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What They Do: They offer cooking classes that will suit a variety of different tastes and needs, but with a bit of twist!

How They Do it: Lawrence Rush is a one man show, who will create a menu for you and your team, and then teach you how to make the meal, while being a humorous entertainer, ensuring it is a fun and fantastic event.

What makes them Special: This is no ordinary cooking class, this is a sing-a-long, kitchen cabaret!

Quotes from the Website:

“Learn skills that will lift your meals out of the ordinary! We bring everything and do all of the clean up…you just learn, eat and enjoy!”

“Cooking classes, especially ours, are a great way to get people working together to arrive at a common goal.The addition of singing in our classes adds another level of community building, as well. Stress-reducing and smile-inducing, our cooking classes and cheese tastings bring people together, creating team spirit and happy stomachs at the same time!”

Video:

How to cook Chilla with Lawrence Rush, The Singing Chef from Blue Bliss on Vimeo.

Who should you contact: http://foodielovefood.com/contact-us/

Visit the website here:http://foodielovefood.com/

What They Do: A really fun and fresh cooking class based around one of America’s all time favourite foods- the New York Pizza!

How They Do it:  From making the dough to eating the goods, they will teach your team the fine art of pizza-creation.

What makes them Special: Pizza is what they do. That is all they will do. They don’t get distracted by popular food trends and they don’t overcomplicate things. They teach your team how to make fantastic New York Style pizza, simple, fun and effective!

Quotes from the Website:

“Pizza a Casa Pizza School provides a thoroughly entertaining education paired with a gourmet bonding experience that your group will delight in attending and be buzzing about for a long time to come”

“Simply translated from Italian, “pizza a casa” means “pizza at home”.  But it’s so much more than that — it’s a social happening that brings people closer together, united in the love of creating and sharing good food. At Pizza a Casa Pizza School, fostering this spirit of culinary camaraderie has been our mission since day one.”

Who should you contact:

[email protected]

Pizza A Casa Pizza School

371 Grand Street, New York, NY 10002

Visit their website here: http://www.pizzaschool.com/private

What They Do: They offer clean, fresh cooking classes for the more health conscious crowd, hosting events to teach your team how to prepare healthy, natural food.

How They Do it: They have a few set menus for groups sized 10-18 people. They offer a three course meal, and an atmospheric candle lit space to eat a healthy meal the team has prepared.

What makes them Special: They focus on whole, unprocessed, nutritionally well balanced meals- and can cater to lots of different dietary needs, depending on what your team is looking for. It’s great if you are looking for a deliciously healthy option!

Quotes from the Website:

“Our hands-on cooking parties are carefully orchestrated by a team of professionals who will work with you each step of the way to create your most memorable culinary experience.  Choose from a wide variety of menu themes, such as Italian, Mexican, Thai, Mediterranean, Indian, and many more; or create a customized seasonal menu with one of our chef instructors.  Your menu can also be tailored to any dietary restrictions (e.g, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free.) Whatever you choose, your menu will always include the finest ingredients: fresh, natural, seasonal, and organic as much as possible.”

“We believe that what we eat significantly affects our physical, mental and spiritual well being. We all have different body types, ethnic backgrounds, medical histories, stress levels, caloric needs and physiological responses to food; therefore, no one philosophy is right for everyone. Our approach empowers people to tailor their eating style to support their individual health needs.”

Who should you contact:

Mollie Berliss, Events Manager

212-645-5170, ext 106

e-mail [email protected]

What They Do:  They offer professional cooking classes, where you learn from the experts. Cooking is 100% the focus, but enjoying good food and drinking some lovely wine almost always makes for a fun event.

How They Do it:  They can teach classes from 12-60 in size. They have over 200 classes to offer, so there is no shortage of finding one that suits your teams preferences and desires.

What makes them Special: The Institute of Culinary Education’s cooking classes are for groups that want to learn the insider culinary tricks and tips. They are professional, and can host large teams, something not all the other cooking classes can offer. They also offer some special things, like a mixology course, celebrity chef classes, and an open bar!

Quotes from the Website:

“Our Chef-Instructors are experienced professionals, and have a comprehensive knowledge of virtually all cuisines, along with the experience to make cooking fun and entertaining. As one of the leading culinary education centers in America, the school’s atmosphere and professionalism are geared for a fun learning experience. These events are ideal for corporate team building and entertaining, as well as personal celebrations including birthdays, showers, or dinner with special friends!”

“The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City is home to the largest program of hands-on recreational cooking classes, baking classes and wine classes in the world. Over 26,000 people a year enjoy 1,500 classes learning techniques, skills and experiencing flavors from every corner of the culinary world. Our recreational cooking classes are offered day and night, 355 days a year. Located in the heart of Manhattan, ICE has 14 state-of-the-art kitchens – the same as the pros use -filled each day with cooking, learning, tasting, and fun.”

Who should you contact: http://www.ice.edu/serequests/serequests.aspx

phone at (800) 543-8834

email: [email protected]

Visit their website here: http://www.ice.edu/special-events/hands-on-cooking-events

What They Do: They offer fresh and localized cooking classes for groups up to 12, in three fantastic locations in New York.

How They Do it: Brooklyn Kitchen uses fresh, local ingredients, high quality cooking equipment, and technique based training.  They have a very large range of interesting classes, depending on what you and your team is looking for.

What makes them Special: The focus on local, they are truly a unique cooking course for New York City. Also, they can customize an event based on your needs, and will work closely with you to create an event that will really suit your team.

Quote from the Website:

“Our menus focus on delicious, sustainable, seasonal foods that show off the best of Brooklyn’s farm-fresh, community-inspired cuisine. The Meat Hook’s meats and charcuterie, beers from Brooklyn Brewery, chocolate from Mast Brothers, house made vinegars, and produce from NY, NJ, and PA are just some of the local products we use in our everyday cooking here at the Brooklyn Kitchen.”

“We offer a variety of classes aimed at home cooks and ranging from basic knife skills to pig butchering to vegan tamales to mini cupcakes to Persian dinners. We also host several classes in DIY food skills, such as canning and brewing beer at home. Taught by skilled professionals in their respective fields, we aim for a diverse mix of regularly scheduled and seasonally appropriate classes.”

“Are you hosting a PR event, leading a brainstorming session, or just have a vision for a totally unique event? Our event staff can help you plan out the details of your event…just let us know what you’re thinking!  Contact us to tell us more about your event.”

Who should you contact: [email protected]

What They Do: They give art classes to small to medium sized groups, to learn a bit more about art, and then create something special.

How They Do it: The Art Studio will work closely with you to come up with an event that is well suited for your team, and what you are looking to get achieve. They are big on detail. Your team will get to spend some time together, getting creative outside the office. There might also be wine involved.

What makes them Special:  They have been rated as one the best Art Studios in New York, and they really work to give your team a unique experience. This is probably for the more creative teams, but something everyone could enjoy.

Quote from the Website:

“We welcome every age and artistic level in our New York City art classes, and we specialize in Manhattan art classes for total beginners. Everyone needs to express themselves. Our expert creative art class team specializes in drawing out the artist from within you. Our mission is for you to relax, be your true self, feel inspired and genuinely express yourself in our caring, encouraging creative art sanctuary! We care about every single person who walks through our art studio doors, and we treat our students like family.”

Contact: 

145 West 96 Street, Suite 1B, NYC

Email: [email protected]

What They Do: They supply you with a great atmosphere for your team to relax and have a good time, with a classic game of bowling!

How They Do it: The space! The lighting! The All-American menu! Balls and pins! Fantastic bowling experience…check! They are a little more hands off when it comes to promoting team work- but sometimes that is exactly what a team needs- to just relax and have a bit of fun!

What makes them Special: The space they have created is great- just a fun place to unwind, and loosen up. They have a plush private area, so that your team can feel comfortable, just hitting some pins.

Quote from the Website:

“A healthy competitive bowling-based team building exercise can work for your hard-working team. Let Lucky Strike New York provide positive reinforcement of teamwork in an energetic atmosphere.”

“Nobody wants to sit and listen to some high-priced guru’s theory of teamwork. Our method is a unique hands-on-get-out-of-your-chair and have FUN approach that will have everyone engergized and laughing from the beginning. It’s low impact and low stress.”

“They have the spirit and competitive nature of college drinking games (only without the drinking). And in a fun, non-threatening way, we quickly get everyone involved at the same time.”

“Our philosophy is that, if we can get you on your feet, laughing with each other, working together AND having fun, the next day when you enter the office, you’ll see your fellow co-workers in a whole new way.”

Contact Info: 

Phone: 818.933.3752

Email: [email protected]

What They Do: They aim to get you and your staff talking with one another, and while they are talking, they will bond! Using a relaxed, yet competitive atmosphere, their entire aim is to help your team open up.

How They Do it: Through a trivia game.  Adverse to boring “trust” games and obstacle courses, TrivWorks will work with you to create a Trivia night, balancing the diversity in your team to get people talking and making connections in new ways.

What makes them Special: This is not just a “lets stick everyone in a room and they will bond” type operation, the people behind TrivWorks have thought a lot about what each company needs, and how to best support them to build strong teams.

Quotes from their Site: 

“Once people start talking and getting to know one another better, they will realize not only things which they have in common, but see each other in a fresh light. This is the key to creating teams and workplaces which are truly happy, fostering positive workplace skills such as collaboration, communication and smart conflict resolution which are so vital to producing great team results.”

Visit their Website:http://www.trivworks.com/employee-team-building/

What They Do: They sail you and your team around the harbour, you play some games and generally just have a good time together, on a boat!

How They Do it: They will pick your team up from one of the 5 marinas in New York City, you will ride around on the boat for a specified amount of time, whether it is to have dinner, or play games together, listen to some jazz- there are a lot of options, depending on what would suite your team best.

What makes them Special: It is on a boat! It is a unique kind of event to host, you really escape the city vibe, and do something completely different. Also, there are many options for what to do while you are on the boat, finding something that would suite your team is a breeze.

Quotes from their Website: 

“Bring a smile and a willingness to learn and try new things. This is a unique opportunity to learn a lot of interesting information from experienced, professional sailors. It’s going to be insightful and a lot of fun!”

“Perfect for any corporate team-building event, the schooners have a fun, competitive, and educational team-building program. With hands-on activities, teams will not only have a great time but will also collectively learn about the basics of sailing and line-handling.”

Visit their Website: http://www.sail-nyc.com/corporate-events

Chelsea Piers, Suite 103 New York, NY 10011

What They Do: They customize cooking classes to meet the needs of your team specifically.

How They Do it: They work closely with you and your team to find out how they can customize a cooking course that will help your team build together based on their strengths and weaknesses.

What makes them Special: This is not just a cooking class, they will actively work with you to find out what your team needs to be successful outside the kitchen. They have been working with teams for 25 years, and know that having fun is important, but it is not the only thing that matters when it comes to team building.

Quotes from their Site:

“Culinary team building provides activities to identify team strengths and weaknesses, and then offers strategies for improving productivity and effectiveness. Your event may focus on advancing specific skills, such as team communications or resource allocation. We can provide culinary challenges to encourage risk taking”

“We are New York’s premier corporate team building authority. Over 80,000 people have cooked and feasted at Cooking by the Book!.”

“Clients who want a highly personalized experience value Cooking by the Book’s proven expertise. Our clients — small and large, local and worldwide — return again and again to our program. Our cooking classes are led by highly qualified professional chefs with additional teaching skills to foster team interaction. Your team has fun while they boost their communications and sharing skills.”

13 Worth Street
New York, NY 10013
Phone: 212-966-9799
Email: [email protected]