Frequently Asked Questions

• We provide a full refund if you need to cancel more than three weeks prior to the start of a scheduled class. Please email cook@kcculinary.com if you need to cancel your class reservation. 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. We cannot offer a refund or class credit if you do not email us prior to the start of the class.
• 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.

• Each class description has the age and/or attendance requirement for that particular class. Your registration tells us that you have read the class description, including the age and/or attendance requirements for that particular class, and that the person(s) for whom you are registering meet those listed age requirements.
• Our class age/attendance requirements fall into the following categories:
  • Adult Only (21+)
    • Only adults over the age of 21. No exceptions. Primarily for alcohol focused classes like wine and liquor tastings or classes with a heavy component of paired drinks.
  • Adult (18+)
    • Adults over the age of 18. Children 14-17 years old are allowed if accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please let us know if you plan to bring a minor.
  • Junior Chefs (9-14)
    • Only for kids 9-14. Children do not need to be accompanied by an adult.
  • Little Chefs (5-8)
    • Only for kids ages 5-8. Each child must be accompanied by an adult. Prices are per child + adult team. Adults can supervise up to two children, but must pay for one team seat per child.
  • Family Friendly (9+)
    • All ages 9 and up are welcome. Each child below the age of 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
  • Family Friendly (5+)
    • All ages 5 and up are welcome. Each child below the age of 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
  • Girls Night Out
    • Have a great night out with your girlfriends. Kick back, relax and enjoy some great food and even better drinks while learning some cool new cooking techniques. Ladies 21+ only.
  • Couples Cook
    • Enjoy creating a fantastic variety of dishes with your significant other or just a group of great friends. These classes are designed to let you bond while also getting a chance to learn new cooking techniques. Groups of 2 or more only. 21+ only.

If you communicate your food allergy or dietary restriction to us at least 48 hours prior to class, we will make every reasonable effort to accommodate you. For most classes, we have substitution items available for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian diets. That said, we cannot guarantee that all food allergies or dietary restrictions communicated to us prior to class 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.

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.

For hands-on classes, comfortable and kitchen-safe shoes are required.  For any of our Professional Culinary Arts classes, you must wear a white chef jacket (available through our Kitchen Shop, if desired).  Other than that, you can wear what you like, as long as it doesn’t disrupt the class. Most people dress casually in our kitchens.

You don’t need to bring anything to class, we will provide all equipment, tools, and food items. The lone exception is specific uniform for the Professional Culinary Arts classes noted above.

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, or any other non-registered guests. 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.

• 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).

We will make a determination about the status of class as soon as possible, and no later than two hours prior to a class. 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 both a voicemail message and text 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. If the class is cancelled due to inclement weather or any other unforeseen event, you will receive a full refund back to whatever the original payment method was.

We offer four different kinds of interaction levels:

• Hands-On – Our hands-on cooking classes offer the most interactive culinary experience. Students will actively measure ingredients, chop, mix, shape, cook foods, and fully immerse themselves in the cooking process under the guidance of our instructors.
• Light Hands-On – For those who want to dip a toe into the cooking process without taking the full plunge, our light hands-on classes strike the perfect balance. Students will assist with some prep work and cooking tasks, but instructors handle more intricate or dangerous technique demonstrations.
• Demonstration – Observe our skilled instructors demonstrating recipes without hands-on participation. Learn tips, tricks and techniques for preparing dishes by watching in our state-of-the-art demo kitchen. Demonstrations allow you to soak up knowledge from our skilled chefs.
• Chef’s Table – Periodically we transform our cooking school into a limited-run pop-up restaurant centered around exciting culinary themes. Students can immerse themselves in a specific cuisine or type of dining experience through these unique prix fixe dinners. Past themes have included speakeasy cocktail parties, around-the-world culinary tours, tiki bar takeovers, and eras like the opulent 1920s. These are exclusive themed restaurant nights prepared by our talented chefs, that give guests a taste of dining experiences from across time and geography without leaving town.

The amount of food you will eat varies depending on the class, and will be spelled out in the class description. Here is the food service levels for our classes:

• Tastings & Appetizers – These classes provide an array of small bites and shareable plates. The varied sampler satisfies cravings for snacks, appetizers, or exciting new ingredients to incorporate into your everyday cooking.
• Light Meal – Students will enjoy a light meal as part of the course. The experience will leave you satisfied, but not stuffed.
• Take Home Only – These hands-on classes focus on preparing dishes and baked goods to take home and enjoy later. Students can expect to leave with prepared recipes ideal for sharing with families and friends. These classes include limited tastings to enjoy throughout the class.
• Full Meal – Students will enjoy a complete multi-course meal during these immersive classes. The experience results in a made-from-scratch meal you can sit down and enjoy on-site at the conclusion.
• Full Meal + Take Home – In addition to preparing and dining on a fresh, multi-course meal in class, students also take home ingredients or fully prepared dishes to enjoy again. Get additional value from extra portions, prepared elements, or homemade components like bread or dessert.
• Light Meal + Take Home – Students will enjoy a light meal during these immersive classes. The class focuses on a take home component prepared in class that the student can enjoy with family and friends.

Yes, we have a full bar. In some classes, we will offer beer, wine, and soft drink service only. In other classes, we will offer a choice of full bar items (beer, wine, mixed drinks, and soft drinks). Please note that for some clases, we have a policy of not serving any alcohol. This includes our Knife Skills classes and any Professional Series classes.

During class, our staff may take photos of guests. We will always ask guests before we take photos. That said, your registration acts as your approval to use your image (or the registered guest if you are registering for someone else) in any of our marketing materials, including but not limited to social media, online use, and print materials. If you do not agree with this photo waiver, please note that in the Comment area when registering or call us at 913-341-4455.

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

At this time, we do not offer any discounts for multiple class registrations. We are working on a loyalty program for our guests who sign up for multiple classes, please stay tuned for that.

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. 

Our pricing depends on numerous factors: the number of people, the time of year, day of the week, time of day, and what theme your party decides to go with. Please call The Center at 913-341-4455 and ask for Heather if you would like more information.

Please see our Private Events page for more information. 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 guests 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 guests for a seated meal and up to 60 guests for an appetizer reception.
• Use of both event spaces (the entire facility) accommodates 150 guests for a seated meal and 200 guests for an appetizer reception.

Absolutely! We are happy to work with you to design a custom private event that your guests will love.

Yes, we have hosted many birthday parties. At some parties, children can cook under the guidance of one of our expert instructors. Our staff has educated thousands of children over the years, and we host dozens of classes and summer camps each year for children.

We are also happy to host a party that is catered-only, so that the children and adults don’t have to do any of the cooking. Please call Heather at 913-341-4455 for more information.

We offer full bar service as desired, and charge by the drink . 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 $500 with a signed contract.

We generally don’t go off-site, and don’t offer catering services at this time.

Assuming that your child under the age of 18 meets the age requirements for the class, we require a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian. 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 amy@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.

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. That said, 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 in advance of the class if you have any questions or concerns.

Your child does not need to bring any additional food or equipment, everything they need will be provided for them during class. They will also try all of the food they make during class, and even take food home with them. We find that our Junior Chefs are quite full after class.

They should wear comfortable clothing! They will be getting very hands-on and potentially a little messy during class, so they shouldn’t wear anything too fancy or impractical.

Yes, our Chef’s Table events are posted on our website events page 6-8 weeks in advance. We recommend booking at least 3 weeks in advance because popular themes will sell out quickly.

Monthly, typically on Friday or Saturday evenings.

The Chef’s Table will be a multi-course prix fixe menu. Everyone will enjoy the same curated dishes.

About three hours, typically from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

No, this is strictly an event where you sit back and enjoy great food and great company. Our chefs will demonstrate 1-2 dishes on the menu at some point during the dinner, and we will provide the recipes for each of the dishes you will enjoy.

n general, our dress code is casual at The Culinary Center. That said, we try to make The Chef’s Table nights as special as possible. Please feel free to dress up if that suits you

With at least 48 hours notice, we can accommodate most allergies and restrictions. Please email us at cook@kcculinary.com or call The Center at 913-341-4455.