Pans on Fire

Such a great place for a birthday party. They are flexible, accommodating, friendly, organized, and professional. My daughter had the most amazing time at her cupcake wars party. Thank you for
Creating a wonderful memory for her.

I truly appreciate the customer service and selection of products at this local little gem. Chef Sarah is always so accommodating and personable every time I come in. She ensures that I am educated about the products and always offer additional tid-​bits of advice that are relevant to the items that I am purchasing. I DON’T get this type of service at Bed, Bath n Beyond or Macy’s when shopping for kitchen items.
I’ve gone in 4 separate times now, and every single time the staff has been VERY helpful and thoughtful.
I also took a cooking class with Chef Sarah. It was more of an «observation class» as the instructor did everything and we sat and watched. For $ 20 I was very impressed. I assumed it was a hands-​on class– so my expectations were different– nevertheless Chef Sarah did NOT disappoint. I walked away with some skills and tricks that I now always use in the kitchen. Class ran about 30 minutes over– but to me it demonstrated that Pans on Fire is all about giving knowledge and sharing. They weren’t on a time clock. This is rare these days!
That being said, if you plan to take a class there… just give yourself more time. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with getting more information than you pay for! I think they have a true givers mentality and philosophy at this store. It’s part of what makes them so great in my book.

Held a networking event there last night (GNON) and it was amazing. Not only is the staff so nice and helpful, the cooking demonstrations were fun and informative. Linda and her crew do a great job. I highly recommend this place to those who already cook or want to learn to cook. I went from making reservations to making an entire meal… Thanks for changing my life… my husband thanks you too! :)

I liked the staff and the store so much, I went to work for them. They offer great classes and quality products. I highly recommend when looking for that something special for the cook in your life.

I recently had my daughter’s 9^th birthday party at Pans on Fire. First let me say let me say Chef Sarah was great with the girls and they enjoyed what they made. Where things fall apart and a one star rating has to do with a policy they have about parents or anybody has to pay extra to watch your child’s birthday party (not participate just watch). I was told this two days before the party started by Rayan, who helped me organize my daughter’s party. When I asked her why this was, Rayan said it would be like me taking the class. That is just so ridiculous! I would be there for my daughter’s birthday party not for a cooking class, especially not a child’s cooking class. I was quite upset that they wanted me to pay extra just to watch, especially since I paid over $ 500 for this party to begin with, but since the wheels were already in motion with Pans on Fire I didn’t think it was nice to back out since they were nice to accommodate my requested time/​date. Let me tell you how disappointed I was the day of the party that I had to wait outside and was only able to walk in to take pictures. My friends who had dropped off their daughter were also floored and outraged on my behalf. When I asked if I could stay again I was told again I would have to pay there fee. I sent an email to Rayan after the party explaining that having to pay for me to sit and just watch was just wrong on so many levels. Needless to say I eventually spoke to Linda, who I believe is the owner but I could be wrong. She told me that information is in the contract and I kept telling her that it doesn’t matter because her policy is wrong to begin with. Parents shouldn’t have to pay to just to watch their child’s cooking party. Linda compared the fee to like going to Great America, which is so outrageous of a comparison. Linda told me I was «cheap» for not paying which I so did not appreciate it considering how much I did pay. She then told me that they don’t like parents there because it distracts the kids, but if I paid then it would be okay? Linda also gave all kinds of other excuses of why they charge extra and none of them were justifiable. My older son took a cooking class there last summer and enjoyed it, but be aware if you want to have a birthday party, parents have to pay extra just to be in the same room. I hope Pans on Fire takes action to correct this policy as it just sends the message they are gouging the customer which in my opinion they are.

I visited Pans on Fire about a month ago because my daughter was interested in having her birthday party there. It was great… the woman I spoke with (can’t remember her name) was super helpful, gave us a tour, etc. After that, however, things did not go so well. No one ever called me about setting up the party. I emailed and called back twice before I received a call back. Rayan was the one who called me back. She explained that the homemade pasta party I wanted to schedule for my daughter could only be attended by the 8 girls (or more if we paid $ 65 for each additional on top of the $ 550 fee). If parents wanted to watch, it was assumed that they were receiving instruction, and I would have to pay for them. If they wanted to eat with us, I would need to pay $ 15 each. I thought, well, that’s a little ridiculous, but understandable. Then I was told that this even applied to me, as the mother of the birthday girl, and her grandmothers, who of course want to watch their granddaughter learn to make pasta! I couldn’t believe it! She told me that most parents just go to Peets and then come back at the end to do cake. I was appalled. Of course, as a parent, you want to be a part of your daughter’s party, take pictures, etc. My daughter and I have sadly decided to have her party elsewhere. It’s really too bad because this would have been really fun. I just don’t think I should have to pay an extra $ 195 so myself and the two grandmothers can watch my daughter and her friends. It’s not only about the money… it’s about the whole idea. It seems as though money is more important here than building personal relationships… my whole extended family would have attended cooking classes here, held events here… it would have been great. Now we won’t be back.

I definitely agree with the negative reviews!
Rude! Abrasive! Demeaning!
Yes the place is clean and organized. There is lots of cool gagets but from now on will go back to William Sonoma. They have even more cool things.
Thought it would be so much FUN a night out with some girlfriends doing something different.
It was HORRIBLE. Even from before we got there. @ 3:00 my gf hubby was rearended so she had to go get him and take care of all that. I called right away. Linda was «generous» enough to credit HALF. really? I would qualify that as an emergency.
Then one of the other girls couldn’t do anything because she had open toed shoes. Ok I can get no knife work but there were other tasks she could have done. So a waste of $ for her.
She divided us into groups so us 3 only got to experience one dish. Didn’t see anything of the others till finished. Worst of all the main dish. …she cooked… we watched! I can save money and sit on my couch and watch tv for that.
I agree you can’t do anything right! She will rudely berate (even if your an older lady) loudly in front of every one. She is EXTREMELY abrasive and i would tell people find a different place.

I just completed my second class at Pans on Fire, both were taught by Chef Linda. To say I have little cooking experience might be an exaggeration, so I was intimidated to come to my first class (which was School of Fishes). Linda and the staff put me right at ease. The class is very hands on and I walked out with enough technique to begin cooking meals regularly at home. The second class I signed up for was the Chinese New Year feast and again, I came away with a multitude of skills, tips and encouragement. The recipes are easy to follow and I’ve successfully duplicated them at home.
1. Linda is very knowledgeable and offers all kinds of facts — whether its the history of a technique, the ingredients or how we relate to food.
2. I have found that the menus seem to be specifically designed for flexibility. I’m learning to prepare food that I can easily adjust to meet my family’s tastes or that I can expand to other ingredients. Both classes also included at least 5 different types of preparation. As a new cook, this is so powerful!
3. All of the food we’ve prepared in class is delicious. Things I never knew I liked, well, I’m looking at differently.
4. She includes a lot of vegetables in her recipes and see point number 3.
5. Make a mistake, she’ll let you know and then (which is SO important for someone like me), she’ll show you how to fix it.
6. They have a lot of new tools available in their store and they demonstrate them in the class without making you feel that you have to buy them.
I would definitely recommend Pans on Fire (and have!) and am looking forward to my next class!

My friends and I took a class close to thanksgiving at Pans on Fire. The class itself was Thanksgiving themed. My experience with the class was almost exactly the same as many of the other reviewers on this site. While reading through them, I noticed that the oldest class review was from 2011. This means the teaching practice has not changed for four years!
The premise of the class was pairing wines with Thanksgiving food. The actual class was cooking an entire Thanksgiving meal (turkey + about ten side dishes) with two bottles of wine for the entire table of 12 people at the end. The class went over an hour later than advertised on a Sunday evening. Seems like this time issue is not uncommon.
The recipes were all thoughtfully written out and quite delicious. They ranged in difficulty but all contributed towards a great Thanksgiving meal. The facilities were well maintained, and well stocked.
That’s the end of the positive. Linda was our instructor for the class and was extremely abrasive from the get go. There was absolutely no room for any of us to supply any helpful input or suggestions. I don’t pretend to be a restaurant-​trained chef. I cook for myself and my family. I roll with what works. Techniques sometimes get overlooked, ingredients get added out of order, and things don’t always turn out shiny and perfect. I think anyone who puts a meal on the table at the end of the day, has done their job. It seemed like many of the people in our class had the same opinion.
During the class, no one did anything right the entire time. Knife skills, onion cutting, egg cracking, WALKING (seriously), oven-​opening, dish washing, fruit washing, the list goes on. I was lectured on every contribution to the meal. I was told that if I walked behind someone, I needed to shout, «Behind!» rather than politely say excuse me. Sure that makes sense in a restaurant, but at my home? I was reminded of this at least three times. By half way through, I was totally defeated and ready to go home. In fact, I tried to stand to the side and remain as quiet as possible as to not be seen and given another task to fail at.
Linda’s feedback was abrupt, abrasive and negative. There was nothing enjoyable about her teaching or the preparation process. She was visibly flustered and agitated, and she did not try to hide it from us. Many of us did what we could to volunteer and take on tasks, but that only seemed to add to the problem.
After the class, I left a review through their site. As you can imagine, I was negative about the experience. I received a response from Linda where she listed the reasons the class wen’t poorly: overbooked, not enough instructors, not enough prep time, etc. Excuses to the customer. Then she offered me a $ 25 credit towards another class over the next month. I still have to pay $ 50+ to attend a class? No thanks.
Will not be returning here for classes.

I have taken many classes at Pans on Fire and have to say that that Linda Wyner, the owner of the store, is a patient, kind, and talented teacher. She is enthusiastic about ingredients, technique, and the history of food. That enthusiasm is contagious. Most recently, I attended her Downton Abbey class for fun and I invited three girlfriends to come with me. Two of them were from San Francisco and one from San Jose. We had a terrific time, had great food, and learned something. In the past, I attended her Foundations in Cooking class which «changed my life» because I became more confident in my cooking, my understanding of different ingredients and techniques and following recipes. I am a much better cook for it. I am also a more confident entertainer. I enjoy my dinner parties more instead of being so nervous.
If you are a foodie and want to learn then this is a great place for you. I had some «culinary disasters» while cooking in the series class and although I felt disappointed, I became a better cook for it and Linda was very supportive. We are very lucky to have this business in Pleasanton and I look forward to attending more classes and buying more cooking gadgets at her store.

I have attended 2 classes at Pans on Fire, the first a family event to make a Yule Log and the second to be part of a Downton Abbey Wintertime Feast. Both great fun and I learned new skills in both, met some nice people and enjoyed having things cleared up after me! I would totally recommend the classes to anyone who wants to hone skills or learn about the why’s of foods. I booked another class for my husband and I to go together for St Valentine’s. For the sake of balance, (if I was forced to think of a downside) I think both classes ran over the «scheduled» time — but when you feel like your with friends communally preparing food and having fun who cares? Staff are an absolute hoot, kitchen is enviable and they know their stuff. Thank you all — and please offer the loyalty scheme soon!

This happened a while ago: I signed my son up for a cooking class and then the little fritatta refused to go.
Literally. I could not get his body out of the house and into the car.
I called Linda (Pans on Fire owner) who told me I had caught her before she bought the ingredients for the class. Great.
I apologized for the last minute cancellation and asked for a credit for another class.
I had taken classes at Pans on Fire with Linda (btw, bechamel is pronounced ‘beshamel’ not ‘bekamel’) before and planned to again.
Linda refused to give me a credit, even a partial credit.
That’s not unfair, but it is dumb.
It’s a dumb business decision, because I never took another class or bought another item from the store.

My girlfriends and I were so excited to take the hogwart themed dinner class. We are all cooking novices so we were excited to learn some basic skills, have fun together and eat some good food. I have taken similar cooking classes– one at a larger chain store and another time at the chef’s residence. The class started in a similar fashion as my previous experiences. We were told the menu split up to conquer the individual components. My friends and I were assigned the soup base for the bouillabaisse and instructed to read the recipe. I started to cut the onions (instruction said to slice) Linda became annoyed that I had improperly sliced my onion. I had sliced it vertically and not horizontally) and proceeded to yell me that it was not the right way for soup. It was the right way for stir fry and that I probably cut it that way because I was Asian and grew up learning that way. Wtf why would she assume that because I am Asian that I cut my onions a certain way because of my teaching. Ugh I would have left at that point but didn’t want to waste my 3 friend’s money. The class went downhill from there– we all got scolded at different times for not knowing different techniques. I apologize that we didn’t know liquids has to be measured in measuring cup, where all the produce and equipments were. I felt like I was an intruder in someone’s kitchen instead of in a cooking class because Linda seemed annoyed when we would ask about the proper tools to use or where to find produce.
Overall aside from the overt and offensive racist comment, the class ran an hour longer than advertised, we were rushed through the steps because there was too much to do, and Linda appeared annoyed by our lack of culinary knowledge and when we requested a demonstration (should I know how to create a matchstick cut). It was a really stressful experience and I felt completely offended. In hindsight I should have walked out or said something back. I was too shock and embarrassed to come back with a witty response.
The highlight of the class was that Linda had a great assistance (Stacy I believe?) she would explain knife skills technique, patiently explain how toffee is made, the function of a roux whisk vs a regular whisk. I wish I took her class but sadly I will not be coming back into this store for a class or otherwise.

Wanted a device to create noodle like shavings for my zucchinis as an alternative to pasta. They led me to two different clever tools to do this specific task. It was better than I expected and I can’t wait to start using it. Fun kitchen shop for cooking tools.

Pros:
— very nice selection of some unique and cool culinary tools.
— nice basic knifework class.
Cons:
— staff can be clueless about time — yeah, I’ve seen them take a very long time to check out a simple order. It’s ok to chit-​chat, but work on the orders too.
— they need to update their website, and everywhere else (Google+, etc.) with current store hours. All sites say they close at 7:00pm, but they seem to close at 6:00 (as I found out when I tried to come by, and confirmed with staff).
— update their voicemail to include their hours (none currently).
— Linda as teacher — she can come across as abrasive.

First time at Pans on Fire. When I first saw the store when they were on Main Street Pleasanton it seemed like they only sold kitchen utensils and tools but in fact they are much more than that. Now at this new location, though small, it’s wonderful that they’re here to teach everyone from all ages how to make a meal!
I came here with my team (from work) for our celebration/​team building event. It was great to learn, eat, drink, and talk to everyone on the team outside of the office (away from work). We cooked an Italian meal consist of Caesar salad (vegetarian one w/​o anchovies and non-​vegetarian), meatballs stuffed with mozzarella, marinara sauce, vodka sauce, spinach-​goat cheese ravioli, fresh pasta (linguine & for the ravioli), and bruschetta for our appetizers.
There was a lot on the menu, too many people in the kitchen, but lots of fun. I’d wish I had more time to enjoy the food as most of the time was spent cooking, therefore, a lot of drinks (beer&wine) were left unopened.
I would definitely come back to Pans on Fire whether it’s to learn to cook other cuisines or a small party of friends.

My family and I attended a $ 75 dinner cooking class, hosted by the owner, Linda Wyner, but unfortunately we don’t plan to return to this establishment.
The Good:
The energy of the fun patrons made the class delightful, the food turned out superbly, and the staff assistants were friendly. The innovative products, helpful tips, and coupon on products (given with the class) were a plus.
The Bad:
Linda W.‘s abrasive personality ruined the overall experience for us. From start to finish, she spoke to the students in a condescending uncouth way.
The recipes Linda gave us had errors in them, and two sets of the difficult dishes were too similar to each other, which robbed our taste buds of savoring a variety of both flavor and texture. Our class went well over the time scheduled, ending late for a workday.
The Ugly:
My family and I have medical issues and concerns, so we can’t ever finish a plate of food. We boxed up our extra eats (as we always do in restaurants) from the second course, and Linda abusively snarled to the entire room that we were taking food home and it was not allowed.
The owner is distasteful, disheartening and discourteous. Sadly, Linda is one of the main cooking class instructors, and the fact that she is also the owner, we will no longer patronize this store.
I wish them luck and improvement. «It’s not what you say. It’s how you say it.»

What? Why do I have to live so far away from cool places?
Cool places that have cooking gadgets galore and then offer really cool cooking classes if you want to learn about them. There is a full demo kitchen in the back!
Their next class was all about Sauce. Yes Sauce. Sauce is like taking a class on whats in the deep black depths of space. Its unimaginable. There is so many things you can do with Sauce.
I was looking for a dumpling steamer but they didn’t have the size I wanted. I was also looking for a pestle and mortar. But the one they had was made of bamboo. I want a stone one.
My mom however found a very interesting use for a plastic squirt bottle. The kind that looks like a generic ketchup bottle but clear. Well she needed a new one for her hair dye. Yes my mom found hair dyeing supplies at a cooking store.
Also, the cupcake papers they carry are so cute. The cutest collection I have ever seen. They have some Christmas ones left over that are 40% off right now.
I have to many cupcake papers left over from Halloween so I abstained from buying a new stock of papers. But I know where to come to stock up and make all my cupcake eaters squeal with happiness because of how cute the paper is.
Maybe one day I could come back and take a class with my mom.

A cute kitchen supply store located near Heritage Bank on Main Street in Pleasanton.
For those used to Williams-​Sonoma, a lot of the brands here will be unfamiliar. But the great thing about this place is that they really know their products. Don’t trust their word? Take one of their great cooking classes stocked with exactly what’s in their store, and as you use their knives, measuring cups, pans, etc, there’s nothing like first-​hand use for you to find out that these work and work well.
I really like their Norpro silicone liquid measuring cups that don’t burn the hands after coming out the microwave, the USA metal baking pans that have a silicone non-​stick coating that turn are excellent at turning bread to croutons, and push-​pull measuring things that Alton Brown uses (they really do work well for syrupy things).
During my vacation break, I looked everywhere around the Bay Area for cooking classes that were hands-​on, seemed approachable, and had great themes. I took two of their classes here and loved them both.
The «Cooking with Wine» was great because usually recipes just say «sherry» or «dry white wine» which can be confusing. Our instructor, Linda, was really great at letting us try two different types of the wine before using it in each recipe and explaining the pros and cons of each. Like sweet vs. dry sherry, etc. With her food anthropology history there were great tips and explanations on why onions make us cry and characteristics of certain plant families, why we don’t use the leaves of the leeks, etc. The «Julie and Julia» class was watching the movie and re-​creating some of Julia Child’s recipes in the meantime.
Don’t worry guys, there are a significant number of men that sign up here too. Age range goes all over from young to old so don’t be intimidated.
The class usually includes instruction on the steps and demonstration of each step that each group is to do, and then we fan out and do them. So unfortunately due to the number of dishes, everyone gets divided up to do certain parts of one particular dish. The important part is that everyone is usually in pairs, so you can have your partner take over for a bit while you wander around and stick your nose in everyone else’s business. Linda is really good at jumping around between group and group and giving everyone some «me» time. At the end of it, we all get to eat and enjoy. Everyone I talked to was really happy with how the class turned out and would definitely come again. Me too.
Note: Please make sure to come on time to the class. Also, if there are not enough people in the class they may end up cancelling it. To get an idea on the likelihood of your class making it to the actual date, class size is usually 12 – 14 people and the website shows how many seats are still available.

I’m a foodie from the word «Go!» So when I learned that there was a cooking store in Pleasanton that also taught individuals how to make a fantastic lunch in an hour’s time… I was so there! And boy, did I have a great time!
In fact, the food was so good, Linda W. (the owner), such a rock star, that I brought my board of directors out for a friendly cooking competition and a little lesson on leadership. Now that was a hoot! Not only did the board have a great time, but the boys and girls fought over who would take what leftovers home!
In fact, I’m going back one more time for a knife skills class to better improve my skills (since I’m the one who cooks at home, rather than my wife). Once again, I expect Linda will «wow me,» surprise me, and make me want to come back to Pans on Fire again! I’m so glad this place is around.
And, just got back from the knife class… Grrr! Dana was fabulous. My next move is to get my men’s cooking group to do a private grilling class with Dana (who has won prizes for his grilling technique). Bottom line: I’m stoked this place is around!