Cooking Class - Essential Dim Sum

85 reviews

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$ 115 Per person

all-inclusive: 2-hour class, 4-course meal.

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What You’ll Do

Explore an incredible array of Asian dishes prepared with a hearty helping of tradition.

The time-honored traditions of dim sum comes to your home kitchen in this interactive cooking class with Chef Janet. She'll teach you how to create your own classic spread brimming with fresh flavor.

Begin by creating shrimp shumai featuring pork, mushrooms and aromatic seasonings. Then, prepare potsticker dumplings filled with savory meats and vegetables, and cook chicken wings in a tempting Asian sauce made with ginger and soy. For dessert, assemble a batch of mochi-style rice balls flavored with red bean paste and covered in sesame seeds.

Guests are welcome to provide wine and beer to enjoy during the class.

Your Menu

Shrimp Shumai

With pork, mushrooms and aromatics

Potsticker Dumplings

With homemade wrappers, beef, pork, mushrooms and cabbage

Ginger Soy Chicken Wings

With aromatics

Classic Sesame Balls

With glutinous rice, and lotus and red bean paste

Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated if noted prior to the event. Please mention this in the message field when you submit your booking request as adjustments to recipes cannot be made during class.

Details

Minimum Guests 2
Maximum Guests 24
Meal Courses 4
Event Duration 2 hours
Labels Asian, Beginner, Chinese, Couples, Father's Day, Holiday, Mother's Day

Meet your chef

Chef Janet

Food safety certified

Chef Travels to You

85 reviews

Chef Janet has been cooking for as long as she can remember - and she loves sharing that joy with others. Her passion is helping people feel confident, creative and at ease in the kitchen. After attending culinary school in the 1980s, Chef Janet deepened her culinary journey while living in Taiwan and Hong Kong, where she also began her career as a high school teacher. For decades, she’s been teaching a wide range of cooking classes, on and off, always with the same goal: to empower others through food. Nothing makes her happier than seeing the spark of joy and pride when someone masters a new skill.

View all of Chef Janet's Experiences

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Concierge

Cancellation Policy

Flexible booking: Cancel or reschedule this event's reservation for free up to 48 hours before the event.

Chef Janet will travel to guests within Chicago for this experience.

What You’ll Do

Explore an incredible array of Asian dishes prepared with a hearty helping of tradition.

Your Menu

Shrimp Shumai

With pork, mushrooms and aromatics

Potsticker Dumplings

With homemade wrappers, beef, pork, mushrooms and cabbage

Ginger Soy Chicken Wings

With aromatics

Classic Sesame Balls

With glutinous rice, and lotus and red bean paste

Details

Minimum Guests 2
Maximum Guests 24
Meal Courses 4
Event Duration 2 hours
Labels Asian, Beginner, Chinese, Couples, Father's Day, Holiday, Mother's Day

Reviews

Reviews guests left for this experience

Laine

18 Aug 2025

Chef Janet was wonderful, and we had such a fun time during our Dim Sum class! Couldn't recommend her services more for anyone looking for a fun group activity!

Wendy

17 Feb 2025

Chef Janet was excellent from start to finish! She created a fun and engaging experience, guiding us through the preparation of a wonderful meal with plenty of laughs along the way. Her instructions were clear, making it easy to learn new techniques while enjoying the process. Not only was the food delicious, but she also left my kitchen spotless—like she had never even been there. I highly recommend Chef Janet for an amazing experience!

Susan

23 Dec 2024

Janet was excellent, the food was delicious and experience of cooking it really fun. We wanted to be hands on and she had plenty for us to do, and the end results was fantastic and we have plenty of leftovers. We would definitely want her to come again, just what we were looking for.

Thomas

11 Dec 2024

Chef Janet was awesome! All of the food was so good, better than I've had in restaurants (Dim Sum). Janet was incredibly nice, instructive and great conversation. I would not have expected I'd be a semi-pro potsticker folder in such a short period of time, cooking is not my strong suit! I got this experience for my partner as a gift and she was so stoked. We would definitely do another cooking experience with Janet!

Justin

22 Nov 2024

Chef Janet delivered a fantastic private dim sum cooking class! Her clear instructions and hands-on teaching style made the experience both educational and fun. She expertly explained each technique while keeping the atmosphere light with great conversation. The dim sum we prepared was delicious, and we learned how to recreate everything at home. Chef Janet maintained perfect cleanliness throughout and left the kitchen spotless. Her professionalism, combined with her warm personality, made for an outstanding cooking experience. Pros: - Expert instruction - Delicious results - Great conversation - Spotless cleanup - Fun atmosphere Highly recommend for anyone interested in learning dim sum cooking!

Jonathan

13 Oct 2024

Janet was great! She showed up on time, brought everything she would need for the night, and cleaned up everything after! She was kind and very helpful throughout the cooking process. The entire experience lasted slight over 2 hours. I would highly recommend Janet for your Cozymeal experience!

Greg

15 Sep 2024

Chef Janet taught us how to prepare a Dim Sum meal for 6 in our home. We learned by doing, as we rolled up sleeves to chop, mix, peel, roll, steam, fry, boil, etc etc. The best part was we now know how to make the perfect potsticker! She brought all needed cooking supplies and ingredients, was well organized, and cheerfully led us through the process. Great way to celebrate a birthday!

Michele

05 Apr 2024

Chef Janet was wonderful! She came to our house for a for a family class in Dim Sum and we had a great time, especially our 6 year old granddaughter. We learned a lot and appreciate that she was willing to teach all of us. Looking forward to scheduling again!

Adrienne

13 Mar 2024

We had a GREAT time with Chef Janet! She made the entire process very fun and educational. The food was delicious and we've already tried some of the recipes we learned during our class on our own. I would HIGHLY recommend booking her services.

Gabriela

11 Mar 2024

Chef Janet was amazing!! The dim sum experience was delicious - very tasty dumplings and sauces!!

Owen

10 Feb 2024

We had an amazing time with Chef Janet. Food was delicious, great conversation, and I will be making these dishes again! Highly recommend

Charlotte

09 Feb 2024

This class was so fun! Chef Janet makes this class very easy and hassle free. Book it!

Elbert

06 Jan 2024

Chef Janet did an amazing job for our dim sum class! I booked her as a surprise Christmas gift for my wife and I, and chef Janet was able to accommodate our dietary needs while tailoring the menu to our tastes. She was collaborative and open to trying new things with us, which we really appreciated. Chef Janet made a huge amount of food for the two of us, and was informative and engaging while teaching us techniques and answering our questions. She is an incredibly interesting individual with a plethora of life experience. We had an awesome time with chef Janet and would absolutely recommend her class to anyone!

Gracie

19 Dec 2023

Janet was a hoot. We had so much fun making dimsum and every dish was beyond delicious. I can't wait to whip out these recipes for my next dinner party!

Jianna

07 Dec 2023

Cooking with Chef Janet was a wonderful experience!! She is a wealth of knowledge, explains directions clearly and such a kind person!! We loved spending the night cooking with her!!

Joseph

06 Dec 2023

Chef Janet was amazing! Very thorough and an excellent and patient teacher! The food was delicious and very well explained every step of the way.

Claire

03 Dec 2023

Chef Janet was AWESOME! Booked her Dim Sum class for my 2 year anniversary. She comes with everything you could need (you need to supply nothing but a stove and microwave!) and then takes home all of the dirty pots and pans - no clean up was a lovely surprise. She is funny and great to talk to. Oh and most importantly, the food was delicious!

Fahad

18 Oct 2023

Chef Janet was wonderful! The dim sum food was delicious and Janet did a great job walking us through every step of the process!

Tom

17 Oct 2023

Chef Janet was awesome! She arrived on time, brought everything we needed, laid out disposable table cloths so clean up was easy (she cleaned up), basically did everything to make the experience for me and my wife amazing. The food was great, portion sizes were incredible, and Janet also has some incredible life stories too which made the evening so interesting. We highly recommend her!

JoAnna

26 Sep 2023

I booked Chef Janet's Dim Sum class as a surprise gift for my husband's birthday, and we had an absolutely amazing time! We learned a bunch of great recipes and cooking tips, and her stories of living in Taiwan and Hong Kong made the class even better. She was super patient, explained everything clearly, and made sure we had enough food to feel stuffed by the end of class. My partner and I are definitely planning on taking another class with her in the future. We highly recommend her classes, do not hesitate to book!

Derek

23 Sep 2023

All of the reviews say how great Chef Janet is…they are 100% correct. She makes the class such a nice experience. She was great with our kids and she was super patient.

Brenden

04 Sep 2023

Chef Janet was incredible! She’s extremely knowledgeable and taught us several techniques. We will absolutely be doing another class with her.

Nadalie

16 Aug 2023

Chef Janet was amazing! We had a great time and the food was delicious! She was very knowledgeable and accommodating to our preferences and skill level. We will definitely be taking another class from her!

Lindsay

11 Jul 2023

Janet was the absolute best! We had an awesome time, learned a bunch and the food was one of the best meals we have had in awhile. If you're deciding whether or not to book this experience - do not hesitate! You will not be disappointed! We can't wait for our next class :)

Reviews guests left for other experiences with Chef Janet

Erica

18 Jul 2025

Chef Janet was fantastic! My partner and I had so much fun learning how to make bruschetta, pasta, and tiramisu on her birthday. Chef Janet brought all the materials needed and even cleaned up after, so it made for a fun and easy night for us.

Danielle

13 Jul 2025

Chef Janet was amazing--friendly, knowledgeable, and an excellent teacher. We learned so much and ate so well! Will definitely take other classes with her.

Laura

12 Jul 2025

My sister and I had such a wonderful time in Janet’s cooking class! She was warm, knowledgeable, and made the experience both fun and approachable. We learned how to make a delicious bruschetta with olive tapenade, a perfectly cooked chicken marsala, and a silky panna cotta that was the perfect finish. Janet’s guidance made even the more intimidating steps feel easy, and we walked away with new skills—and full stomachs! Highly recommend her class to anyone looking for a hands-on and memorable culinary experience.

Sara

27 Mar 2025

Such a fun time! Chef Janet was professional, kind, and a great teacher. We made and ate a lot of sushi!

Evan

04 Feb 2025

Janet was fantastic! We had such a fun time learning the art of pasta/ravioli making with her. She comes well prepared with everything (including pots/pans you name it) and her culinary knowledge is exceptional. HIGHLY recommend using Chef Janet you will not regret it. She also went above and beyond to assist in some modifications for dietary restrictions. :)

Jenny

26 Jan 2025

We had a great time learning how to make sushi and Chef Janet was so wonderful. She was great company and very knowledgeable about many cuisines. We look forward to the next class we take with her!

Dylan

20 Jan 2025

Chef Janet came out to our house for the evening and showed my partner and I how to make Sushi Rolls. She came with everything necessary for the event, the only thing we provided was a table to work at, an outlet for a rice cooker, and an eager spirit to learn. She was an excellent, patient teacher. We would definitely book her again in the future.

Chris

29 Dec 2024

Great experience with Chef Janet and my family group if 7 in my apartment building kitchen. We all learned a lot and had a very memorable experience.

Emm

23 Oct 2024

Chef Janet was very professional, she was an excellent teacher and we had a great time. She made the class very easy to follow, she was prepared with everything she was going to need and we learned a lot!

Mihoko

23 Oct 2024

We had a wonderful ravioli & cannoli cooking class with Chef Janet! She was very well prepared, easygoing and fun to chat with, and taught us with clear and thoughtful instructions that will make it easy to recreate her delicious recipes in the future! Overall fantastic experience and would recommend to friends or as gifts!

Barbara and Noah

22 Oct 2024

Chef Janet provided a terrific cooking experience. She was warm and personable, knowledgable and patient. My 14 year old grandson and I had a ton of fun, made and ate a ton of sushi, and brought some back for the whole family to enjoy. Thanks Chef Janet for a great experience.

Devesh

08 Oct 2024

We had a lovely time learning from Chef Janet, would highly recommend!

Horacio

28 Sep 2024

Chef Janet was awesome! I booked her for a sushi class as a birthday surprise for my wife and she loved it. It was a very nice experience! She walks you through all the steps but also lets you use your creativity by creating your own rolls. Besides all that, she is such nice company! Would definitely recommend!

Nancy

12 Aug 2024

Chef Janet was tremendous. She is an excellent chef and teacher with an easy-going style, making it fun and enjoyable. The beef and squash ravioli were wonderful, and I plan to try and make it again. I never knew that cannolis were so easy to make. (Hopefully, I can channel Chef Janet's technique!) I highly recommend Chef Janet for the rewarding and delicious experience of having a chef cook and instruct in your home!

Ryan

05 Aug 2024

Chef Janet was fantastic! She taught us how to make cannoli's that were so delicious. The pasta was wonderful too and we learned a ton!

Eden

10 Jul 2024

So much fun!

Jonathon

11 Jun 2024

Chef Janet was awesome! We were intimidated to make pasta, and it was great to see how easy it was (and delicious)!

Kimberly

04 Jun 2024

Chef Janet is fantastic! We really enjoyed learning to make sushi rolls from her and she made it a lot of fun.

John

17 May 2024

Janet did a great job and it was so fun to learn how to roll sushi! The different ingredient options were delicious. Janet was very engaging and it was entertaining experience. Would highly recommend and would want to do another one of her classes again!

Emily

28 Apr 2024

Chef Janet ran a wonderful class for us, readily modifying recipes based on allergies and preferences. She was friendly and professional throughout. It was a fantastic experience and very smoothly run from start to finish. We were so pleased with the whole event, and the food was absolutely delicious. We have a newfound confidence and determination to make fresh pasta going forward--and we're never buying premade cannoli again!

Sierra

30 Mar 2024

We highly enjoyed this class with Chef Janet! She had a very approachable teaching style that made us feel comfortable and confident throughout the class. We had fun and would recommend this to everyone else!

MARCIA

23 Mar 2024

Janet was great! She explained everything and we all had a great time! I would definitely recommend her to others!

Owen & Corrie

13 Mar 2024

Chef Janet was great, highly recommend. Excellent balance of instruction and providing space for our family to enjoy themselves.

Zach

07 Mar 2024

Janet was great, thank you!

Heather

03 Mar 2024

We learned everything we need to know about making our own sushi rolls at home - thoroughly enjoyed our experience in the comfort of our own kitchen and home with Chef Janet!

Nicholas

13 Feb 2024

Chef Janet was incredible! She was extremely knowledgeable, giving us all sorts of tips and tricks. She was also a great teacher, making the class fun and entertaining. Definitely recommend.

William

07 Feb 2024

Janet was a wonderful teacher and an even better person. I really enjoyed learning sushi from her!

Tori

05 Feb 2024

Wow, what a great experience! Chef Janet exceeded every expectation and created a memorable evening for our family. The company was so much fun and the food was amazing! Would highly recommend. We even talked about doing another class in the future!

Ellen

28 Jan 2024

We had SO much fun with Janet! She taught us a lot, was really kind and had great convo, and the food was delicious! She also left us absolutely nothing to clean up afterwards. We would absolutely book again. It was a great choice for my husband’s bday.

Grace

22 Jan 2024

Great quality class - I gave as a gift and the recipients were raving about the class! Not only was it a fun and approachable sushi-making class, but Janet was delightful and they had a great time hearing all about her travels and cooking experience.

Audrey

20 Jan 2024

My family had a great experience with Chef Janet. She was patient, helpful and knowledgeable. The food was delicious and the ingredients were great. We would definitely do it again.

Hamza

08 Jan 2024

Chef Janet was amazing! We had the best time with her and she has such great energy and stories for days. She explains the why and really accommodated some food restrictions for us to have an amazing meal.

Theresa

06 Jan 2024

We had such a great time with Chef Janet! She was very friendly and engaging, the food was great, and the kitchen was left sparkling clean! We're already talking about when we can book our next class!

Ellie

05 Jan 2024

Chef Janet was so much fun! She makes cooking easy and accessible, and teaches you techniques that you can use any time. She was very prepared and was a joy to have in our home.

Colleen

02 Jan 2024

Chef Janet is fantastic! She made the class accessible for three children and we all had a great time and learned some new skills! Highly recommend!

Marissa

31 Dec 2023

My boyfriend and I had a blast working with Chef Janet. She is extremely knowledgable and personable, and the food was delicious. I highly recommend!

Kyle

11 Dec 2023

Chef Janet was amazing! Highly recommend this experience to anyone for a fun night out at "home".

Lauren

28 Nov 2023

We had the best evening with Chef Janet! She was so kind while talking us through each step. She was also very personable and we enjoyed getting to know her. I would recommend her and this experience to anyone I know. It was awesome and would do it again!!

Ellie

13 Nov 2023

We had the best experience with Chef Janet. She was friendly and conversational while very instructive. She kept the class moving at a great pace but made sure we had enough time to taste our creations along the way. She came fully prepared and was able to adapt the meal to our preferences. We had such a great time, we will definitely be booking another class soon!

Maria

12 Nov 2023

What a great evening! Chef Janet was informative, friendly and knowledgeable. We look forward to taking another class with her in the future :)

Keith

22 Oct 2023

We had the pleasure of celebrating two family birthdays with Janet. She helped us every step of the way and helped us create amazing Italian pasta! Would recommend her for any group!

Matthew

30 Sep 2023

Our time with Chef Janet was nothing short of wonderful. It was a delightful experience to cook, converse, and create a wonderful memory with her. She was also very accommodating regarding potential dietary restrictions and made to share lots of useful techniques that could be used in our own cooking ventures. Please do yourself a favor and take one of her classes! You won’t regret it!

Sarah

14 Sep 2023

Chef Janet was great! She was super patient with us, explained everything clearly, and gave us some great tips!! We had a fantastic evening and are stuffed from so much sushi!

Jenni

15 Aug 2023

An enjoyable evening with family and good food.

Elizabeth

12 Aug 2023

Amazing host! Came to our house fully prepared, made so much food and everything was delicious!! She is a jack of many trades!

Sadie

03 Aug 2023

Janet is great! She is very patient and knowledgeable. We had a wonderful time and can’t wait to take another class.

Bob

30 Jul 2023

Had an wonderful, thoughtfully presented evening with Chef Janet. She was flexible on the ingredients to address tastes and provided a number of great tips thorough out the event.

Michael

12 Jul 2023

Our experience with Janet was amazing! From cooking to sharing about her journey we enjoyed every second of it. Highly recommend!

Adam

10 Jul 2023

Chef Janet was great!

Kirsten

26 Jun 2023

Absolutely fabulous class! So much fun and amazing food. Chef Janet was very knowledgeable, friendly, and engaging. She provided a relaxing and entertaining class for my family, in the comfort of my home. I would highly recommend taking a class with Chef Janet!

Elliott

19 Jun 2023

Janet was absolutely fantastic. I wanted to surprise m girlfriend for her 28th birthday with a private cooking experience. This was my first time on Cozymeal, and Janet was the first chef I have done this with. Janet was everything we could've asked for plus more. Her communication upfront was timely and effective. She was very flexible to allow for the dietary restrictions, and allowed my girlfriend and I to customize the dishes of our choice. She was a very good teacher, but also let us do things on our own. She was helpful to "show us the way". We had good conversations and she was entertaining. She did all of the dishes and was very helpful with cleanup. The sushi was awesome and she gave us many tis and tricks. I would certainly recommend Janet!!!

Reviews Chef Janet received outside of Cozymeal

Shirali

01 Jun 2023

awesome class!

Anna

01 Jun 2023

Great class and I learned how to make sushi!

Sabrina

01 Jun 2023

We all had a wonderful time.

Jacob

01 Jun 2023

Janet was fabulous! Great class!

Neal

01 Jun 2023

Janet is amazing! She took the time to teach us how to make the dough and showed us how she would prep everything. It was a fun experience for sure and she helped us really see how to make pasta. She gave plenty of recommendations and more!

Valery

01 Jun 2023

Great Class, lots of great information and tools given. Will be back for more :)

Dominique

01 Jun 2023

Chef Janet was amazing! She was detailed in her explanations and allowed us to have fun cooking. I will definitely be back to check out her other class and bringing friends!

Lori

01 Jun 2023

Cooking with Janet was fun and informative. She was really organized, so that I could relax and enjoy the experience. The food was delicious and I'm excited to be able to make this again on my own.

Regina

01 Jun 2023

Pot stickers are way too delicious and complicated for me to ever make, right? Wrong. Janet stepped us patiently through the process of blending ground meats, chopping vegetables and mixing in seasoning. Just doing that much took the mystery out of pot stickers, but Janet even taught us how to make the dough covering part. She had also provided store-bought frozen shells, but I soon found that the dough I had was heartier. When we tasted our finished creations, I was shocked by how well we had done. Janet provided an excellent recipe and made learning it fun. She helped us feel successful. I had a great time.