Tspoons

This was a great experience. We made 3 dishes in about 2 hours. The whole class did hand made pasta and everything that goes with that, using the little pasta making machine. A mango desert and Pizza pinwheels (rolls). The staff was great at keeping an eye on what everyone was doing and helpful.
Parking in the downtown San Juan Capo area on Memorial Day weekend was a bit crazy but we found a spot over in the parking structure near the train depot. 3 hour limit, so that worked out well.

Such a unique place! So much fun to learn to make great food. Surprisingly it is so easy to learn. Will go back again.

I think I just might be a TSpoon addict. I have attended 8 different classes over the past 4 years and each one has been an enjoyable afternoon or evening with my friends and loved ones. Chef T and her wonderful staff (Danielle and Maria) know how to host a delectable event. What I appreciate the most is that a lot of the prep work has been completed prior to our arrival, so our time spent in class is learning new recipes and cooking techniques before we sit down and enjoy the meal we prepared ourselves.

So much fun, highly recommend for a great evening out. The cooking was very informative and easy, they have all the ingredients measured out and chopped. Then you get to eat all the wonderful food you make.

I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed my evening here. The chefs were knowledgeable yet still personable. I am not a great cook, not really one of my strengths, but they made it easy and manageable. I couldn’t believe the incredibly delicious meal I created. And the location is so charming and welcoming, kudos on the décor. Looking forward to booking my next cooking night.

Lovely place & so well organized! My brother & I went for an advanced baking class. We ended up making 6 desserts in the 3 hours but it ran smoothly because everything was pre measured & SO well organized! All the desserts turned out so delicious. We took most of the dessert home & ate some of it while finishing up the other desserts!
Since we took a baking class, we didn’t have time to eat but the other classes have half the class time to eat what you cook!
Overall great experience and T was the best! She really cares and helps everyone out!

Had an amazing time at the Advanced Desserts class! Frankly speaking, I wouldn’t call myself an advanced baker, however this was an easy class as long as you listened to the directions. The head chef was T, and the other chef assisting was Daniella (Sorry if I got the wrong name). Both were great instructors.
The ambience of the place is absolutely lovely. The décor is «pinterest-​perfect.» The entire kitchen is very clean with great equipment. Both chefs had pleasant personalities and were very helpful. In the span of 3 hours we made 6 desserts. The recipes were actually simple enough to follow along. My personal favorite desserts we made were the chocolate mousse, and the chocolate soufflé. Both were divine.
The cooking classes may seem pricey, however if you consider the cost of ingredients along with the great hospitality, you are definitely getting more than what you are paying for.
I recommend you take your own tupperware because you will have lots of leftovers.
These cooking classes would be a great gift to give as well.

Tspoons is a boutique cooking school in the heart of downtown San Juan Capistrano. Chef T has a heart for the community and shares her kitchen and skills with it! I can’t wait to go back.

Tspoons is the best! I have taken a Thai, cooking with chilies and a Greek cooking class. My husband and I always have the best time and even used recipes from one of the classes as part of the food we served at our wedding. I have always learned new tips and tricks that have greatly improved my cooking skills at the classes. Chef T is so nice and I always look forward to her professional and personal touch. As far as cooking classes go this is the best! I can’t wait to come back!

My wife and I enjoyed a special Valentine’s Day treat celebrating the day with a brunch cooking class conducted by Chef T and her able staff. We laughed, cooked then ate, but we also emerged with a greater confidence in the kitchen. Café-​bought scones will never live up to our own creations in Tspoons’ kitchen that day! We highly recommend this educational and fun experience to anyone who wishes to broad their own culinary skills and to make a lasting memory with friends or the one you love. What a great idea for a party too!

Tspoons knocked it out of the park for my private birthday dinner tonight. My husband and I have attended classes at the Tspoons’ previous location, so I already knew Chef T and her exquisite attention to detail, and charming Chef Dominique with his irresistible French accent, but I think this event went even better than I imagined. It was such a treat for 10 of my closest girlfriends and a very special night for me. The new space is even more charming than the Ladera Ranch location, which was wonderful. The exposed brick, sleek modern kitchen and statement chandelier made for a dream place to invite friends into. And it felt like I was just having people over my home (a dream home) with a private chef in the kitchen and then someone to take care of us and the dishes (the best part!). We laughed, drank, cooked and then ate amazing food. Chef T checked in several times to make sure I was happy with everything and they made the event more about the celebration which is what I hoped for… At the end everyone takes home recipe cards to recreate the amazing meal at home. My only wish was that we remembered to bring some Tupperware to take home all the delicious leftovers. Instead we stuffed ourselves in fear of letting anything go to waste. Also a shout out to Danielle who was amazing to correspond with over email. She was prompt and gracious and wonderful to work with. This birthday was one for the books!

We planned to make a meal here as an anniversary date. I made reservations in advance and asked if there was anything I should know or expect prior to our special night. No, just show up.
When we arrived and entered with the group that was waiting outside we suddenly realized that we had to share a cooking station — and the entire experience — with THE most obnoxious duo. I was stunned because I’d planned a date, not a double date, and the people were cackling, seemingly unaware of others, LOUD and obnoxious. Unfortunately leaving was better than staying and that’s what we did. Therefore this review is about the lack of information given to the customer which led to a let down on a special night rather than a review of the complete experience.
P. S. We weren’t allowed a refund
Happy anniversary
*Thanks for the response. Yes, I did email the owner directly with my questions when booking. I also made her aware that I was uncomfortable with the loud obnoxious guests at our table and I was told there was nothing that could be done., and I could stay and take the class with them or leave. After we left I emailed the owner & asked about a refund. I was not given a refund. I communicated everything in a timely manner and was professional. I’m sorry you were «never aware» of this problem.

I high-​key recommend you to take a class with Chef T at TSpoons whether it’s your daughters 16^th birthday, date night for you and your hunny, or a girls (or guys) night out. A group of ladies and I came for a bachelorette party and were joined by a couple on date night and some friends.
PRICE: Class price varies depending on what the theme is for the night, if it seafood or some higher end protein, you can expect to pay more. Prices can range from $ 69 – 130. Ours was $ 69/​person
THEMES: Some nights are for private parties but for the open nights, there are often «themes» like date night, kids night, seafood night, to name a few. Our theme was Restaurant Favorites with a twist.
COOKING: Expect the night to take almost exactly 3 hours. You’re stationed off into one of 4 stations and you’re given aprons and a small packet of recipes. Everything comes already prepped and measured out by the assistant chefs. Chef T will guide you and the assistant chefs (Stephanie and someone else) will help you and make sure you’re doing everything correctly. She will also explain why you’re cooking in a certain way. She’ll make the most out of your time, so you’ll be cooking out of order: starting the yeast first to give it time to rise, then going to the mashed potatoes, then to the chicken, and so on.
DINNER: It’s a large family style table with an extremely cozy set-​up. The assistant chefs plated your food and serve your food to your table and oh my the food was absolutely delicious! I never considered myself a great chef and was surprised that I cooked this meal! Myself!
Butternut squash + wild mushroom stew: the stew was delicious!
Rosemary rolls: mmh soo good. The bread broke off perfectly
Chicken au poivure in brandy sauce with crispy onion shoestrings on grainy Dijon mash: this was the juiciest chicken I’ve ever had and the best crispy onions. It was such a big meal and I couldn’t finish the whole plate.
Blueberry lemon mascarpone tartlet: yummy!
ENDING:
Don’t forget to tip your helpers and Chef T! Remember that they prepped everything for you beforehand and wash your dishes for you at the end. Chef T will also email you a copy of the recipe so that you can try to make it again yourself. I say «try» because I attempted making the meal again, but couldn’t get the chicken as juicy as it was when Chef T helped me :(

Awesome experience. My youngest daughter and wife treated me to a Thai cooking class last night for an early fathers day and was it great. Chef T and her assistants did a magnificent job with the 16 of us and the food was amazing. Probably didn’t help that we were making my all time favorite dishes, Pad See Ew, and Tom Kha Gai soup, but I digress.
Show up and we dug right in. Chef T is obviously very good at handling perfect strangers thrust into a fairly complex cooking situation and started the show. Those who complained on previous reviews that she was gruff or abrupt, me thinks, are a little too thin skinned. She patiently and with humor, kept us all on focus and we cranked out some excellent quality Thai Food. Our group was diverse and there was a breaking in period of about 5 mins but after that we all bonded and had a great time. Liken Chef’ T’s job to cat ranching and herding those difficult beasts in the right direction. She did a wonderful job and as I said above, food was awesome.
Tip, you can bring your own wine or like one of our groups more enterprising types, go right next door to the wine shop and pick some up if you come empty handed. My family had a great time and I’ll be trying out the very recipes we made at home soon. Another cool thing she does is to explain the complexities of each ingredient and how important each one is to the various recipes. At the end, while we were dining, she lugged out ALL of the ingredients we used and explained what they were and where to get them.
Class ran about 3 ½ hours and come hungry. Thanks Chef T for a very memorable experience.

General Info: This place is a great place for the culinary inept people like me. All ingredients are prepped and measured so you don’t have to deal with slicing/​dicing or measuring amounts. It’s pretty much idiot proof and her setup guarantees that you will be making some pretty delicious food. The owner/​executive Chef T is a no nonsense lady but certainly knows her stuff!
I came here today for a work team building event and had a great time. There were about 14 of us so I’m sure it was a larger group than her normal class. We prepared many of the dishes with her expertise and guidance. The assistant (I didn’t get her name) was extremely helpful as well. Chef T does speak quickly and does not repeat instructions so you better listen up! She does help you throughout the process so don’t sweat it though.
The best part is the very end when Chef T and her staff plate the food and serve you like King and Queens! I would have to say they do all the hard work in making what we made look so delectable. The food all tasted great! My fav was the tomato bisque — it was creamy and rich without being overwhelmingly salty or sweet. Good times!

Trust me, I’m trying hard to find something negative about TSpoons (I blame my mother for my cynicism), but I can’t think of anything but positive comments. If you don’t know anything about cooking, you’ll enjoy it. If you’re a self-​proclaimed good cook, you’ll enjoy it. At the very least, even if you tune out and don’t care about learning anything, you’ll eat a great meal and get some go-​to recipes.
We came for the Homemade Pastas and Sauces class. Chef T was super accommodating to my vegetarianism. There was a lactose intolerant person in the class too and that wasn’t a problem either. You cook at a station with 4 total people, so either bring friends with you or be prepared to socialize with strangers (SCARY, I know. Ha). All the ingredients are prepared for you, so you just have to combine them. It’s easy. There’s even someone walking around to clean up after your messes. I need one of those at home.
We made two dishes (lasagna and tortellini), ate them, then made two more (fettucine and something like gnocci), and ate those. You all sit at a table to eat, which is a nice touch. I’ve been to classes before where you eat at your station, which is weird. Most people were «too full» to finish their third and fourth dishes. Amateurs. My husband and I cleared our plates. I thought it was a good amount of food, but not too much.
Oh, bring your own bottle of wine! I wish I had known this before we came! I had wine envy looking at others enjoy theirs. Apparently, they didn’t believe in «Sharing is Caring.»
Most classes are 3 hours long. Ours ran about 3.5 hours, so keep that in mind in case you’re super ambitious and have plans for after the class. I’ve seen some comments about the cost, but it’s comparable to a nice meal out and you get more of an experience, for sure. Enjoy!

Fun again! My son taking another cooking class. He had such a blast.
My 93 year old father came to watch, unannounced. He demanded to come. He thumped his cane on the floor and said he was coming and was ready! Of course with impeccable timing this was as we were walking out the door. I didn’t have the heart to tell him he couldn’t watch his 11 year old grandson cook. I was really nervous bringing him. I wasn’t sure of his reception and it was too late to call and ask. T was awesome! She made sure he tasted his grandson’s creations and was more than accommodating to an elderly drop in. (It was a full class)
Thanks again everyone at Tspoons. I’m in sales and I tell everyone I meet about Tspoons and how amazing the place really is.

I attended the comforting soups, stews and chowder class with a friend on a Sunday night. The facilities are beautiful — I wish that my kitchen looked like that! Chef T did a great job keeping us on schedule and, as a result, we were able to make 3 different soups/​stews/​chowders, two different breads to accompany them and a dessert. The recipes were easy enough that I can, and already have, make them at home. I also picked up a lot of tips that I am already implementing in the kitchen. I will definitely be back for more classes here!

Unfortunately, my bosses could not make it to their «Date Night» and asked me if I wanted to go in their stead. So thankful to be given the opportunity to attend a night here because it was absolutely wonderful!
We got there pretty much right at 6 in time for Chef T to let us in & get settled. All the ingredients were prepared and measured out, all we had to do was combine them in order and cook per instructions! Menu today celebrated the summer solstice: sausage-​stuffed baby bells, grilled zucchini rollatinis in a tomato basil sauce, raspberry chipotle glazed chicken, and cherry pie a la mode.
There were 8 couples and 2 couples to each cooking station. I love small settings like this as we got to know the couple we cooked with and those sitting near us at the dining table. Each course was delicious and knowing that we all played a part in cooking it, made it all the better. Such a good group of people, everyone was friendly, kind, and funny. I think one of the neighboring husbands said it best, «you don’t need to worry about getting your home ready, preparing the ingredients, you get a chance to enjoy it, and best– no dishes!»
They have plenty of other nights, for kids, parents & their kids, etc. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but I think it makes for a great evening out and phenomenal food! Would make for a great gift. TIP: Courses fill up quickly so you may want to look in advance on the calendar if you want a particular night. Thank you Chef T, Chef Daniele, and all the Tspoons staff!

The BF and I had the opportunity to attend their Valentine’s Day cooking class and had a wonderful time! First off, the place is in downtown SJC, super cute and quaint. There is plenty of parking in nearby areas and on the streets but we opted for the structure parking next to the theater since there’s no time limite after 6PM.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by one of the helpers who was really nice and instructed us to wash our hands, pick an apron, a hand towel and choose our station. i love the look of the cooking school/​kitchen, it really feels like you’re at home. there’s three sections, the «living room» where they have sofas to lounge on, the «dining room» where there is a long dining table completely set up and then theres the big kitchen area where we cook. there are four stations, each station is set up for 4 people so we had a total of 8 couples in class that night. you really work closely with the other couple at your station because the four of you are essentially working together to make the dish for your own group. so being open minded and social is pretty important. our chef for the evening was Chef T along with two of her helpers (sorry, i couldnt remember their names).
our French menu for the evening was as follows:
Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Flambéed Gruyère Cheese Toast Points, Chicken and Wild Mushroom Crêpe with Creamy Chive Béarnaise Sauce, Steak au Poivre with Red Wine Dijon Sauce and Crispy Herb Frites and for dessert classic Pâté Choux filled with Chocolate Mousse.
I couldn’t even pronounce half the menu let alone know what i was actually cooking. what really helps is that all the ingredients are already measured and set out for you and for those ingredients that need to be prepared on demand, the two helpers are there to bring them to you and clean up after your mess so that you are always working in a very clean working station, which is really nice! our group made a mess a couple of times and before we knew it, one of the helpers swoops by with a towel and cleaned it up. while we were cooking, we were allowed to sip on our wine (if we brought our own bottles), which we did. but they also provide tea and water if we needed it. they also brought out bags of pop chips for us to nibble on.
the instructions given by Chef T was very precise and clear, all the dishes may have looked difficult to prepare, was actually quite simple. the entire cooking process took about two hours and before we knew it, it was time to eat! the chef and her two helpers actually put plated all the food we cooked while we sat at the dining table chatting away with our new friends. everything turned out so delicious that i couldnt even believe we made it! at the end of the meal, we were offered hot tea or coffee. even though the class time indicated 6−9pm, we were there well after 10pm having such a wonderful time!
i’ve always wanted to take couples cooking class and i’m so happy to have experienced it here especially on Valentines Day!