The kitchen is statistically the most dangerous room in a home because it contains the highest concentration of knives, open flames, and pots full of semi-living lobsters. Learn to navigate this danger zone with today's Groupon: for $120, you get a Chef's Table cooking class for two, plus 30% off a one- or two-night stay, at Ramekins Culinary School, Events & Inn (a $292 value).
Ramekins offers cooking classes from award-winning chefs in a beautiful, European-style villa in the heart of wine country. During each three-hour cooking class, up to 12 fledgling gourmands prepare and eat a multicourse meal under the careful tutelage of a crack team of expert chefs using essential culinary techniques, such as meat seasoning, soup simmering, and chopping thrown tomatoes cleanly in twain.
Two menus—the Tuscan and the Carneros—offer various takes on classic dishes and expert wine pairings. Learn to wrangle rascally shrimp into piquant prosciutto wrappings or whip autumn vegetables into a roasted tizzy with a pairing of chardonnay, pinot noir, or merlot with the Carneros offerings. The Tuscan menu teaches impatient chefs the important use of thyme in crafting a creamy polenta and suggests a pairing of pinot gris or cabernet sauvignon for its spicy italian sausage and delectable flank steak. Following kitchen experience, pupils undergo a reverse metamorphosis, transforming from social butterflies into hungry caterpillars to enjoy their multicourse dinner. Ten classes will be held and guests should call ahead with their availability and desired menu, allowing Ramekins to plan accordingly. Classes will fill up on a first-come first-served basis.
Post-meal, Groupon holders can take advantage of a 30% discount for a one- or two-night stay in one of Ramekins Inn's six rooms overlooking its European courtyard. Room prices range $199–$235 from November 1–March 31, and $249–$299 from April 1–October 31. Perfect for a weekend of romance or platonic pillow-fort building, all rooms come replete with king-sized beds, furnishings inspired by the French countryside, free WiFi, and bath products from Aveda and Olivina. Packed earth walls control room humidity and temperature, ensuring a comfortable stay for the fiberglass averse.
Reviews
Sonomanews.com featured Ramekins Culinary School, Events & Inn for winning numerous awards, including Best of Show at the 2009 Sonoma County Harvest Fair, and the Press Democrat featured its award-winning landscaping. More than 20 Yelpers give Ramekins an average of 4.5 stars, TripAdvisors award a 3.5 owl-eye average, and more than 870 Facebook users like it:
- I've taken one class and really enjoyed it. The food was AMAZING. I learned a lot of useful things and I'm definitely using the recipes from the class again. – Michelle M., Yelp, 9/7/08
- If you love to eat, love to cook, or love to learn new recipes with a guided chef next to you, you're going to love this place. – A. M., Yelp, 9/20/10