other chef (John) were always on hand and nearby to lend their help and advice. I had a wonderful time, as did my party compatriots. I did extensive research on hosting a private cooking class in the city and this one is by far the most reasonably price. Tax, tip, food, some wine, clean up, and space are ALL included. I couldn't find that anywhere else in the city. And if I had wanted to decorate the area I would have been able to..something else that I was told wouldn't be allowed at other classes. Abby and her staff were wonderful. I'm so happy with how the event went that I'm thinking of planning my aunt's birthday party here. I really had a wonderful time and if you book your party there I think you will too.

Pros: had restaurant to ourselves & price was inclusive

Cons: NONE

Posted 09/25/09

Cooking classes at Camaje are great fun and I have learned a ton in a very short time. Especially beginner classes are awesome as you learn from scratch how to impress with a delicious menu at home. Also enjoyed the theme classes very much such as brunch and specific cuisine topics. Check it out!

Pros: Awesome teacher, great hands-on experience!

Cons: need to book in advance, classes fill up quickly

Posted 05/29/09

BAD! No A/C, cramped hot small space, and limited teaching or learning involved. Recipes were just read out loud then divided up - so each person only learns how to make one thing with little instruction. We did not get the Abby or Chris as an instructor that everyone raved about below - although the kitchen staff in the back were nice. Set up was cramped and missing measuring cups, spoons, mixing bowls, etc. The class advertised it was from 6:30pm to 10pm, but really the instruction ended much, much earlier with most of the time for us to eat the food we made - even then we left at 9pm. At the end, we asked if we could take home the left over food we made and were met with blank stares and "we just don't do that". Apparently the staff eats and packs away the food we just made and paid for for themselves instead. Very strange and not worth the money!

Pros: nice kitchen staff

Cons: hot small space, poor set up, limited instruction

Posted 07/07/08

The setting was very informal. The class was started late, and the owner/chef took phone calls during the first part of the class, where she was explaining the ingredients/recipes to us. Furthermore, the recipes were simple and we each got to make only one thing. The space was cramped and we were cooking in the kitchen while the normal cooks were cooking for patrons of the restaurant.

All of this said, the recipes and items we made were quite good in the end. Overall, I wouldn't go back for a class there.

Posted 04/26/08

I have just taken the Perfect Pantry with my sister and we both agreed that we would definately enroll to take another class here. The instructors were animated, warm, and most importantly informative. This was great class for anyone who appreciates good food and great company.

Pros: inexpensive, authentic, interesting

Posted 01/13/03

Abby and Chris are great teachers! If the student needs to be corrected, they do it very gently, so you understand the concept much better after their correction. Both of them know what they're doing and the finished product is wonderful!!!

Posted 07/12/02

The Culinary Explorers recipe:

2 amazing chefs
1 bunch interesting students
1 cup excellent, non-intimidating instruction
1 T. laughter
1 T. fun

Pour all ingredients into one cool restaurant kitchen, mix well. Skim any cooking anxiety off top of mixture. Enjoy!

Pros: Great teachers, Interesting themes, Excellent recipes

Posted 06/10/02

Chris and Abby gave a fantastic fifth birthday party for my daughter. The kids made rolling pin snacks, followed by individual pizzas. They had a blast while the adults munched on tasty appetizers. My daughter had a wonderful time and a truly memorable experience. I can't wait to go back for myself!

Posted 06/09/02

Chris and Abby really know their shtuff and aren't hesitant to share it with you. It was so cool to cook in a real Greenwich Village restaurant kitchen. You leave rarin' to create an awesome meal at home.

Pros: Fun!, Learned a lot, Real restaurant

Posted 06/09/02

These guys know what they're doing. Fun and informative and never stuffy. The restaurant setting is very cool and the classe sizes are small.

Pros: fun, informative, intimate

Posted 06/09/02

Restaurant owner Abby Hitchcock and teaching partner Chris Fisk provide a fun and intimate setting to teach cooking skills. Classes are taught in the restaurant itself and students use the kitchen along side with the restaurant chefs. Culinary Explorers is less expensive than most other cooking schools in the area so it's a great value.

Pros: Great Value, Skilled Teachers, Fun Atmosphere

Posted 06/08/02