Viva Cucina

For our office's Christmas party we decided to try something new and take a cooking class together. One of my coworkers has taken several classes with Barbara and suggested we all give it a try. She was gracious enough to accommodate the 7 of us and we had a blast. Her home, where the business is located, was festively decorated and she laid out some cheese and crackers for us as we were gathering. She provides aprons and hair ties and then gave us a run down of what we'd be preparing. Breaking off in to teams, we each tackled part of the meal (main course, veggies and dessert.) Along the way, Barbara is there to coach you on the meal prep and help time everything being cooked. In addition to some fun team building, I learned a few valuable tips on properly roasting veggies and making some killer "smashed" potatoes. The meal came out delicious and the best part was the table was set for us and all the clean up done by her and her assistant for the day. Once we all sat down together to share the meal we created as a team, we marveled at how much fun it was and how many great cooking tips we learned. Barbara was an amazing teacher and gracious host. Our office is small and close knit, so sometimes we can be a crazy handful. She rolled with our silly selves and truly seemed to enjoy spending time with us. What makes the Viva Cucina experience amazing is not just the food and education but the hospitality and kindness of the owners. Highly recommend checking it out for a couples or team outing,

My team came here for a second year in a row, and our experience this time around could definitely have been better. The amount we paid didn't align with the overall experience.We were a group of 9 (including 3 vegetarians) making filet mignon and bananas foster. There was a pre-made option of stuffed bell peppers for the non-meat eaters. The way the class itself was handled was fine. Everyone was divvied up into either a entree, side dish or dessert group and had a chance to contribute to the overall meal.The only reason I'm giving 3/5 stars is because I feel like the portion sizes, side dish options and quality of products could have been better. We were essentially paying about $100/head and got carrots and canned corn for side dishes. The portions for the filet mignon were also very stingy. Our first serving was about 3 oz or less and not everyone had a chance to get seconds because the instructors also dined with us (this was totally fine). However, when I offered to cut the leftover meat as the instructors dined I was told to cut smaller pieces so there was enough to go around (although there was plenty left over).I've been to numerous cooking classes so have a pretty good baseline of what a good cooking class should be like and this one falls below the average.We probably won't be back.

FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE! My husband booked us a cooking class for a date night and it was absolutely one of the most wonderful times we've ever had. I learned about cooking, food, good cookware, and more. I wasn't quite sure what to expect at first, but from the moment we arrived, we felt so at home. Barbara might be the nicest person on the planet and is also a wonderful teacher. She is so knowledgeable and professional; we had a great conversation about food science (I work in science and so this was such a bonus!) Her kitchen is amazing! There is so much space and is well arranged for preparing and enjoying food. Speaking of the food! We prepared the Beef Wellington together and roasted carrots and they were delicious. I now have a very impressive dish that I feel confident about making to serve on special occasions (and maybe just when I want something amazing)! My husband and I plan on booking another class again soon. Thank you! =)

We had some friends get together to cook, laugh, and eat! I must say we did a great job with excellent teachers. We'll have to try this again in the near future!

My girlfriend and myself have been talking about taking a cooking class together for quite some time. We never could find any that we really loved and had amazing reviews and sounded delicious. Also, we were concerned that a rudimentary class would be great for her, but I'm only slightly more advanced. (I do the cooking at home.)While looking again for classes and with my girlfriend's birthday coming up, I figured this was a great time and class for us. It was absolutely awesome. The kitchen was awesome and very fun to cook in. Barbara has lots of techniques both "head chef" and "mom's way of doing things" and teaches both. Viva Cucina has a great menu for the 1 on 1 lessons (actually teaching up to 6 on 1 in a private setting). It was perfect for my girlfriend and I. Once we had cooked the dinner (risotto and red pepper stuffed chicken) Barbara and her husband joined us for dinner, some wine (bring your own, she doesn't mind, but doesn't serve) and some awesome conversation. We talked about almost everything! We ended up going over the 3 hour class time by quite a bit, but never felt rushed to leave. Oh, and the best part of all... no cleanup. Barbara and her husband take care of it!Barbara has also been talking about doing more wine pairing nights and I told her when she does, I'll get a group/party together and we'd do it in a heartbeat. Her prices are very fair for the lesson and food. And I will absolutely be going back to learn how to make her Molten Lava Chocolate Cake.Thanks for the lesson Barbara!

I purchased a cooking class at Viva Cucina for my family of five, hoping to give all of us an alternative to the usual boring restaurant food, ordering in, etc., and get us cooking for ourselves. We had a wonderful experience with Barbara. She is a dedicated "foodie," clearly loves the process of cooking and is a great host. Her love for cooking is contagious! We were all swept up in her positive vibe and enthusiasm. We chose the Filet Mignon as our main course along with garlic mashed potatoes, carrots, etc. and Bananas Foster for dessert. Really delicious! It was a great lesson in the science and art of cooking that we are putting to good use at home and will come in handy especially when preparing meals for the holidays. Top notch!

Chef Barbara was absolutely amazing! She accommodated us on a Monday and she was so fun to learn from! She has great tips to cook and we picked the filet mignon ... absolutely delicious! Worth every penny!

Loved the foods Barbara and Todd!!! Such a great menu and loved the wine pairings. Cheers! Susie and Kevin (Danville, CA)

My 13 year old son and myself had the privilege to cook yummy desserts with Barbara on a 1:2 private lesson. She spent a lot of time educating my son on all the cooking tips for making bread pudding, strudel and molten lava cakes. Her kitchen was extremely inviting and a perfect place to learn. No detail was missed!!!! My son can't wait to return for the "Sauce" class and start creating savory dishes with Barbara. I highly recommend Barbara and Viva Cucina. The recipes are easy to make and ones that we will definitely make again and again. Cooking with Batbara is a treat. Thanks again for a great evening. Hope to see you again soon.

My bf and I have been talking about taking a hands-on cooking class. We didn't find many out there. When we did find one, they were already booked months in advance. The other day, I stumbled upon Viva Cucina online and she happened to be available this past Sunday evening. I decided to surprise my bf with the class, hoping the time wouldn't interfere with Sunday football.Barbara is the owner and the class was held at her house in Danville. Her place is gorgeous and her kitchen is a dream. We made a mushroom stuffed porkloin with roasted vegetables and polenta cups. Everything was delicious!It was great because the class was just for the two of us. I chose the menu from an extensive list of options. I told Barbara that we wanted to work on our chopping skills, so she suggested menu items that would allow us to incorporate more of it. We did all the cooking with instruction from Barbara. We asked all the questions we wanted. The class was designed at our pace and level. At the start of the class, my bf was thinking the class would be too basic but Barbara quickly caught on to our cooking skill level and adjusted accordingly. We are thinking of hosting an event with friends and inviting Barbara over to teach a class. She will come to your house or venue of choice and bring all her own equipment and clean up afterwards.The cost of the hands on class was not expensive at all compared to others I have seen. I would definitely recommend Viva Cucina. Barabara was great!