18 Reasons

The baking class with legendary Michelle Polzine was truly one of the best experiences ever! Special thanks to the school staff; they are the friendliest, hardest working people.

I tried supporting this org with $2,800 for a private event for 14 people but they had bigger fish to fry 🤷🏻‍♂️ I asked in Sept for a date in Nov. Six weeks later, they offer me a date at the end of Nov, at which point I've already rescheduled with Thai Cooking with Sunshine. Then they had the audacity to send me an automated email asking for a corporate sponsorship for their "teach a community to fish" event. What a joke.

If you are looking for a place to bond with your team, relax, learn a trick or two about cooking and enjoy some fantastic food at the end, you got it all at 18 Reasons! Our event was hosted by Michael, Kourtney, Emily, and Chef Jaime. All of them have been so incredibly nice and helpful, and they made us feel so welcome! The venue itself has this French countryside allure to it, it’s super clean and it’s a fantastic space for a happy Friday afternoon with friends (or friends to be) family and more. Our team has prepared the juiciest and most flavorful chicken I’ve ever tasted, along with an amazing salad with a very refreshing dressing made from scratch, and other vegetarian delicatessens. The crown jewel piece of our Team lunch at 18 Reasons was the apple pie topped with ice cream. So light, so tenderly crispy, just enough to make your taste buds perform a happy dance and send you home with a memory of a great mid-April afternoon spent in the company of amazing people! I’m looking forward to our next Team outing at 18 Reasons and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves great food for soul and stomach!

A group of us went to 18 Reasons for a working meeting event. It was perfect for our needs. The owners were very attentive, the food was fresh, so tasty, and was a great representation of the space. Just what I was hoping for. They also had great internet and projecting capabilities, perfect for work group meetings.

I really enjoy every 18 Reasons cooking class and dinner I attend. Their teachers are fun, organized, and dynamic, and I return to the recipes I have learned from them all the time!

Loved Shakirah Simley's canning class. She's a knowledgeable and delightful instructor. We went home and put the new skill to use and have tomatoes and peaches to last the winter.

Awesome place for a meal. Community focus, super tasty. Love their producer dinners where you hear a farmer, or brewer, or vinter talk about their craft, and you get to enjoy their tasty product. Yum!

Took Basic Knife Skills. Very laid back and learned a lot. Plenty of individual attention and instructor is great with people.

The baking class with legendary Michelle Polzine was truly one of the best experiences ever! Special thanks to the school staff; they are the friendliest, hardest working people.

I tried supporting this org with $2,800 for a private event for 14 people but they had bigger fish to fry 🤷🏻‍♂️ I asked in Sept for a date in Nov. Six weeks later, they offer me a date at the end of Nov, at which point I've already rescheduled with Thai Cooking with Sunshine. Then they had the audacity to send me an automated email asking for a corporate sponsorship for their "teach a community to fish" event. What a joke.

If you are looking for a place to bond with your team, relax, learn a trick or two about cooking and enjoy some fantastic food at the end, you got it all at 18 Reasons! Our event was hosted by Michael, Kourtney, Emily, and Chef Jaime. All of them have been so incredibly nice and helpful, and they made us feel so welcome! The venue itself has this French countryside allure to it, it’s super clean and it’s a fantastic space for a happy Friday afternoon with friends (or friends to be) family and more. Our team has prepared the juiciest and most flavorful chicken I’ve ever tasted, along with an amazing salad with a very refreshing dressing made from scratch, and other vegetarian delicatessens. The crown jewel piece of our Team lunch at 18 Reasons was the apple pie topped with ice cream. So light, so tenderly crispy, just enough to make your taste buds perform a happy dance and send you home with a memory of a great mid-April afternoon spent in the company of amazing people! I’m looking forward to our next Team outing at 18 Reasons and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves great food for soul and stomach!

A group of us went to 18 Reasons for a working meeting event. It was perfect for our needs. The owners were very attentive, the food was fresh, so tasty, and was a great representation of the space. Just what I was hoping for. They also had great internet and projecting capabilities, perfect for work group meetings.

I really enjoy every 18 Reasons cooking class and dinner I attend. Their teachers are fun, organized, and dynamic, and I return to the recipes I have learned from them all the time!

Loved Shakirah Simley's canning class. She's a knowledgeable and delightful instructor. We went home and put the new skill to use and have tomatoes and peaches to last the winter.

Awesome place for a meal. Community focus, super tasty. Love their producer dinners where you hear a farmer, or brewer, or vinter talk about their craft, and you get to enjoy their tasty product. Yum!

Took Basic Knife Skills. Very laid back and learned a lot. Plenty of individual attention and instructor is great with people.

My bf bought us slots in the Malaysian cooking class with Chef Linda for date night (a panic move on his end after getting a stern "you need to plan date nights" talk from myself) and I'm so glad he did!! Linda was a phenomenal instructor, giving us cultural context while also giving us some basic kitchen skills, info about what we were making, and where to find these ingredients to replicate the Nyonya meal we were cooking. The 18 Reasons staff were so friendly and helpful too! And most importantly the food was DELICIOUS! Would definitely recommend for groups of any size though It was like the game Overcooked come to life so I bet it would be very fun with a group of friends/family that can shout at each other.

I showed up for a French cooking class after a long hike, with no time to change or shower in between (I didn't smell bad, just looked like someone who spent half the day outside lol). Most of the other couples looked like they were on date night, and there were a few solo cooks too. It was pretty uncomfortable being the only obvious person of color in the group, especially looking the way I did. Some of the other cooks were pretty dismissive and awkward when I had to interact with them, BUT the chef who led the class was so kind to me throughout the whole experience. I felt she really listened and took the time to answer my questions, and it felt like she valued my thoughts and opinions on ingredients. She really made me feel welcome, and that made a difference for me. 18 Reasons is a nonprofit that helps community members, and the chef treated me like a valued community member. The quality of the lesson was excellent, and the meal we cooked was delicious. I really enjoyed the format of the class and felt that we transitioned smoothly from one task to another. Instructions are clearly given; the chef and volunteers circulate to assist and give feedback. It was an enjoyable experience for me, and I want to come back for another cooking class.

I took the French pastry class with Jennifer Altman and it was fantastic. She's extremely knowledgeable, let us ask questions as we sat together to enjoy our creations, and had an excellent balance of demonstrating, talking, and helping us prepare our desserts. The space is fantastic - it feels very open with long workstations and a great view of the demonstration table. The staff on site to help for our class were great as well and baked our prepared desserts and prepared a delicious salad to share. I also felt like preparing multiple desserts at once was a new exciting skill I learned. As we went along, Jennifer shared tips for rolling in the desired shape, a less specific way to make pastry cream, and which doughs can last a few days in the fridge to be made ahead. There are so many incredible offerings - I hope more specialized dessert offerings and more cooking and baking classes that tie science in so it's more than learning a recipe, but also learning to troubleshoot or adjust recipes. Several of us at the October 21st class mentioned that in our review, so we can't wait for the January class schedule to come out. Thanks for an excellent date night - we will definitely be back soon! The organization itself is doing incredible things and I felt so glad to support their work educating the community.

Just finished the Paste di Natale: Lasagna Primer at 18 Reasons on Sunday, 12/18 with instructor Viola Buitoni. Had the most amazing time. I could not believe I made the lasagna from scratch and it tasted better than any lasagna I've ever had. Viola was awesome-funny, personable, and I love the way she describes her cooking process and techniques. Looking forward to taking more classes. Would 1000% recommend you do the same

I had walked by 18 Reasons several times in the past and was intrigued but didn't start signing up for classes until a few months ago. I first started going to 18 Reasons as a volunteer and instantly fell in love. Since becoming a volunteer, I've become a member and attended community dinners and cooking classes as a guest and it's been great! All of the instructors are super knowledgeable and passionate about food and the majority of the snacks and ingredients come from Bi-Rite Market across the street. Events tend to sell out so I would recommend signing up as far in advance as possible here: https://18reasons.org/calendar. There's a 7-day cancellation policy if your plans change and you need a refund. Events I've attended or volunteered for so far: * 2 Community Dinners - $15 meal once a month, 2 seatings at 6 pm and 7:30 pm, amazing meals cooked by rotating chefs * Basic Knife Skills/Ramen in One Night with Chef Mike - Basic Knife Skills is a really great technique based class if you're getting started with cooking and need to learn the basics. In this class, you learn about the different kinds of knives, how to hone a knife, and each person cuts various herbs and vegetables to make a delicious Vietnamese chicken salad. * Salt with Chef Justin - The recipes from this class were amazing and it was fun to use cooking techniques I'd never seen before such as smoking chicken wings and creating a salt-crusted fish. * Flavors of France Parisian Bistro/Julia Child on the Menu (Provence)/Seafood Lovers' Guide to the Mediterranean with Chef Zoe - Chef's Zoe's classes are awesome if you want to learn French cooking. Her classes usually have fresh bread which I love because it's so simple and delicious. My favorite recipes from her classes include beef tartare and uni with toasted bread, butter, chives, and lemon. * Italian for the Beginner Cook with Chef Viola - Chef Viola's classes are awesome if you want to learn Italian cooking. Her class was the first one that got me introduced to 18 Reasons and she made several different pastas including this amazing Amatriciana that I've bookmarked to make again. * Great British Bakeoff with Chef Jennifer - Chef Jennifer's classes are awesome if you want to learn how to bake. The Great British Bakeoff class was super entertaining because the general techniques were taught but specific recipes weren't given (similar to the show). Ovens were set at different temperatures and students had to guess which ones to put their biscuits in. The volunteers did a taste test and announced a winner.

I purchased a year membership with my boyfriend and we are trying to attend one class per month. We've been to 3 classes so far and have really enjoyed them! Our first class was "French Countryside" with Chef Zoe and we made some fancy things- chestnut soup, coq au vin, pomme anna, and creme caramel. What I learned is French cooking is complex and takes time! I am not sure which one of these recipes I can handle on my own, but the meal was fantastic and accompanied by great wine and conversation. Our second class was knife skills. I felt like I had a good handle on my knife skills prior to this class but knew I would learn some great tips. Also, it was a little lighter of a class for a weekday and we ate a nice vietnamese salad with chicken, bread, and wine at the end. Chef Mike had some interesting stories and was a great teacher. I highly enjoyed it, and we also received coupons for 20% off our next class at 18 reasons! Our third class was Basque Pinxtos with Chef Camila. I liked that our Chef still lives in Spain and was only in town for a short time. I also liked that we began our intro sitting around the table and enjoying a Basque aperitif! We made a lot of different pinxtos and so we were able to jump around and learn how to create different things throughout the night. The class went by quickly! I think my favorite item was the fried quail egg over a roasted padron pepper, iberico ham, and baguette. Overall, 18 Reasons is a great place to learn how to cook various types of cuisines, and to just learn basic skills. They really consider the feedback we give after each class and hire really great instructors. Also, I feel good about supporting a cooking school that gives so much to the community. Finally, I love that we only use bi-rite groceries and wine! Everything we've eaten and drank has been top-notch quality. I haven't been to a regular dinner there, so we signed up for a Fijian pop up dinner next month. Will update review then!

Chef Mike is the MVP!!! My company (Firefox) had an event here. We did a cooking class with some guests. We provided the recipes in advance and 18 Reasons picked it all up from Bi-Rite. Apparently, they're of the same family so you know all the food will be quality ingredients. We arrived a little early and chef Mike had appetizers waiting. AMAAAAAZING because I was hungry. We were making queso and he had some prepared for us to snack on with the guests before we started cooking. During the class he helped us learn some great and easy tips to bring back to our own kitchens. I'm far from a chef so while something others may have known, I didn't. For example, we made a grilled pork salad and a grilled tofu salad. He taught us to dip the tofu in OJ to give it flavor and help it grill well. It was such an awesome experience. There were two ladies who also helped with the cleaning and prep. Thank you 18 Reasons! We had an awesome experience.

18 Reasons is a great community space to learn and share about clean, locally sourced food. I love the ranch visits where you can meet the farmers and see where your food is being sourced from. I also really appreciate the outreach to kids and low income areas to improve access and learning of growing and making high quality food. Thanks for your great work

As part of a Valentine's gift that took us five and a half months to get around to, I signed my girlfriend and I up for the Basic Knife Skills class at 18 Reasons. Neither of us knew much about the organization other than that it was well reviewed and had an association to Bi-Rite. After attending the class, we were overjoyed with the experience from start to finish. It took a month or two of casually checking their website to find a class that wasn't sold out already, but a last minute class addition got us seats at the table. The space is clean but cozy and with a workshop/dining area in the front and a large professional kitchen in the back. The entire class took place in the front room, and a wide variety of people gathering around their cutting stations as the class began. I think there were 12 students in total. The instructor, Mike Weller, is a charming, incredibly pleasant and friendly San Francisco native. His background is extensive with decades as a prominent chef and Director of Academics at the California Culinary Academy. His gentle demeanor made everyone feel welcome and relaxed as we got ready to prepare a meal together. The class is 3 hours long and the first 2 hours were spent learning useful information about knives, proper handling techniques, and several different cuts which we used to slice, dice and mince a variety of vegetables. Mike peppered the class with cooking and life anecdotes, questions to us, tips and tricks. The instruction felt really conversational and natural and everyone chatted with their neighbors. At the end of the learning portion, Mike had his volunteer assistants shred a chicken they had been roasting and a serving station was set up with the rest of the veggies we had prepared. We had slowly created a Vietnamese salad in large enough quantities for all of us. The food was accompanied by incredible bread and salted butter and several bottles of wine that Mike poured individually for each student. We then sat and enjoyed our dinner and Mike told more stories and answered questions about anything from the class. At the end of the night we left with two bags of diced onions, a complimentary food scraper and wooden spoon and a sense of accomplishment. We'll definitely be returning for the another class soon and I can't recommend this place enough. Awesome experience start to finish.

I love this organization so so so much. Their cooking classes are high quality and have such high breadth. The teachers come from a variety of backgrounds - Indian, Mexican, Italian, French... it feels like you're traveling the world in your kitchen. You learn hands-on though you may not work on ALL the stations. I love that the teachers talk about the quality of the ingredients and their experiences with the food that they're cooking. Though prices are high, they're much more reasonable than a lot of other cooking classes. Prices range from $50-80 but are cheaper if you're a member! LOVELY place to volunteer. The volunteers are all passionate about food, work so hard (I know - I'm one of them!) but it feels so rewarding to gather and celebrate food. Other options: Feed Your People and Community Dinners, which are only $15!

I had a wonderful time at my first class here and have many takeaways to bring to my home kitchen! I was a bit concerned prior to taking the class the level would be too amateur than my current skill but I appreciated that the instructor was able to scaffold everything for all participants, no matter their ability. He was very encouraging and gave lots of tips along the way. I did the Fish Butchery and Cookery class - so unlike at home when I filet one fish but it's not perfect and I just have to deal with it, I had a chance to really practice. Wonderful opportunity to refine my filet procedure - also learned lots of little tidbits about sanitation and organization throughout the night just watching the chef and following his movements and routines. My instructor tonight was Justin, who is new to the area but was a lot of fun and already seemed to feel right at home. Mike was there as well, but in a host capacity - he is a super sweet guy! And finally, special shout out to the manager Allison who went out of her way to notify me that this class opened up when I had been desperately emailing her back and forth to check if a spot would free up when I wanted to sign up for this class earlier. These classes DO fill up fast; you need to be on their calendar like white on rice so don't miss out! It is totally worth it - whether you are a more experienced home cook or newbie you will either refine skills and gather some new tidbits and techniques or gain a TON of knowledge. Either way, it's a great way to work in a "real" working kitchen and gain that experience too.

18 Reasons is a wonderful organization. I highly recommend it in every possible way. The goal to help and provide many to learn how to cook on a budget healthy recipes is invaluable. Their online classes are to be applauded and will hopefully remain a great tool to learn. It is a fun way to manage all recipes in one's kitchen. Very practical and didactic.

When 2020 began, I promised myself that it would be the year I took a professional cooking class...then the pandemic hit. I was so depressed for those first few months that I didn't know what to do. Eventually, I stumbled across 18 Reasons online and it truly got me back on my feet. I've taken 4 classes virtually since my first and each one has been an amazing journey. 18 Reasons inspired me all across the country in NJ to focus on what I love and keep learning new skills. I hope that I can create something as magical for the NJ/NY metro area one day. Thanks for everything, 18 Reasons -- see you on Zoom!

Over the course of the last year I've become a member, taken two cooking classes, participated in a community dinner, and dragged six friends out to take a knife skills class. Oh, and became a volunteer too. Clearly I've enjoyed every experience I've had with 18 Reasons! The classes are great-- really informative with lots of hands-on activity, ending with a casual, family style meal showcasing all of your hard work. Instructors are enthusiastic and really interested in getting students excited about what they're cooking. If you have follow up questions at some point after the class is over, you're encouraged to email them whenever you like. Taking classes here and volunteering also supports the school in teaching free cooking classes to lower income adults and kids in the community. Pretty amazing.

Came for the Peruvian pop-up dinner last Tuesday (the 31st). I love the space, and I love all the classes and events 18 Reasons has to offer (though honestly I have yet to make a single one!). They also provided live music - an accordion player and a clarinetist. They were both really friendly and made the atmosphere fun and laid back. I just have to qualify my review by saying my rating is PURELY for the food at the pop-up, which was good, but not mindblowing. * Gazpacho de Cordoba - 3.5 stars http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PY6Y8XE2DcoZTHxweJGufw?select=Q84wRgrsX6uFr6Dtu6FB5g#lA8S4n1jGYbDF93Idl7dfA (California tomatoes, garlic, bread, balsamic vinegar, salt, and olive oil) Probably the best thing we had that night! This was refreshing and the flavors fresh and subtle. There was a hint of spice in there. The texture of the soup was like a broth but with chunks of tomato, which made it filing without being overly rich. * Escabeche de Pescado - 2.5 stars http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PY6Y8XE2DcoZTHxweJGufw?select=Q84wRgrsX6uFr6Dtu6FB5g#3rDrxYGMCvaXfVVZN9O8MQ (Alaska cod pickled in fish stock, aji panca, red wine vinegar, honey, and onions, served over lettuce and garnished with sweet potato, egg, and olive) Very underwhelming. This was served cold and we weren't sure if it was really meant to be that way or not. The cod was a tiny tiny bit over cooked and a little hard. It also had very little to offer by way of flavor. I'm not sure where exactly that vinegar and honey went. It was basically a simple piece of fish on lettuce, with half an egg and a single olive. * Arroz con Leche - 3 stars http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PY6Y8XE2DcoZTHxweJGufw?select=Q84wRgrsX6uFr6Dtu6FB5g#Q84wRgrsX6uFr6Dtu6FB5g (Long grain white rice, milk, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and orange zest) Also a little underwhelming. Maybe I was expecting the wrong thing - when I think rice pudding I think more liquid-y, but this was a dryer. Also reading back now to the ingredients.. I didn't taste any of those things except the milk, sugar, and cinnamon. I would have loved a stronger orange zest!

I was looking for a virtual team bonding event (for 12), and stumbled upon 18 Reasons, and I'm so glad I did! I booked a 1 hour cooking class (we made gyoza), and Mike and Cat were so wonderful and great teachers. Planning and organizing this team event was super easy thanks to Theresa, who was super responsive and helpful with my questions. All of us had a great time, and would definitely recommend!!

I don't see how you could give this place any less than 5 stars. In addition to being an incredible cooking school, 18 reasons is a community-driven organization that lives true to it's mission by providing culinary and nutrition education in low-income neighborhoods throughout San Francisco. I came here with my boyfriend for the knife skills class as part of a belated birthday gift. Mike taught our class and was seamless in his integration of culinary knowledge, San Francisco history, and stoking conversation among the class. The structure of the knife skills class included a basic overview at the beginning, a tutorial on cutting techniques which we got to try on various vegetables, all culminating with a class dinner at the end. It was nice that for the price of the class you get to make and share a meal together afterwards. Mike was a very patient, kind and welcoming teacher and I hope we can take a class with him again soon!

Not so impressed. Website advertised different prices and they charged 50% more, little disappointing. Small space but they tried to make it work. Cookie decorating event didn't have much tools for the icing but toppings were decent. Crowd was mingling but not as playful. At least they had enough cookies and wine. I'll be back to check out the artist work, but not impressed by the food. Rather go to Bi-rite market and get some goodies.

I come for the every month community dinners and it is always is a delight and a surprise. I love the idea that an amateur chef would cook food that they love and share it will the community. Love the space and what the organization stands for. Cannot wait for next month.

Incredible experience! Teacher, volunteers, and the other patrons taking the class were so nice. Any skill level welcome and one of the cheaper cooking classes you'll find in SF, but worth it. Will definitely come back and besides, I want to volunteer here!

Attended a fabulous fried chicken winemaker dinner last night at 18 Reasons, a non-profit community cooking school and so much more. Hardy Wallace of Dirty and Rowdy Wines was the featured winemaker last night. Don't let the catchy name (Dirty and Rowdy) fool you. These are world class food friendly wines. Hardy and his wife Kate were wonderful hosts for this event. The fried chicken was some of the best we have had, crispy yet light and the chicken moist and juicy. The other courses - sides were also very good. One added benefit of the dinner was we were able to buy some goodies from Tartine Bakery which is just a few doors away from 18 Reasons. The multi course dinner and wines Pimento cheese, celery. Five spice sorghum pecans. 2013 Dirty and Rowdy Yountville Semillon Iceberg lettuce, local blue cheese, Benton't bacon 2013 Dirty and Rowdy Mouvedre "Especial" Fried buttermilk brined chicken, local pickles, Anson Mills cornbread, baked rancho gordo beans, braised collard greens, chili. 2013 Dirty and Rowdy Mouvedre "Familar" 2013 Dirty and Rowdy Mouvedre OV Rosewood Vineyard Bi Rite creamery roasted banana ice cream, peanut brittle 2013 Dirty and Rowdy sparkling pinot blanc An extra long hike today to work it off :)

I first came to 18 Reasons for Community Dinner and fell in love. It's so great to bring the community together to share a meal, meet new people, and explore new cuisines. There aren't a lot of social things in the city I'd go to alone, but this is one of them. I always leave having had a great conversation with new people at my table. I've also taken a cooking class, "Big Food on a Small Budget" with Michelle McKenzie. It's a very hands-on class unlike a lot of the others I've done. I felt like I really learned a lot about new cooking styles and ingredients I normally wouldn't reach for. While the class was a bit pricey (despite the name of it), I felt it was worth it. Michelle's clear passion for cooking is infectious and I found myself ordering cook books and carving out more of my day to be in the kitchen preparing healthy and inexpensive meals. It's also an amazing dinner experience with more than enough food and lots of inspiration. If you're looking to take a class to really improve your technique, I couldn't recommend this one more

Went to a Danish Doughs baking class here last night with a few friends and had an amazing time! The class was from 4pm-8pm and included dinner and snacks. We learned the in's and out's of the dough making process, different filling ideas, and the art of the assembly. As the danishes were baking we were served dinner and wine and had a little Q&A with the instructor. The danishes all came out perfectly delicious! We stuffed our faces with them and took some more home. Never thought I'd be able to bake pastries, and now I can! Definitely want to come back here for more classes in the future- had a great time.

I first learned about 18 Reasons via their (now defunct) food literature book club, and I'm hooked. I've come for dozens of cooking classes, producer dinners, and wine tastings. My favorite cooking class teachers are Viola Buitoni (of the Italian pasta family) and Peter Temkin (charcuterie maker at Foreign Cinema). My favorite wine educators are Pam Busch (former wine critic at SF Examiner), Vinny Eng (formerly of Bar Tartine), and Eric Danch (Blue Danube Wine). The staff and volunteers are dedicated and work hard. It's amazing what is accomplished here. Their rotating, food themed artwork by guest artists is also beautiful. I highly recommend giving 18 Reasons a try!

I came here with my coworkers for a private event, cooking class and lunch. Super friendly and easy-going folks. Also chef Dario (sp?) was the man. 10/10 would go again

I have always enjoyed 18 Reasons cooking classes and the folks are still doing a bang-up job online. Yes, they get the highest marks for cooking in the virtual world. The instructors are top-notch and personable, my fellow classmates are great and no question is too basic. These classes are fabulous for experienced as well as novice cooks. Take a class -- your home cooking will never again be routine.

I volunteer at some of the classes here and I absolutely love 18 Reasons. The teachers are wonderful and the community around 18 reasons is fantastic. They do a really good job of offering very inclusive, diverse classes that are accessible for people of all culinary backgrounds. If you want to learn about a type of cooking or just want to try something new, I highly suggest trying to get into a class. I will say that they fill up quickly, so if you're waitlisted, just know it's because these are awesome classes that we try to make the optimal size in the interest of each students' experience.

The Bi-Rite folks have started a non-profit to connect us with the people who make our food... from espresso roasters to butchers to fish farmers to sausage makers to home brewers. You gotta love a place where you can watch people unleash their foodie selves, and partake of their hand crafted goods as well. Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats is teaching a sausage making class there next week, and other cool chefs and sommeliers are getting in on the action. Plus, every Thursday they have a meet and greet where you can sip wine and taste some of the organic, sustainable products they sell at Bi-Rite and meet the local artisans who invented them. Tonight I saw the Meatpaper exhibit and got to meet some of the Bi-Rite family. Good times! I hear they may have a chicken slaughtering soon. Extreme? Yes. But for those seeking out a return to the pastoral, indubitably cathartic.

Do you eat food? If you answered yes to any of the above, please continue. Do you like to: Make new friends? Meet people with similar interests? Learn how to prepare simple, delicious meals (on a budget)? Share food, meals, ideas? Learn new skills? Meet your local business owners and farmers? Support your community? If so, you owe it to yourself to check out 18 Reasons. Really. You owe it to yourself. There are events for as little as $5 (food included), so what are you waiting for? Even a starving-student budget could swing it.

I've been dying to take a knife skills class and found this one for $35 at 18 reasons - the best deal I came across in the city. I loved John Lee - the instructor. Loved the set up, loved the casual atmosphere of the class. John was a wealth of information and facilitated a flow of open Q&A throughout the class. We finished up with some food (vietnamese salad with all the vegetables we had cut during the class) and John offered beer and champers to everyone. Lovely. Unfortunately, this class was less on "skills" but more on learning about the knife, the different cuts and their names, and some tips for making it easier to perform the different cuts. While very educational - I don't regret taking this class at all - I guess I somehow expected to come out of it cutting faster and more efficiently like those chefs on TV =p I really don't think I use the knife any better than I did before the class. And it's not the class's fault, but more a gap between expectation and reality.

Wow. I took the Surprising Sides class with Chef Michelle McKenzie, who happens to be the director of 18 Reasons. This was my first class there. I had no idea what to expect. I don't want to go on and on, but this class was mind blowing. I love food and am a food blogger and I admit that I am not great with veggies. Not only did I learn so much more than just the recipes we were preparing that night, but I learned facts about cooking ... i.e, it is ok to salt beans when you cook them, how to preserve a lemon etc. The class was pretty hands on and Michelle catered to all experience levels. She is extremely knowledgable and her command of spices speaks to what a culinary old soul she really is. The best part of the night was sitting down with everyone and not just "tasting" the food, but having a full meal including breads and bubbles. Each dish was absolutely restaurant worthy, yet so simple. I wish I had the time to take every class that Michelle teaches. I hear that everyone who teaches at 18 Reasons is pretty great, but I just know Michelle had me at fried nuts. Full disclosure... I recently joined the board of 18 Reasons because the non-profit I was a part of merged with them. I am new to their scene and part of my motivation for taking a class was to understand what 18 Reasons does. Our merger was kind of like the Brady bunch. Each parent brought their own kids and priorities to the party and I have to say that I am so happy that our non-profits met and became one. Sappy. One last thing... and something I hope to help correct... why don't more folks write reviews about the classes and events at 18R?... I think it is because their goal has never been to be popular. Also, This class was $55. I don't know where else you can learn to make 4 different recipes and sit down to a full meal with a glass of wine? Here is what we made: lentil puree, creme fraiche, cracked garam shaved sunchoke salad, sunflower sprouts, sunflower seeds, manchego caramelized kabocha, preserved lemon, pomegranate, toasted nigella, mint red cabbage agrodolce, fried almonds, thyme

My friend Annie and I went to the first art opening at 18 Reasons last night. I love the concept - a place devoted to creating communuity through art and food. And it was created by the same people who own BiRite Market and Creamery - so really, how could they go wrong? The people are so nice and they told me that interest in their community winemaker dinners has been huge. Sigh...just one more popular place i won't be able to get into in SF. But I'll keep trying!

Affordable classes, fantastic teachers, community dinners and its a non-profit! Such a treasure in the Mission and to the communities it reaches with their Cooking Matters programs. Try a class, sign up to volunteer, you won't regret it!

Friendly, Illuminating Tutored Wine tastings. No more then 25 people at a time. $25. Wondeful 'winemakers dinners'. Bi-rite serves up some beautiful bites to accompany the the featured winemaker who introduces his or her wines. Californian, French and Italian makers have made it so far. Food preparation classes. Recipe book and kitchen equipment swaps. Olive oil tastings Great Art. Butchery classes. All terrific value for money and with the love of local community.

I haven't been interested in cooking for years but after two classes at 18 Reasons, I am now hooked! The latest was on preparing Arroz con Mariscos (Paella) with a small group of people (one was my daughter) and it was really fun. It turned out perfectly! Everyone I connected with at18 Reasons was friendly and helpful.They helped me feel at ease and made it easy to understand while I was doing things that I had never done before like handling squid tubes! Really great way to learn and then eat what you cook! I look forward to my next culinary adventure!

I love the descriptions of all of the classes offered, and the mission of the company, I just wish my budget allowed for me to take some of them. :'-( I have, however, been to the 18th hour cafe on Thursdays, and had a lovely selection of food (duck confit on toast with meyer lemon marmalade, and a salty crumbly cheese) and wine before running off to meet up with some friends.

Took a Mexican cooking class here and really loved it! The employees were so friendly and helpful considering I am not much of a chef. The food was so delicious and I really loved the community aspect that is really emphasized here. I went with one other friend and we ended up meeting so many interesting people. The environment is very intimate and the space is very clean. I would highly recommend 18 Reasons if you're ever looking for a fun, interactive, delicious activity!

Went here last night with a friend to do the Hidden Star Farms apples, Pt. Reyes blue cheese, clothbound cheddar and organic hard cider. It was my 1st time and her 2nd and we both had a good time. It's one of those things where the first 5 minutes are slightly awkward, greeting people you dont know, finding a spot at the table, getting comfortable. Or maybe we're just awkward? Who knows. Anyway, farmer Johann Smitt was there to tell us all about the apples / farming organically etc. It was really interesting and you could tell he was passionate about what he does. Then we all shared cheese, apples and cider-pretty awesome. Also, really interesting art on the walls. I'd love to 5-star it but I feel like going just once isn't enough-I'm definitely trying another event! Maybe the pork one..? Definitely check it out, another great thing to do with friends besides sitting in a bar! (not that I dont like that too :)

We love this place for pop-up dinners, cooking classes (including dinner), and other food/wine-related events. Check their calendar online. The revenue for events funds nutrition and cooking classes for low-income families ( 18 reasons is associated with Bi-Rite market). The instructors are excellent and if you want, you can learn quite a bit. I've taken other cooking classes and these are the best value and the teacher-to-student ratio allows you to really learn the techniques. I now enjoy making macarons after taking the macaron class. One of my favorite events is the Rose wine tasting.

This is an excellent place for learning stuff about cooking. Highly recommended. Very professional and organized.

We hosted our daughter's 11th year old birthday party at 18 Reasons. It was a cake decorating competition. Theresa was a pleasure to work with during the booking process. She was very quick to respond to our questions and was very helpful in providing us with the tools we needed to make the party successful. The space itself is beautiful! The girls had an amazing time! There were two staff members on the day of the event to help out in whatever way we needed. They were exceptional! I would recommend 18 Reasons to anyone and everyone who is looking for a venue to host a cooking/food related event!

I attended the $5 Challenge in San Francisco at 18 Reasons- it was the only one in the city. I was ashamed at what they did. Supposedly RSVP for 28, which I was one. I got there about 5 minutes late. They had one long table, able to seat maybe 24, filled up already. They asked my name, took my $5, and gave me a shallow bowl of white bean puree soup with a piece of bread in it, sprinkled with sage. This was supposed to convince people not to go to McD's? It was bland, stingy, and a total affirmation of the Slow Food movement as elitist (not my view, but someone unfamiliar with the intent and ideas of Slow Food would see this and eat somewhere appetizing). Meanwhile, more people wandered in, with no place at the table for them and no attempt by the hosts to deal with this. The hosts never introduced themselves or anyone to each other. They did tell people to tip the band that was playing, a folk/blue grass combo. So talking or discussing was difficult. When I finished my soup, I got up from the table as more people were milling about behind me, waiting to sit to eat their bit of soup. Standing around for 10 minutes was all I could take. I felt uncomfortable and there just seemed to be no more what I had already experienced. They seemed to want to just have people just buy beer for $3 and hang out like an art opening, which in fact it was( the art ,BTW, was disturbing and not pleasant to eat under). Apparently 18 Reasons has a regular event called Soup for Supper, and so thought they could tag it as a $5 challenge event too. IF they had kept it to 30 or so guests, as their evite implied, I wonder how $150 could only feed us with a small bowl of puree soup and bread? Boy, those must be expensive beans! And this was what represented San Francisco for the Slow Food $5 Challenge? I'm ashamed.

18 Reasons is a palette senses opening experience; actually a complete senses delight. 18 Reasons raises a question why this hasn't been done before--a non-profit bringing small food, wine, beer and spirits producers to highlight their products in San Francisco. 18 Reasons is a small gallery and at center stage is the large and beautiful wood table--this is where the tasting and believing begins. Come in on Thursday evening (a standing time for tasting)--check their website (www.18reasons.org) and subscribe to their email blasts for the latest in their Thursday tasting schedule and other events. It's a come as you are--meet the artisans and meet your neighbors. It is a very gentle and lively environment to learn the beauty of each sessions focus; no big or small question goes un-answered. Walk in for a Thursday tasting - starts at 7:00 p.m. and make your donation - $5 members; $10 non-members. Memberships are $40 and you get several treats that helps to nearly pay for itself and it helps to keep this much needed non-profit available to us devoted tasters and epicurean explorers: - Free single scoop at Bi-Rite Creamery - Free rental at Fayes Video and Espresso Bar - $5 off a pizza at Delfina Pizzeria - $5 gift card to Dolores Park Cafe - $5 gift card to Bi-Rite Market - $5 gift card to Tartine I could see 18 Reasons in many more neighborhoods and across the country or similar concept--I am delighted to have this in my neighborhood. Food, wine, beer and spirits is to be enjoyed by all; to be discovered by anyone who wants to learn and enjoy. And I can't resist to write 18 reasons about 18 Reasons here are some evocations: 1) Friendly 2) Welcoming 3) Unpretentious 4) What a wonderful homage to 17 Reasons (a once and former sign at 17 and Mission) 5) A community table is symbolic of everyone is coming together 6) The community table is a sign of welcoming 7) It's tiny 8) It's an art gallery 9) A nice way highlight many small producers who might not have been able to demonstrate their edible and drinkable arts 10) To learn 11) Enjoyable 12) Delicious 13) Discovery 14) Concept is great idea 15) An inexpensive way to come with your clan 16) Meet some friends and neighbors 17) Ah so San Francisco 18) Easily accessed Buen Provecho!

a few friends and i joined 18 reasons through a livingsocial promo. the membership has definitely paid for itself through all the classes we've taken. started with basic knife skills then proceeded to handpies, northwestern chinese food, malaysian laksa, chinese zongzi, bento making, tunisian street food... no worries if you're at skill level zero. everyone comes to learn! very encouraging teachers and volunteers. looking forward to what other fun things they put on the calendar!

Amazing vegetarian dinner with wonderful wines. I usually avoid vegetarian meals, but this was so good I didn't mind. Kudos to Bi-Rite for this wonderful space.

Everyone should join!! Their wine events are fabulous. The people who go are fabulous. What a wonderfully accessible meeting place for art and wine and food. It is a wonderful thing to have in the community (did I just write that?!?! it's true though...;)

We have taken 2 classes with Chef Mike and they were fantastic. He is a great teacher and an engaging story teller who makes the class fun in addition to educational. Love what the organization is trying to do for the community as well. Thanks, 18reasons!

Their soups are incredible, atmosphere relaxed and bright. All lovely.

We attended a cooking class last night and it was fantastic! The food (+ 2 types of wine and beer!) was delicious. Also, it's incredibly reasonable price-wise compared with other cooking schools. The only thing I would do differently is to consult with the teacher ahead of time about which dish to make in the group kitchen. We were split up into groups of 2-4 people per dish, and I ended up with a complicated and scary task for-a-novice-in-the-kitchen: deep frying croquets! Plus, I'm not a huge fan of deep fried anything as a dinner item, and wouldn't make them again even if they were easy. That being said, there were 6 other delicious dinner items that I did enjoy tremendously and looked easier to make. Next time I'll take a close look at the menu, and make sure the dish I assist in preparing is more in line with my very low skill level. Overall though, a great experience!!