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Frequently Asked Questions

About Our Cooking Classes

We provide a full refund if you need to cancel more than three weeks prior to the start of a scheduled class. You will receive an Account Credit if you need to cancel at any time within three weeks but prior to the class start time. Please note that any refund issued for classes purchased using a Gift Certificate or Account Credit will result in reinstatement of the original Gift Card or Account Credit and will bear the same expiration date. Account Credits issued for cancelations within three weeks of a class will expire one year from the date of issuance. We reserve the right to cancel a class for any reason, at any time, in which case you will receive a full refund.

For series classes: We will gladly give you a full refund if you need to cancel more than three weeks prior to the start of a series. Within three weeks of the start of a series, no refunds or credits will be given. In the event you miss a class in the series, no refunds will be given and it is not possible to make up the class(es) in a future similar series.

®Your registration tells us that you have read the class description including the age requirements for that particular class and the person(s) for whom you are registering meet those listed age requirements. 

  • Adult Classes: participants must be at least 18 years old as of the class date (or as of the first date of the first class of a series) to attend adult classes.  Students 14 to 18 years old who would like to attend an Adult Class with an adult must contact us in advance, at which time we will consult with the instructor to determine whether it will be possible for the student 14 up to 18 years old to be allowed to attend class. Each allowed student aged 14-17 must be accompanied by one adult for each child and must have a written ‘Under 18 Waiver’ signed on the student’s behalf by a parent or legal guardian prior to admittance to class.  (See below for link to Under 18 Waiver)
  • For Junior Chef Classes: Classes designated as “Junior Chef” require that the participant in the class be at least least 9 years old as of the class date (or as of the first date of the first class of a series) and up to 14 years.
  • ‘Under 18 Waiver’ required’:  In order for any student under 18 years old to be admitted to any class, we require a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian on behalf of that student. Click here for a copy of the ‘Under 18 Waiver‘.  We encourage you to download, print and sign the waiver and bring it to class with your child (or email it in advance to  heather@kcculinary.com).  If someone other than the parent drops off your child and requests to sign on behalf of a child, they will need evidence that they are a legal guardian for that child.
  • We reserve the right to require proof of age for any student attempting to attend a class that we feel is not within the age requirements for that class. Should that student not have such proof of age in the form of a valid passport, birth certificate or other similar official document, we reserve the right to not allow him or her to attend and participate in the class until such proof is provided.  In this case, the phone number on file at registration will be contacted and if proof of appropriate age cannot be provided at that time, we will ask that the student be picked up immediately. Payment alone does not guarantee admittance to class and no refunds will be given. 
  • Choosing The Class That Is Right For Your Child: Classes are designed, taught and designated based on the developmental age described in the class description. When you attempt to enroll a child into a class above his or her age level, that child will likely not get the instruction appropriate to his or her age.  Also, there may be techniques taught that are not suited for younger children and the teacher will not change teaching styles to accommodate a lower age level.  The instructors teaching our kids’ classes are experienced instructors, however, the classes have not been designed to offer the optimal experience for children who may have issues with concentration, difficulty sitting still for extended periods of time or who struggle with behavioral issues in a classroom.  Should we encounter a student who falls within these categories, we will contact you to pick up your child and will not be able to offer a refund.  Please feel free to contact us to discuss in advance of the class.  

If you would like to sit with another registered guest(s) please provide this information in advance of the class, preferably in the Comments section when registering.  We pre-assign seats, so we cannot guarantee you (or the child you are registering) will be seated together without this advance notice. 

We will make a determination no later than 2 hours prior to a class and we will notify you using the email you provided to us at registration.  We may also, or instead, notify you via the phone number you provided at registration and will leave a message if we are unable to speak with you.  We assume that you will be checking the email and phone provided at registration for messages.  If the class time is during non-business hours we cannot guarantee that phone calls to our offices will be checked and/or returned prior to class start time. 

We cannot guarantee that any food allergies or dietary restrictions communicated to us can be accommodated. Unless written notice is given prior to class, we will assume that each registrant has no food allergies that will affect their experience in the class.  Once notified (whether prior to the class or during the class), the student will be required to sign an Allergen Waiver (or if it is a child under 18 years, then by a parent or legal guardian on behalf of that child).  Without this signed Allergen Waiver, and for the safety of the registered student, the student will not be able to attend (or continue) in class until such time as we receive it. Click here for a copy of the Adult Allergen Waiver (18+).  Please click here for a copy of the Under 18 Allergen Waiver. We cannot guarantee that there will be no traces of nuts or other food allergens in the classroom or in the foods you will be eating or working with. Should you choose to attend class (or should you choose to send a child) you will be doing so at your own risk.

Our policy does not allow for outside food or beverage to be brought in for any event or class, provided, however, if the class description suggests that, due to the topic covered in the class and/or the length of the class, it is recommended or encouraged that the student bring a snack or sack lunch to the class if desired, then the student will be allowed to bring in outside food for consumption by the student.  

Notwithstanding our policy that no alcoholic beverages be brought into the class or event, we do allow unopened bottles of wine, in which case you will be charged a $35 corkage fee per 750 ml.  Please note that we have full bar capabilities and we do offer alcoholic beverages for purchase (beyond what is already included in your chosen class or event).

For hands-on classes, comfortable and kitchen-safe shoes are required.  For any of our Professional Culinary Arts classes (Pro Classes), you must wear a white chef jacket (available through our Kitchen Shop, if desired ).  Other than that, it’s up to you…business casual, chicken suit, whatever makes you happy (and doesn’t disrupt class.)

Your registration acts as your approval to use your image (or the registered student if your registering for another person(s)) in any of our marketing materials including but not limited to social marketing mediums, online use, and print materials. If you do not agree with this photo waiver, please note such in the Comment area when registering or call us at 913-341-4455. 

Non-registered guests may not accompany the registered student to class.  This includes, but is not limited to, infants, adult guests of registered children, babysitters, guardian angels, imaginary friends or any other non-registered guests.

We would be happy to register additional people in a class, assuming there are spaces available, but otherwise, no unregistered guests will be allowed in the classroom during the registered student’s class.  In order to make this a pleasant learning experience for all students, and due to liability issues, no young children or babies are allowed to accompany you to class or wait for you in the back of the classroom.

The level of hands on experience in each class varies.  Please see each class description to discover the level of hands on participation that can be expected by students in that particular class or contact us and we will provide more details for you regarding any class.  Generally, each class will be designated as one of the following:   

  • Hands On. Students can expect one or more activities where they are involved in actual food preparation and/or practicing of technique(s) during the class. This could range from one item to several during the class, depending on the instructors class design.  
  • Demonstration. Students learn by observing the instructor and no hands on participation is generally involved. Some instructors may enlist students to come to the teaching area and ‘try’ a technique during a class designated as ‘demonstration’. 

‘Tastings’ means that students will be provided small tasting portions of most if not all of the items taught during the class.  The amount of each tasting is determined by each instructor so some tastings may be larger or smaller than others. 

‘Dinner’ means that a full dinner will be provided to each participant during the class.  This ‘Dinner’ may be served at various times during the class or all at one time, depending on the instructor, the types of hands on if any, and the topic taught. 

‘Snacks’ means that small portions of food will be provided during a class.  Generally the ‘Snacks’ designation is included in classes that solely focus on wine, spirits or beer education or it could mean that the class is focused on a single dessert or technique but that the instructor has decided that providing snacks for the students will result in a better experience for the student.  

‘Wine Nibbles’ generally means the same as ‘Snacks’ (see above).  We just thought it sounded cool and trendy to call them ‘Wine Nibbles’.

    See the response to the question above regarding designations of classes as “Tastings’, ‘Dinner’, ‘Snacks’ or ‘Wine Nibbles’.  

    Classes marked with the MBQI logo are part of The Culinary Center of Kansas City’s MIDWEST BARBEQUE INSTITUTE, which provides comprehensive education in the art of barbeque and smoking.

    At this time, we do not offer any discounts for multiple class registrations… but if you sign up for multiple classes you will undoubtedly become our best friend.  If requested, hugs will be provided as well (or maybe not).

    The Culinary Center of Kansas City is located in Historic Old Overland Park at 7920 Santa Fe Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66204. Our main entrance is located at that address.  Unless otherwise directed in your class description or by signage located on our front doors, all registered students should enter through our main entrance at 7920 Santa Fe Street.  For all of your long-timers who know us prior to our expansion in 2008, you may remember that our former entrance was located at 7917 Foster Street.  We now call this entrance our ‘back door’ or our  ‘Foster Street entrance’ and it is generally locked and not available as an alternate entrance for classes or events. We wish we could give you a secret code word that would allow you to enter through our ‘back door’ into our secret teaching kitchen and uber cool cocktail speakeasy… but we don’t have any of those.   

    We have two teaching kitchens: the larger Tuscan Kitchen and the smaller Santa Fe Kitchen. Your class will be held in one of those kitchens.  When you arrive through our main entrance at 7920 Santa Fe, you will be directed to the kitchen where your class will be held, either by one of our sparkling and hospitable Gadget Gurus working in our Kitchen Shop or there will be less-exciting signage giving you that same information.   

    Our online reservation system accepts Visa, Master Card, Discover and American Express.

    To view our class schedule, go the home page of our website at www.kcculinary.com and click on Cooking Classes, then click on the desired form of viewing our cooking classes. 


    Yes! We sell physical gift cards in our kitchen shop and you can purchase eCards online.

    About Our Interactive Events & Teambuildings

    Most of our interactive parties last about 2½ – 3 hours. It all depends on how long it takes your group to cook and how long to eat!  The event is yours!  We’ll create one that lasts exactly how long you would like it to.

    We can host your event any day of the week or time of day, as desired, subject to availability of course.  (Call us early.  We book up quickly!) 

    You may take a virtual tour of our space by clicking the video on the “Why Book Your Event Here?” page of our website.  Better yet, stop by and we will show you around. Our beautiful facility is comprised of Two Event Spaces:

    • Our Tuscan Room comfortably accommodates up to 100 for a seated meal and up to 125 for an appetizer reception. It includes the attached Sonoma Room.
    • Our Santa Fe Room comfortably accommodates up to 40 for a seated meal and up to 60 for an appetizer reception.
    • Use of both event spaces (the entire facility) accommodates approx. 150 for a seated meal and approximately 200 for an appetizer reception.

    We offer full bar service as desired, and charge by the drink (no bar packages required here!).  Choose from a full bar, beer/wine bar, specialty cocktails or a customized bar.  If you want to bring in your own wine, we do charge a $40 per 750 ml bottle corkage fee.

    First, call Heather, our Event Planning Specialist at 913/341.4455 and she will gladly work with you to find a date that works for you.  To confirm an event, we generally require a deposit of $1,000 plus a signed contract.

    Heck yes, we go off-site! We have done interactive events and caterings at client locations for up to 1,000 people.  We also do ‘VIRTUAL’, online events for unlimited numbers.  Please contact us for how we can customize your special event.

    Notwithstanding our policy that no alcoholic beverages be brought into the class or event, we do allow unopened bottles of wine, in which case you will be charged a $40 corkage fee per 750 ml.  Please note that we have full bar capabilities and we do offer alcoholic beverages for purchase (beyond what is already included in your chosen class or event).

    Yes, you can!  Check out our Kids Birthday Parties page on the website for more information.