Corporate Culinary Teambuilding

Simple Gourmet's culinary team building activities and group culinary classes will bring your staff and clients together in a new and exciting environment. These unique activities are fun, lively and can take place in a professional kitchen or private home. Whether you're entertaining Summer Associates, recruiting employees, honoring your staff or creating a team, these events promise to encourage communication and interaction.


Each option offers something different. With our Cook Like a Chef events, you'll work together to create a simple meal using basic culinary skills. In our popular Kitchen Competitions, your group will be challenged to think outside the box and rely on good communication and teamwork for success. Our Cake Challenge offers a chance to be truly artistic and creative, while a Team Cook Off event will encourage individuals to bring their culinary inspiration together to create one, award-winning dish. And if it's simply an evening of socializing and fun you're after, try a Mix it Up event that blends cutting-edge mixology with delicious seasonal fare. We customize each event to meet your specific needs and goals.


Cook Like a Chef(back to main)

If you're looking for an evening of great food and camaraderie, this event is for you! Your guests will arrive and enjoy appetizers prepared by your Simple Gourmet™ team. Then the activities will begin with an introduction to the fresh, seasonal many you have chosen. After breaking into smaller groups, your team will use creativity, newfound culinary skills and ingenuity to make a simply delicious meal.


For a cocktail-party feel, consider our Mixer Menu - this menu includes an assortment of appetizers and Tapas that make a multi-cultural meal. Your team will create sumptuous small bites and present them on platters for everyone to enjoy.


Sample Seasonal Menus:

Spring/Summer Italian Menu

  • Fresh Mozzarella Toasts with Caper-Herb Salsa
  • Hummus with Tomato-Lemon Salsa and Flatbread
  • Mascarpone Chicken Florentine
  • Orzo with Arugula, Feta and Sundried Tomatoes
  • Panzanella Salad with Grilled Bread, Tri Color Peppers and Asparagus

Spring/Summer Latin Menu

  • Roasted Tomato Salsa with Blue Corn Chips
  • Triple Decker Quesadilla Triangles with Chipotle Cream
  • Chili-Lime Marinated Grilled Steak with Chipotle Salsa (also available with Chicken)
  • Cumin Spiced Roasted Baby Potatoes with Cilantro-Crema Drizzle
  • Chopped Guacamole Salad with Black Beans, Corn and Jicama

Kitchen Competition(back to main)

Simple Gourmet™ is excited to offer our popular Kitchen Competition. Your group will be divided into teams and face off in a timed competition that will rely on creativity and teamwork.

Teams will be given recipes with general instructions and will be presented with a secret ingredient which they will have to use in at least one element of their menu. Our Simple Gourmet™ team will serve as culinary coaches and help complete the meal in 60 minutes.


A panel of judges will be selected and critique each team's offering based on taste, presentation, teamwork and use of secret ingredient. Prizes will be given out for each category and for the Most Valuable Player on each tam, to be determined by you fellow teammates. Appetizers and dessert will be provided by your Simple Gourmet™ team.

Cake Challenge(back to main)

Creativity is the key to success as teams work together to build culinary masterpieces in our Cake Challenge. The evening begins with a brief introduction to cake-building mechanics, frosting and piping techniques from your Simple Gourmet chef. Then your group divides into smaller teams - each team will be given a number of baked and cooled cakes, frosting, coloring, cake fillings, piping bags and tips and other décor items. Teams will then have 45 minutes to build a themed multi-level cake, complete with filling, frosting and decoration. Simple Gourmet staff will be on hand to offer advice and expertise. Teams will be judged on creativity, tallest cake (we will be measuring!!), presentation and timing.

Culinary Boot Camp(back to main)

This all-day event is an intensive culinary workshop for small or large groups who are interested in real-life cooking tricks, tips and skills. Your team will be broken into smaller groups, each with a Simple Gourmet.


The day is split into 1 1/2 hour blocks that are each focused on a different aspect of cooking, beginning with knife skills. Every member of your team will learn the fundamentals of cooking meat, fish, steak, vegetables and how to make flavorful sauces, rubs and salsa.


The day ends with a fast and furious "Cooking Challenge" that will put your new chefs to the test. With a day full of eating and cooking, your team will leave with skills that are sure to make real-life cooking easier.

Team Cook Off(back to main)

Flex your culinary muscles in our Team Cook Off events. Ever dream of being a cook-off champion? Now is your chance! Whether an experience home-chef or culinary novice, you'll be in the winner's circle with a little teamwork and creativity. Your event will begin with culinary pointers from a Simple Gourmet chef on the topic of your choice (pasta, pizza or burgers). After learning the basics, you will divide into teams and draw for your main ingredient – chicken, beef, sausage, steak, or shrimp. Then you'll have 15 minutes to plan and 45 minutes to create your version of pizza, pasta dish or burgers. Under the watchful eyes and expertise of our Culinary Staff, teams will compete to produce award-winning recipes. After the cooking, you'll eat your creations, along with seasonal side dishes created by the Simple Gourmet team. Then the winner will be announced, based on taste, teamwork and creativity.

Mix It Up(back to main)

Take your next cocktail party to another level. Simple Gourmet’s Mix it Up event is a hands-on team event, giving you the chance to discover the secrets behind fabulous drinks and appetizers. Your team will learn how to make two popular cocktails with a culinary twist from a Mixology expert we will bring in for the evening — from trendy favorites to classic winners, these drinks feature key flavors that will pair perfectly with the evening's menu. After a mixology demo, the team will divide into groups and create a fabulous and hearty "small plates" meal. The culmination of the evening is a cocktail party where you relish the fruits of your labor.

Our Clients(back to main)

Corporate Clients:

  • 20th Century Fox
  • Ameriprise Financial
  • Amgen
  • Astrazeneca
  • Centex Homes
  • The Cheesecake Factory
  • Deloitte Consulting
  • HBO
  • Healthnet
  • The Hearst Group
  • Kaiser Foundation Healthplan
  • Kor Hotel Group
  • Landmark Aviation
  • LIFE Magazine
  • McKinsey & Company
  • Neutrogena
  • NBC
  • People en Español
  • Promises Treatment Centers
  • Scripps
  • Times, Inc.
  • The Walt Disney Company
  • Warner Bros.
  • Xerox Corporation

Law Firm Clients:

  • Bryan Cave
  • Greenberg & Glusker
  • Hogan & Hartson
  • Holland & Knight
  • Howrey
  • Hughes, Hubbard & Reed
  • Kirkland & Ellis
  • Latham & Watkins
  • Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
  • Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw
  • McDermott, Will & Emery
  • Milbank
  • Munger, Tolles & Olson
  • O'Melveny & Meyers
  • Orrick
  • Paul Hastings
  • Proskauer & Rose
  • Sonnenschein
  • Sullivan & Cromwell
  • Thelen, Reid & Priest
  • White & Case
  • Winston & Strawn

Gifts(back to main)

Simple Gourmet aprons, chef coats and gift bags make the perfect, personalized gift for your team! We can create a special, personalized gift especially for your team, such as:

  • Aprons (with Simple Gourmet logo, your guests' names or company logo) - starting at $18
  • Chef Coats (black or white, with Simple Gourmet logo, your guests' names or company logo) - starting at $25
  • Gift bags are available in $15, $25 and $50 sizes - choose from must-have culinary tools and/or items that are specifically used to create your event menu.

Simple Gourmet gift certificates are also a great surprise for any occasion. Delight your team or special guests with an in-home private cooking class or intimate catered dinner.

Locations(back to main)

Simple Gourmet has contracts with the following professional kitchens. We will arrange the kitchen rentals for your event.

Let us know if you have a special location in mind or would like to host a teambuilding in your home!

The professional kitchen at LA Foodworks.

Plan Your Event(back to main)

At Simple Gourmet, we work with you to make event planning easy! Our straightforward pricing, delicious menus and friendly staff will help you in choosing the best options for your team. Contact us for seasonal menu options, pricing and location details. Email us at info@simple-gourmet.com, or call us at 310-318-6484.


FAQs(back to main)

  • How many people can I have?
    Our teambuilding events are for groups of 10-50 people, based on the location selected.
  • What about pricing?
    Pricing is based on group size and location. Event fee includes kitchen rental, non alcoholic beverages, staff, 2 appetizers prepared by Simple Gourmet staff, and all food and supplies needed to create your menu choice. Contact us for a quote using our contact form or by calling us at 310-318-6484.
  • What about wine?
    Simple Gourmet staff does NOT provide or handle wine and other alcoholic beverages. However, we have relationships with wine shops and can refer you to sommeliers who can help with wine selection for your event. Please let us know if you need assistance with wine selection or delivery.
  • How long are the events?
    Cook Like a Chef events are 2 1/2 hours in length. Kitchen Competition and Cake Challenge events are 3 hours. Culinary Bootcamp is an all-day event that can last from 6-8 hours. All events begin with appetizers and beverages as your guests arrive, after which your Simple Gourmet chef will do a brief introduction and orientation on the recipes and ingredients for your event.
  • What about tables, linens, glassware and other supplies?
    Basic tables, chairs, linens, glassware, dishes and flatware are supplied by most of the professional kitchens we work with. We can coordinate additional rentals needs (such as specialty glassware or tables) for an additional cost.
  • What gifts are available for my guests?
    Personalized aprons are the perfect gift for your team! Simple Gourmet aprons start at $18 each. Additional colors and logo embroidery are available for additional costs. We can also help coordinate culinary gifts bags for your team with items used in their events!