Natural Gourmet Institute
“It's also BYOB and they'll chill your wine for you, so you get a nice gourmet dinner without spending a fortune.”
“Parfait with green tea and vanilla ice cream, mochi and red beans and chocolate tuille.”
“I feel the class was very well organized, contained lots of useful information, and offered many opportunities to test out the skills in class.”
Natural Gourmet Institute
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
5 reviews
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We took a vegan cupcake baking class here last month with Fran Costigan and it was super-informative and hands-on, by the end of class our groups had made about a dozen dozen vegan cupcakes in all different shapes and flavors to split up and take home; all were exceptional and all the recipes we have tried at home have been a great success .. we will definitely be back to the Natural Gourmet Institute soon! hopefully next time we can make it for the Friday dinner service too!
from their website list – this is what we made that day.. just typing this review makes me want to go bake some more!!-
Fluffy Chocolate Cream Soy-Free Cupcakes; Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Water Glaze; 'Buttermilk' Cupcakes with Pink Icing; and Moist Carrot-Coconut Cupcakes with Magic Coconut Cream & Marzipan Designs. The Cream-Filled Cupcakes: Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes; Hostess with the Mostess; Chocolate Pudding Filled, Swirly Cream-Topped Chocolate Chip Cupcakes; and Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cranberry Coulis Filling & Orange Glaze.
mmmm YUM! vegan and delicious!
I recently took a knife skills class here and absolutely loved it. I feel the class was very well organized, contained lots of useful information, and offered many opportunities to test out the skills in class. At first, I thought the price was a bit high (about $120), but I then saw how much work goes into the class. At that price point, I likely won't take too many other classes, but I have a great appreciation for the class and I absolutely loved that the class included a meal made out of the veggies we chopped. Not only was the meal delicious, but it was all vegan – excellent!
My daughter and I had a wonderful time with the other students watching the very entertaining Chef demo the assortment (like 7) vegan gf desserts.
After demo she split us up into groups and with the very eager, amazing assist of the sous chefs (like 5) we set out to cook. They had set up stations to ease in organization!
The space is large but we are a lot of people (like10) and its so surprising to see how a flow of energy and movement occurs with such ease.
Chef was so knowledgable in her recipes and how to execute and I learned several tips on best ways to go about getting the best of your ingredients.
We all then sat together with tea / water and enjoyed our Just (awesome) Desserts.
For fun or for serious cooks, you will love this place as a source of wholesome inspiration and good vibes.
Went there a few years ago while I was in NYC to tour their facility as I was considering a culinary career back then. Found out about their Friday night dinner where they make the classroom into a restaurant and the student chefs prepare a dinner menu that's a full 4-course meal. I expressed my interest of attending that night as it was a Friday. They gave me a discount so I only had to pay $25 and was signed up for the dinner. I came alone on time for the dinner and all the tables were assigned as everyone needs to make reservation ahead of time. I was seated with some students from the culinary program and their friends. Everyone was friendly and the meal was fantastic! I was very impressed with the presentation of the dishes and ingredients they use and the flavor. Everything was great and the food was vegetarian and gluten and dairy free. I didn't miss meat at all after the meal.
This school has become prestigeous in natural food cooking and many of their graduates became successful in the healthy food restaurant sceen. I wish I live close to them so I can at least take their amateur classes which are offered in the evenings and on the weekends. I especially want to attend their vegan cupcake making class and wish we had similar class here in the Bay Area!!
After living here for about 10 years, there are still new discoveries every day and that's why I love this city. Never a dull moment.
I was lucky enough to be my friend's date for Friday night dinner here. On Friday nights, NGI opens their doors to the public, they set the tables, light the candles and put their chefs in training to work and creating a unique, intimate family dinner that is usually vegan and/or gluten-free. Dinner is BYOB, and costs only $45 for a high-quality, local and fresh 3-course meal. And wow, I got to try this all for free. It really pays to have good friends.
We came here on Friday, Jan 16 for a Japanese New Year dinner. prepared by Chef Hideyo Yamada and her students. For the appetizer, we started with ozoni and brown rich mochi, vegetables and Japanese mitsuba herb, watercress-avocado salad with ginger shiso dressing and "kikka-kabu" flower turnip. The mochi soup was tasty and fresh. Vegetables and salad light and went well with the soup.
For the entree, we were served skewered tofu loaf paired with simmered bamboo shoots, lotus root, carrots and snow peas. It was also served with burdock root with tamari and mirin; broccoli rabe and green amaranth with spinach sauce. Oh, how I love lotus and burdock root! Probably two of my most favorite veggies the world over. Needless to say, I was so so happy to see these two items on the menu, and both vegetables well-made, expertly executed.
And for dessert? Parfait with green tea and vanilla ice cream, mochi and red beans and chocolate tuille. Now that's a lot of mochi for the night, but one can never have enough mochi right?
This was one of the best dinners I've had in so long. I left filled with yummy food in my belly and not too overly stuffed. And my brain was definitely pickled in a few glasses of Cannonau.
Definitely a great date spot and be forewarned, you will fall in love with the food, the venue, all the veggies and that special someone you bring here to experience such a delightful food journey…