I have taken classes twice over the course of last year at Culinary Communion. First of all, it's in a pretty bad location on Beacon Hill in a slummy part of town so heading there at night can be a... More

I have taken classes twice over the course of last year at Culinary Communion. First of all, it's in a pretty bad location on Beacon Hill in a slummy part of town so heading there at night can be a bit worrisome. At first, I thought what a good idea! But after taking his classes, i feel he is just in it for the money. I took both his Charcuterie Class and a Tuscan Italy Cooking Class - both of which he just handed off recipe cards to the class and said go make them. Gab really enjoys hearing himself talk and truly does love cooking, he just doesn't truly care about teaching it the right way. Both experiences the cooking portion always seemed to feel like a rush job from everyone participating. He talks to much, then we need to get the cooking done. Besides all of these complaints - the number one issue of why i would not go back to see Gab at Culinary Communion comes down to his Charcuterie Class. I took the one day Charcuterie Class for close to $200 a person - for those of you who don't know Charcuterie, Sausage Making, Salami, Salumi, Bacon. They all fall under Charcuterie. Most of the Charcuterie we made in the class we couldn't taste because it had to be cured and dry for 1 month or 2. So what does Gabriel do with the sausage that I paid for in the class - he sells it through his new "Swinery" business at local markets and directly out of his beacon hill location. This is just plain wrong! Pros: It's great to eat - but save the money, buy a cookbook and cook at home! Cons: Instruction, Customer Service, Value, Taking Advantage
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I am a pretty accomplished self-taught home cook, with little instruction from parents or grandparents. I have taken quite a few classes here, and overall each time has been educational and... More

I am a pretty accomplished self-taught home cook, with little instruction from parents or grandparents. I have taken quite a few classes here, and overall each time has been educational and enjoyable. Gabriel Claycamp is an enthusiastic food geek, and loves to share his knowledge of which he has lots, both theoretical and empirical. He charismaticly engages on all levels, but never haughty, overbearing, or condescending. Classes are hands on, and can be overwhelming the timid--ask questions, get your hands dirty, and immerse yourself into the experience and education of these exceptional classes. Take the Knife Skills class or the Seasonings class for some eye-opening classes for the self-taught home chef, or the Charcuterie class for the weekend warrior. The menu composition class is a fantastic class for anyone who likes to entertain, and the confit clinic really shows some assembly line techniques that ease the labor into quick work. The Series class are some serious instruction, and great friends will be made. Recipe cards are distributed as soon as you walk in, and most likely you will get through them all, depending on the speed/expertise of the class. It is better to have felt like there was too much then to be bored. Often, the class takes home leftovers--these alone are worth the cost of a fancy lunch and dinner! Pros: Hands-on beats mirrored countertops any day. Cons: Students should avoid advanced classes if they don't--can't--cook.
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File this review in the pending category, as I have yet to actually attended one their classes. The three star is for the customer service should your class be canceled. My wife and I were... More

File this review in the pending category, as I have yet to actually attended one their classes. The three star is for the customer service should your class be canceled. My wife and I were registered for a class on January 8th. The class was scheduled for 6pm that evening, and it was canceled at 4pm that afternoon. It was very short notice and seemed a little unprofessional. They contacted us by phone and email, so they definitely worked hard to notify us. The three star is partially for the rushed cancellation, but it is primarily the delay in the refund. It took three weeks to get the money returned. I do give them credit for having very friendly and courteous staff.
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My husband and I took a wine class at the West Seattle location - we had a lot of fun! While it was a little cramped, we learned a lot and enjoyed the evening - fabulous appetizers, great wine,... More

My husband and I took a wine class at the West Seattle location - we had a lot of fun! While it was a little cramped, we learned a lot and enjoyed the evening - fabulous appetizers, great wine, hands-on learning. Highly recommend it! Pros: something different, interesting, fun Cons: smaller class would have been better
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These guys are awesome http://www.culinarycommunion.com/ They have a new location for classes on the Eastside and the classes are diverse, informative, and fun. I really enjoyed taking their... More

These guys are awesome http://www.culinarycommunion.com/ They have a new location for classes on the Eastside and the classes are diverse, informative, and fun. I really enjoyed taking their Indian Cooking class last fall.
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I took the Indian Cuisine class from Gabe. He is so lively, friendly and helpful in the kitchen. Under his guidance, everyone got to prepare a couple dishes. After finishing the group meal, we got... More

I took the Indian Cuisine class from Gabe. He is so lively, friendly and helpful in the kitchen. Under his guidance, everyone got to prepare a couple dishes. After finishing the group meal, we got to eat it with all our new friends. We had an absolutely amazing time that evening and learned some great techniques. They also gave us a takeaway binder with lots of history about the cuisine, recipe cards for items we made, descriptions of the techniques and ingredients used. He filled us in on where to get good affordable ingredients also, and he had us taste and smell the spices before we started cooking. It was a great learning experience and a lot of fun. I hope I can find time to take more of their classes in the future.
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I have been taking a good number of excellent hands-on cooking classes at this place called Culinary Communion: http://www.culinarycommunion.com They have a branch in West Seattle and a branch... More

I have been taking a good number of excellent hands-on cooking classes at this place called Culinary Communion: http://www.culinarycommunion.com They have a branch in West Seattle and a branch in Snoqualmie. The owner-instructor, Gabriel Claycamp is a great, funny guy who has an encyclopediac knowledge about food and its preparations. Gabe graduated at the top of his class from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY (the most prestigious cooking school in the USA). After that, he was the sous chef at the Tasting Room in Manhattan (one of the top restaurants there, with the largest all-American wine list on the eastern seaboard), and then moved to Seattle to become the executive chef at Anthony's Homeport. Deciding that he would prefer to teach and impart his vast storehouse of cooking knowledge, he started Culinary Communion. My cooking skills have improved tremendously as a result of this class, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is interested in taking cooking classes. Classes are typically 3 hours long, and start out with a lecture by the instructor, followed by the hands-on preparation of several dishes that are chosen to allow practice on the topic being taught. At the end of the lesson, students and instructors sit down to have a meal together, enjoying the food that they prepared. All this, plus wine during the class and the meal, comes up to $70 per class which is very reasonable IMO, especially considering that the meal is restaurant-quality. I'm looking forward to taking the advanced cooking skills series this fall. Maybe after that, I'll open my own restaurant! :-) If you ever take classes with them, tell Gabe or Heidi (his wife, the business manager) that Bertrand sent ya ;-)
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Classes are located in W. Seattle, in a private home. The set up is funky but the classes are highly professional and bring in students of all cooking levels. You can find the class that suits your... More

Classes are located in W. Seattle, in a private home. The set up is funky but the classes are highly professional and bring in students of all cooking levels. You can find the class that suits your interest and skills. They've grown substantially over the past two years, including Eastside classes, a big sign of popularity. I took basic skills and found it very good.
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Culinary communion offers a wide range of cooking classes. They include series classes, like a 6 class Basics series for complete novices, a 6 class Techniques series that goes over the... More

Culinary communion offers a wide range of cooking classes. They include series classes, like a 6 class Basics series for complete novices, a 6 class Techniques series that goes over the fundamentals of professional-style cooking, and two series focused on baking. There is also a long list of stand alone classes and mini series, covering dozens of international cuisines, and intriguing topics such as cheese making and charcuterie. The instructors are passionate about food and cooking, and are both patient with novices and encouraging to more advanced students. Classes normally cost $70, but check the website to get on the 'Guest List' mailing list, which will get you in to last minute openings at a discount. Two locations, Kirkland and West Seattle, accommodate both east- and west- siders.
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