Feed the Mass

Chef Jacob led a wonderful class that ended with a delicious shared meal for everyone. Highly recommend to learn new cooking skills or bone up on old ones. The plates were cleaned.

Loved my first class (chicken pho) tonight!!! Chef Jacob is awesome, patient, knowledgeable, and hilarious. Such a pleasure to be in his class. I learned SO much and had a delicious meal to boot. Thank you Chef for a fun delicious evening and I can’t wait for my next class!!

Our work group went here tonight and had a blast!! Making pasta was easier and way more fun than I thought it would be. Jacob was laid back and funny, and also very informative. I love that this is all for a good cause as well. Highly recommend! #trythemeatballs

An awesome evening! We came as a work group. Perfect for team building and a great time. Chef Jacob guided us through prepping a great pasta meal with humor, songs, and learning valuable new skills. Anyone with any skill level will be able to join in on making the food a huge success. I will be back with friends and family. I highly recommend this experience for everyone. And we helped others to follow their dreams of attending cooking school. It doesn't get any better than that.

Jacob is an amazing instructor and great person! He gets down to the small details important in everyday cooking and truly cares about making everyone better in their skillsets. I learned so much and the people in the class were so friendly and fun. I would recommend this class to everyone I know because it's simple, fun and an overall amazing experience all for a good cause.

We did a team building paella class. It was a ton of fun, Jacob is engaging and informative. This is a great activity for a group to do something outside of the box. Jacob is passionate about making healthy food and cooking available to everyone. Awesome experience

My team did a Mediterranean cooking class with Chef Jacob and it was a blast! We learned how less is more when it comes to cooking simple, delicious dishes. It was a great team building exercise to self-organize around the different jobs (chopping, kneading, grilling, etc.) and come together as a team to create an amazing meal. We asked tons of questions about ingredients and techniques and it is clear Chef Jacob is knowledgable and highly passionate about his work. Wonderful experience!

I just had an amazing event with 25 of my co-workers! We learned how to make some delightful pasta from scratch, meatballs, sauce, and an amazing karaoke sing along throughout the whole process! Chef Jacob was great and charismatic, which was similar to a prior feed the mass event I attended with him. All around great experience for a great cause, would highly recommend!

I've taken several classes here after being introduced through a Yelp Elite event. They had me at street tacos! Chef Valentine is so nice and patient, the classes are fun, and at the end, you realize it's surprisingly easy to make good, healthy, affordable food that is delicious! I've taken the pork ramen class, which was my favorite. The broth, cooks in 30 minutes in an Instapot, and it was so rich and flavorful. I went out an Instapot the next day! We also made the noodles from scratch. It took a lot of kneeding to get the texture where it needed to be, but it was worth it! I haven't made the noodles at home yet because it took two of us to manage the pasta sheets and pasta machine, which I don't have. But someday! Also enjoyed the class where we learned how to make Saag Paneer, one of my favorite Indian dishes. Once you learn the technique, you can substitute chicken or lamb for the paneer. Quick, delicious, and far less money than if buying out. What makes these cooking classes so enjoyable is the ease and comfort of the atmosphere, created by Chef Valentine, and the ability to get to know the other people in the class. You all prep and cook together and then share the meal as a community. You can bring beer, wine or hard cider - and if you forget, go downstairs and buy some! People tend to share what they bring which adds to the sense of community. Chef Valentine has taught me knife skills, which I thought I had! Wrong. I was doing all the work and not letting the knife do it's job. It's all about the tools and using them properly. These classes have also taught me patience. Cutting all the veggies for the ramen takes time, skill and patience to get uniformed cuts. Prepping and measuring first makes the actual cooking process go smoother. I've always been a cook, but never much of a baker because baking is about being precise with measurements, which requires patience. After taking several cooking classes at Feed the Mass, I've learned how patience pays off. This Christmas, I baked about a dozen varieties of cookies, including baklava. They all turned out wonderful, according to my friends who gobbled them up and I owe it to Chef Valentine! Classes are located on the second floor of Whole Foods in the Pearl. You can park on the street or in Whole Foods garage. If you spent $10 on groceries, parking is free. Love taking classes here! I bought a book of 5 passes so classes end up being $25 per class, a bargain since you also eat a meal! What I really like is the mission of a Feed the Mass, which is to educate and provide classes to those who can't afford to pay for classes, to teach them how to make a healthy and affordable meals for their family. A meal that costs less than fast food and is far more delicious. And healthier. Taking classes supports this Non-Profit's mission. There are classes for kids, date nights, family classes and even classes where you learn how to prep a few meals that stretch out for a week. So take some classes and learn new skills, have fun and pay it forward! It's a great experience and a fun way to spend an evening with friends, family or as a single...once you walk in the door, you are part of the community.

I took the ramen class taught by Chef Jacobsen Valentine at a private event. As a casual home cook, I thought it was awesome. No matter your skill level (unless, maybe, if you're already a professional chef), you'll learn something new. We made ramen noodles from scratch (!), which were an amazing consistency and soaked up the flavor of the broth well. We also learned proper knife techniques. Chef Valentine has a real passion for cooking and teaching others this important life skill as a means to a healthier lifestyle. A portion of class fees goes towards scholarships for classes for those in need. On the down side, this may have ruined me for instant and non-housemade restaurant ramen, as ours was so good! Now I'll really be saying, I could/should have made this at home!

I went to a ramen making class with admittedly low expectations, as I figured we wouldn't be making broth or noodles, and probably would only make toppings and such. However, the class was a blast, I learned a lot, and the ramen was better than most places in Portland (and I'm pretty picky about ramen)! Chef Jacobsen is a wonderful teacher. He is friendly, entertaining, inspiring, and explains things in a way you easily understand. We were not all mired in repeatedly referring to a recipe; in fact, there was no recipe handed out during class, we are going to get it in an e-mail afterward. I think this is really effective because then we could really focus on technique and listening to what he was telling us. The thing that surprised me was that we actually made the ramen noodles, and I have never made pasta of any type before. It was fun and although at first I thought it was labor intensive, looking back on it, I really do feel like I can do it on my own at home. I never felt overwhelmed. Another great aspect of Feed the Mass is that it is non-profit with the goal of empowering people to cook healthy and affordable meals at home. $10 of the $30 class fee goes toward scholarships for people who are less fortunate to be able to take the classes. Don't hesitate, just go and you will have a great time and leave with a full belly!

We took the pasta class after stumbling upon a yelp event. Was immediately attracted to the pricing - $25 per person whereas other places are usually $50+?! What a great find! It's a non-profit organization? Even better! It's located in downtown? It just keeps getting better and better. We signed up online easily and got ourselves registered. It was the first time in their new location (The Art Institute) and I can tell Chef Jacob was very excited. You can sense the passion from the bottom of his heart. The location is easy to find and fully equipped - amazing burners, new knifes, washing stations etc. When we got there all the ingredients were nicely spread out in a very spacious room. The class had about 12 students and we followed Jacob's demo closely. Overall had a great time, it was very relaxed and I enjoyed the sense of ease with Chef Jacob's skills and knowledge. They offer a punchcard at a discounted price, so I purchased one and will be back to learn more soon!

My cousin and I attended a class on making chicken tacos. We were in a group of five and learned everything from making tortillas from scratch (way easier than I expected), pico de gallo, and chicken roja. The chef was a wonderful host and explained all the different kitchen tools to us and why we might use one over another. He's sold me on getting a pressure cooker! I loved that he made the dish several different ways and let us taste EVERYTHING so that we could be informed for replicating it in our own kitchens. The classes are a great deal too. For $25pp, you get 2 hours of infotainmnet, a recipe, and dinner. It's a perfect date night.

The cooking classes that this place offers are fantastic. They take recipes that seem truly daunting and make them easy for even idiots like me to understand! Tonight we made street tacos, and aside from making all the cutting and prep super simple, we got to enjoy them with our classmates. I feel like I made some really cool friends tonight. The classes are inexpensive and packed with fundamentals for people who find cooking to be a sometimes difficult chore.

absolutely the best cooking lesson that I have ever had! The executive director teaches the classes provides all of the food down at the brand-new remodeled Fred Meyer's kitchen in downtown Portland. you can purchase your own beer or cider and take it up to the class while you cook. he teaches so many techniques it's definitely worth the money something I would register with another person so you can get a better discount but you can always request a class & have your own people come through via sponsorship.

This is the first time I've reviewed something I made, and y'all...it was bomb. So bomb. But only because Chef Jacobsen is an outstanding instructor who made our Monday night cooking class an absolute blast. I can make poke at home now. So can my husband. I recommend these cooking classes not only because I can't wait to come back, but also because what they're doing for the community is making Portland a better, healthier home for all of us. And when that combines with kimchi, you just can't lose. Oh yeah, and they give you a glass of wine or beer and allow BYOB if you want to get a little more loose.

This place is 6 stars but, unfortunately i can't figure out how to get yelp to go higher than a 5. This may be perhaps one of Portland's big secrets and if they get much bigger they may lose their charm. For $25 (sometimes $20 with a promotion, $10 for kids classes) you spend about an hour or 2 with an experienced chef and a few other excited future cooking experts making food. It's a cooking class, straightforward, start with raw ingredients (i think all are even organic) and then work your way up to a finished product. usually you team up with someone you came with or a fellow cooking student and whip up the featured product for the class. Feed a man and he will eat what you make him, teach a man and he will cook it himself. So, everyone can gain some good practice, improve their cooking skills, learn a new dish and have fun. In the end you'll come out with some knowledge and a meal for $25 or less! so yea, currently this may be the most underrated experience in Portland.

I would highly recommend this cooking class. For $25 you get to try the finished product, take food home, entertainment, and of course learn a new dish. The instructor was great and the food was boom. I too was in the class Grace was talking about. Though it would have been nice to know there was going to be a video/documentary happening; giving a one-star rating is ridiculous. The proper channel would be to simply pick up the phone and express your feelings with them. Not cool! If you are looking for a cooking class you found the place.

Such a fun class. Adequate room. Plenty of equipment. I did the gumbo class. The instructor was friendly. Picked up some helpful knifing skills from him. Since the gumbo would have taken at least 2 hours to simmer we did the majority of the work and then took it home to finish. They had the finish product ready for in class dinner. There's also beer included! Great class to learn new skills, and meet new people. I would come back for their tikka masala class.

Epic! This place is amazing! I had no idea what I was in for when I arrived, and had so much fun. I got to know the other people at my table while we all helped each other learn how to make our dinner. The very knowledgeable instructor would call the class over, to demonstrate what he was doing. Which was making the next step in our meal, then we would go back to our groups and do it. Seeing how to make the foods, learning what to look for, and then being handed dough and told this is the consistency, feel it, this is what you want. It took it from being like a cooking show you would watch on tv, to being the one actually doing it. The kitchen was professional, restaurant grade, and super easy to use. The staff was amazing and friendly, like your best friend showing you how to cook a dish you didn't know. I can't wait to do it again!

I cannot say enough about what a great experience I had at Feed the Mass!!! After scouring the internet for an affordable cooking class as a present for my partner, I found this class. It is an absolutely incredible deal!! We showed up on a Tuesday night for a Pad Thai cooking class. We were warmly greeted by Jacob and his assistants and introduced to the other participants at an absolutely amazing facility! They had all the ingredients pre-measured and the recipe provided for our convenience later. Jacob kindly demonstrated each skill first so we knew what to do and how to be safe. I learned SO MUCH! He taught everything from basic knife skills, to how to peel and grate things without hurting yourself, how to butcher your chicken, how to balance flavors in sauces, and how to cook our dish on the stove. The environment was relaxed, friendly, and non-judgmental. The company was great and the food was delicious!! I was expecting to learn how to cook the dish that our class was based upon, but I walked away learning that and SO much more about cooking, safety, food, and flavors! I will definitely be back, and in the meantime will be using skills that I learned here often in my kitchen! I would highly recommend this experience to anyone!

Great concept and mission. As a cooking class, falls a little short on the organization and execution. I paid $35 to help make a chocolate torte. The class description online stated it could be vegan friendly and I added that as a text comment on my registration as well. It also stated that we would be making 3 different chocolate desserts. We made 1. And lemme tell you, ain't no way that torte could be made vegan. I really did enjoy the company and instruction, hence 2 stars. But I was disappointed. Also having to pay for parking at Whole Foods on top of the $35 for the class to make a torte was no bueno. And no you can't buy something from WF for comped parking because you are there for 2+ hours. Feed the mass has a lot of potential, but It's just not for me.

We have had two teambuilding events here and everyone had a great time! Jacob is so easy-going, helpful and patient. We made Pad Thai the first time, and pizza the second. Everyone - even the experienced cooks - had a fun experience and of course the food was delicious. Plus we feel great supporting a non-profit who is doing great work in the community. We will be back as a business, and many of us are already setting up dates to return with friends and family. Affordable, fun and supporting a good cause - count me in!

I took my first class at Feed the Mass tonight. I took the lumpia class and had a blast. I was drawn to this class because it was unique. I loved that the class size was small, and everyone had a chance to work on our dish. The ingredients were easy. Some places have classes with dishes that use ingredients that are hard to find or very expensive. I can definitely see myself making lumpias again. The timing of the class was perfect and only having two dishes to cook really makes it likely that I will recreate the dish again. I can't wait to take more classes!

This place is excellent. It's the perfect balance between instruction and fun. Chef Jacob is really great at explaining and educating and critiquing without making you feel bad.

We had a cooking class for seven 13 and 14 year olds as a birthday party. Which worked out extremely well. The kids loved it, they learned a great skill, everyone (including the parents who got to eat some of the food at then end) really enjoyed the process. Jacob is fun, outgoing, and really good at drawing in the students. Excellent.

Feed the Mass is awesome. Not only are the classes super affordable and fun, but it's for a good cause. It's a non-profit located in the heart of downtown Portland in one of the rougher neighborhoods. It's perfect because the whole ethos of the company is to feed the masses, and this is a perfect place to have a positive impact on the community. Chef Jacob Valentine is incredibly kind and funny and knowledgeable and makes every class a delight. He'll even escort you to your car after the class if you have any reservations about the neighborhood (it's not THAT bad). We've done the Ramen class and the Dim Sum class, and will be returning for more. You can buy a class pass for $100 for 5 classes... $20 per class is a STEAL of a DEAL. ALSO this is a PERFECT date night idea. We'll be back, hope to see you there!

We hosted a team building cooking class and it was a huge hit. Chef Jacob not only brought his great personality and cooking tips, he guided our team through the creation of delicious recipes. Yes, you get to eat your assignment at the end. Highly recommend to anyone to take one of the classes they offer whether as an individual or as a team. Fun was had by all!

Don't waste your money here! This "nonprofit" doesn't care about safeguarding your privacy or data. I signed up for a cooking class here, begged off work early, trekked in dead-stop rush hour traffic across town, even paid for parking... only to be turned away at the door because this "nonprofit" was doing an impromptu filming of the class. They pressed me to sign a waiver, to sign my soul away to be part of their unknown film, to let them use my image however they saw fit on Facebook and the internet. I politely declined and was told to leave. Did the organizers let me know ahead of time that they would be filming the class, send a little email warning? Nope. Did this "nonprofit" explain what legal rights I would be giving up to be part of their unknown video? Nope. Entire US elections are being swayed by abuses of our data and privacy and this "nonprofit" doesn't think it's important to be transparent about how your image and information will be used. Probably (hopefully) a one-time occurrence. But please, go elsewhere, where you won't risk having cameras forced in your face just for a cooking class. Other reviewers like Kallyn have attacked me for voicing my concerns publicly instead of directly to the owner. But Yelp exists as a public forum so everyone can be educated on shared experiences including those who have negative experiences. Kallyn wants to minimize my negative experience but I hope leaving this review public will prevent others from having the same negative experience. Thank you, Yelp!

Best cooking class I've taken in Portland. Low key and practical. And super good food!

Really enjoyed my class! There was wine; very welcoming environment for a newbie; and the food was great. I'd recommend taking a class with this org to a friend; and I certainly plan to take another class with them in the near future.

Attended a cooking class for a work team building exercise. Chef Jacob was great! The avocado tip was very useful! We had lots of fun!

Fun cooking classes for family, group of friends, or work team building. I've done this twice - made pad Thai the first time and pizza the second - and both were great. Even better - this is a non-profit that serves less fortunate kids and families to teach them to cooking skills and nutrition to ensure better health. I highly recommend this for a way to have fun and make a difference in the community.

My husband and I took a class from Jacob. He was so friendly and knowledgeable. The atmosphere is fun and laidback, but you will definitely learn some great techniques and recipe ideas. This is a great class for someone looking to have fun and learn some fundamentals in the kitchen. Thanks again for the great date night, Jacob!

Our homeschool co-op did a pizza class here today and it was wonderful. All the kids (ages ranging from 4 to 9) had a great time and the parents did as well. I look forward to signing my oldest up for the day camp summer classes here. Awesome people and super fun/informative class.

Fun class. Small size, so Jacob was able to coach us in methods of cooking and preparing food. He had lots of knowledge, but was also able to help a lower-skill level like myself. We ate our food after and tried each other's. Jacob also improvised for my vegetarian diet.

Had a blast making tomato sauce today, learning from Jacobsen is fun and filling. I'm excited to have picked up some techniques that will come in handy for years. The class is easy to find in beautiful downtown Portland, well worth it!

I bought a 3 pass for the holidays and we just took the class in a space at Faubion School. There are great options on the calendar for everyone's taste. We did Pad Thai. 5 or 6 people per table. Great instruction. Lots of hand on work. And dinner at the end. It's for a great cause. We will definitely be taking more classes!

We had our company Holiday party here and it was absolutely fantastic. With 27 friends cooking, laughing and having a blast together it was a great way to kick off the holiday season! I highly recommend Jacob and his team - we are already planning our next team building event here as it was such great fun.

Jacob and his assistants were so welcoming and accommodating (as I called the day of to see if he would allow my daughter to participate). We had a wonderful time. The food was great and so was the lively atmosphere. It was fun getting to know such a varied cross-section of Portland. My daughter and I learned so much and felt completely comfortable asking any and all questions. We made Naan bread from scratch and along the way witnessed and learned from Vaneela how to cook a large, "Feed the Mass" pot of Butter chicken from Northern India. We had enough time to do it all, including take breaks and devour the hearty meal with our own hand-kneaded garlic naan bread. Thanks to Jacob, Vaneela and all the other assistants who made our night a fun one. And how perfect to be able to purchase all the ingredients at Fred Meyers before we headed home.

I came to this organization as part of a work event. Chef Jacob was great. He taught a few cooking safety fundamentals and then taught us some really delicious recipes. Hoping to go back again in the future for more classes!

We had a great experience with Jacob at Feed the Mass! We booked a private event for a work team building experience, specifically the French Desserts class. Jacob did a great job walking us through all of the recipes. He was very informative and funny too. The desserts were so good and many members of our team are already planning on making them at home. Make sure you come prepared to eat a lot of food!

Super fun class and our instructor Jacob was great!! So was the food We made purple enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce that was absolutely DELICIOUS! These classes are very reasonably priced compared to other places. We will definitely be coming for more!! They also offer scholarships for people as well, which is fantastic! Happy we found you guys.

Took the kids to adult cooking class tonight, a great class as usual. Jacob always makes the class fun and entertaining. Tonight was Hawaiian mac salad and Huli chicken, delicious.

This was a great experience! The teachers were fun and welcoming. The class was hands on and informative and at the end you get to sit down and eat the meal together! My husband and I had a great time and will certainly go back again.