Fall & Holiday Private Events in Chicago: New Menus, More Hands-On, and the Best Time of Year to Book a Cooking Class

Fall is here, the holidays are right behind it, and we'll just say it plainly: this is the best time of year to book a private event with us.

Between now and New Year's, we're hosting company holiday parties, team outings, client appreciation dinners, friendsgivings, and a whole lot of "we finally got everyone in one room" celebrations. Every one of them ends the same way — a full table, a meal your group cooked together, and a story people are still telling in January.

And this season, we've got some new stuff to show you.

New Fall Menus (Yes, We Reworked Everything)

We spent the summer in the kitchen rebuilding our private event menus from the ground up. More choices, more seasonal flavors, and dishes built around what actually tastes good when it's cold outside — think braises, hand-rolled pasta, roasted everything, and plenty of warm, share-the-table comfort.

The bigger change: every menu is more hands-on than before. Less watching, more doing. You're not standing around while Chef cooks for you — you're rolling, searing, saucing, and plating alongside your team. That's the whole point of coming here instead of booking a restaurant.

We still build every menu around your group. Dietary restrictions and allergies? Handled. Just tell us about a week out and we'll make sure everyone eats well.

The Cooking Challenge Got an Upgrade

If you've done our Cooking Challenge before, it's better now. If you haven't, this is the one to try.

Here's how it works: we split your group into teams, hand out a challenge, and let the friendly rivalry take over. This fall we made it more inclusive and a lot more hands-on — everyone cooks, everyone tastes what their team made before Chef judges it, and nobody gets stuck on dish duty in the corner.

Then there's Poem Time. Each team presents a poem about their company (or team, or department) that somehow ties into the dish they just made. It's ridiculous. It's our favorite part of the night. It's also the moment your coworkers stop being coworkers and start being people who just watched Dave from accounting rhyme "risotto" with "quarterly motto."

The Challenge works for groups of 15 to 70+, which makes it perfect for holiday parties where you need to include the whole team.

Prefer Something More Relaxed? Book a Chef-Led Cooking Event

Not every group wants to compete. For smaller crews — 6 to 15 guests — our Chef-Led Cooking Event is a collaborative, relaxed evening where Chef walks everyone through a full menu start to finish. It's great for leadership teams, small departments, client dinners, or a group of friends who want to actually learn something while they celebrate.

Somewhere in the middle? Our Client Appreciation format fits 16 to 40 and is built for thanking the people who made your year.

Why Fall and the Holidays Are the Perfect Time to Try Us

We hear it all the time: "We've been meaning to book something with you guys." This is the season to stop meaning to.

• It's BYOB. Bring whatever your group loves to drink. We handle the glassware, ice, and non-alcoholic options.

• It's easy to plan. We handle the setup, the ingredient prep, the instruction, and the cleanup. You handle the guest list.

• You don't need a final headcount to book. Lock in your date with your best estimate and adjust as RSVPs come in.

• The whole space is yours. Private means private. No sharing the room with another party.

• It's in the suburbs. We're in Itasca — easy to reach from the city and the western and northwestern suburbs, with parking!

• Pricing starts at $69-$129 per person. We'll walk you through options based on your group size and what you're going for.

Fall and Holiday Dates Are Filling Up

Every year, November and December book earlier than the year before. We've already started locking in holiday dates, and we'd hate to tell you "sorry, that Thursday's gone."

If you're thinking about a fall team outing, a company holiday party, a client dinner, or a friends-and-family celebration before the end of the year, now's the time to reach out.

Submit your private event inquiry here with your group size, a few preferred dates, and what kind of night you're picturing. We'll get back to you fast and help you build an evening

worth remembering.

Come cook with us this season. The table's waiting.