Cooks' Emporium first opened in Downtown Ames in 1979. Very quickly, Marg realized a need for cooking demonstrations, and started teaching cooking classes in Downtown Ames 4 years later, in 1983. When Patrick & Mindy helped Marg retire in 2018, they continued the tradition of introducing skills and techniques of all levels to attendees of their cooking classes. They made a few changes, like replacing the standard angled mirror with a webcam connected to a TV, and introduced new cooking class types, like hands on workshops.
Soon after purchasing the business, in 2019, Patrick & Mindy embarked on a sizeable remodel of Cooks' Emporium, with a focus on upgrading the demonstration kitchen. They removed almost 200 square feet of sales floor in order to make room for a large residential-style kitchen, purpose built for demonstrations and cooking classes aimed at the home chef of every skill level. With a 14' Island, they were able to comfortably fit 10 people for demonstrations, and 8 for most hands-on cooking classes and workshops.
As demand for larger class sizes and private parties continued to build, and seats continued to sell out every class, Patrick and Mindy recognized a need to expand yet again. In October of 2023, after nearly 3 years of planning, they opened The Recipe Ames, an event space and venue suitable for up to 45 guests. They increased the size of the island again, now totaling over 18' in length, complete with 2 built-in Thermador Induction Cooktops, 2 Thermador Double Wall-Ovens, 5 remotely controlled cameras that feed live video to 3 Samsung TVs, as well as live streams to Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, and many more platforms.
After almost 3 years in the making, to say the new space is their dream kitchen is "the understatement of the century". Patrick can often be found toiling away in the kitchen prepping for his next class, working on a custom menu for a private party, or just whipping up something fun as he continues to breaks in the space. Don't miss out on Ames and Central Iowa's newest event and activities. Perfect for a date night together, a fun dinner to kick-off your evening activities, or even as a way to come and meet new people of all skill levels and backgrounds. The Recipe Ames and their dinners and cooking classes are quickly proving to be the premier destination for a unique weekday or weekend activity.
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