Cooking Classes in Paris -- Seeking feedback etc ...
 

Bon jour mes amis ;)
I am hoping FINALLY to take a cooking class in Paris on my next visit this fall. [I had so much fun and learned so much with the recent classes I took in Bangkok & Hanoi].

I have done some research. The names I come up with are:
François Meunier
Samira Hradsky [through International Kitchens]
Paule Caillat [VERY expensive]
Le Cordon Blue [They don't seem to have many "by the day" classes]
La Cuisine Marie-Blanche

I'm willing to pay up to 150 USD. I prefer an included market tour and "hands on", but will settle for "demo" -- I speak enough French to probably make it through as long as they speak some English. AND I don't want to get yelled at for being a knife_klutz [TM].

Does anyone have any experience with any of the above and/or additional suggestions?

Merci!

I have taken several classes at Le Cordon Bleu and enjoyed them very much. My favorites were the all day Saturday classes, hands on, preparing the recipes along with the chef. You have your own station with ingredients set out for you and there were twelve students in our group. You are served breakfast prior to the beginning of class and a buffet luncheon, with wine, mid-day. I took the sauces class and the autumn pastry class and at the end of the day, I had a shopping bag full of food to take home on the metro.
I wanted to try the classes offered by Francois Meunier last October but they didn't fit my schedule that trip. She will send you an e-mail with the schedule and menus for your selection. I hope to try for it this fall.

HI sfowler,

I took the class with Samira last spring, which I really enjoyed. We met at an agreed-to location near her apartment, went to the market, then brought everything back to her apartment and cooked. She bases her menus on what's fresh and available. We made two of everything--two starters, two main dishes and two deserts, plus side dishes, salad, a cheese course and wine. You do get to participate (when I took the class there were five of us, and all but one person wanted hands-on time.) She includes the recipes for everything. Everything was amazing--it was the best meal I had in Paris. I'd highly recommend it and I'd do it again.

Have fun!

Patti

I saw this...have to assume its pricey
but that's relative! ... I think it would be pricey to play golf at Pebble Beach but people do it all the time!

http://saveurs.sympatico.ca/ecoleche...eneralinfo.htm

Merci mille fois!!!
This is just the sort of information that is sooo helpful ... I'm open for more too ;)

Shamelessly topping for more feedback ;)

Hi Sally,

When I took Samira's class one of the participants was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal writing an article about cooking classes in Paris. In the article she reviews three. If you want me to forward a copy to you, let me know.

Patti

Gee, now why would LuxuryLinks email me? Anyway, one enticing trip offered was a week long cooking school with guest chefs at a chateau someone in the south of France, and it was only $7,998 (I think...won't quibble on the dollars)
which included air fare. It included lots of local market shopping ... the cooking, the eating..the winery tours, and then I suppose a sip or two of a good wine

Patti -- that would be super!
[email protected]

HI Sally,

It's on its way to you right now!

Patti

My wife spent 2 weeks in Paris last year just to attend cooking classes (and shamelessly shop for clothes and new cooking utensils during her spare time). She was very enthusiastic about her classes at Le Cordon Bleu and much more so with the ones at Meunier. She liked the market visits with both schools.
My wife's French is minimal but she said she was able to catch on easily.
Based on the digital images that she took to document her classes, it certainly looked like they were having fun while doing some serious knifing and cooking.

Bonjour Chef de Cuisine,
In 2001 I had a wonderful week
of cooking classes in the Loire at

Le Castel de Bray-et-Monts,
Brehemont, Langeais
http://www.cooking-class-infrance.com/

May of this year I'll be in Paris and
I signed up for two 3-hour classes at the
Pavillon Elysée Lenôtre
http://www.lenotre.fr/en/Pavillon_El...e_amateur.html
This cooking school just open last June.
Bon appetit!

Thanks Patti -- the article was very helpful:)

MAC1 -- I checked out the website for Pavillon Elysée Lenôtre -- will you please report back ?? Please :D

The Ritz Escoffier has afternoon (47Euro) and Saturday (95Euro) demo classes. I did an afternoon demo and enjoyed it very much. You get a small taste at the end not a meal. check into it. http://www.ritzparis.com/home_ritz/home_ritz.asp?id=2

I felt very posh going into the Ritz and learning to cook like a Parisien chef.

Sal, I couldn't resist looking at the sites - am tempted to put my DH on the breadmaking course in London, not that his home made bread isn't gorgeous as is but thought he might enjoy it.
Interesting to note that the Paris school prices for same course is much lower - 129 Euros instead of 149 pounds!!!

I took the "Market Tour" course with Le Cordon Bleu a couple of years back. It was one of the highlights of my trip. The amazing (in a weird way) thing about the school is that is overrun with Americains!! Reception, translators, the only "frenchman" I saw was the Chef himself. He spoke in French but they always had a translater throughout the day. The class started early 7:30 AM? (with breakfast, market tours, tour of Poilane and then back for lunch and then the afternoon with a cooking demo) and lasted well after 5pm (when Chef finished cooking and us eating).

I believe the cost then was $150.00.

My only dissapointment was there was no hands-on cooking - but it was fabulous!