We were using Phoebe's meal service for several months and were very satisfied with the quality of the meals. Unfortunately, two weeks in a row she texted me the very moment that we were anticipating her deliveries and had an excuse why she could not deliver them. We were very disappointed, as she had become very unreliable on her delivery services. Sadly, we had to look elsewhere for a more reliable meal delivery service.
Joan C.
I contacted Perrie when a friend was in the hospital and her East Coast office staff wanted to have food delivered for her husband and son. Half Moon Bay is a small community, and finding resources there wasn't easy. I was thrilled to find Studio of Good Living! From our first contact to the last, Perrie was professional, patient, helpful and creative. The food was outstanding...the boys loved all of it. So fresh and tasty, and delivered on time each week. The price was very reasonable for the quality of the food and the amount of preparation it took. Having been in the catering business, i know the level of work involved, and the results were just outstanding. I highly recommend the Studio of Good Living for food delivery, and from what I read here about their catering services, it sounds like this is your go-to food service team!
diana b.
Phoebe has been a huge asset to our family. She has been our personal chef for over a year and has been so easy to work with . After a major illness, I was unable to shop and cook for my family of four( two teens) and she was highly recommended from a very good friend. She not only took my dietary restrictions into play, she adapts to my ever changing interests, my two teenagers' requests, and is so GREAT at all that she cooks: gluten free, dairy free, special diet for my treatments, while making Indian, Italian, Greek, california style, etc. I even have left recipes for her to try and she makes it better than I could ever have! If she knows we are going out of town, she will offer to make some easy dishes to throw in the freezer. If she knows my daughter is coming home from college, she makes her favorite dishes. She is a FABULOUS cook; she has trained with excellent chefs and schools...she comes in twice a week and cooks for us here; I love having her here as I get to smell the aromas without having to do all the hard work! Phoebe has become a friend.she is know, thoughtful and very sweet. Always asks about my health and my kids and has really been a treasure! She and her business partner are now doing some awesome catering jobs, some really interesting ideas are flowing. I am excited to have her cater some upcoming events for our family too ! If it were not for Phoebe, I would not have survived this last year. She has been truly a huge asset to my getting better!
Charlie J.
We have been clients Chef Phoebe for over eight years. She is absolutely charming and the gourmet food she prepares for us is always fabulous. She has helped us with many intimate dinners and several large events and all have been an unqualified success. At our request, she often comes and talks to our guests about the cuisine and they are totally charmed. She has also been our personal chef one or two days a week for most of the last eight years and we always really enjoy the gourmet meals she prepares. When she prepares food in our home, she is a very pleasant addition to the household. We really feel like she is part of our family. Phoebe is also incredibly versatile. Two years ago we went to the McDougall program in Santa Rosa and began following a whole food plant-based vegan diet. At this point, Phoebe became invaluable. She is very creative and had no problem preparing meals that followed the McDougall guidelines. She also created many delicious vegan versions of our favorite dishes. She continues to amaze us with her new creations. Thanks to Phoebe, we can say that we have not given up anything in terms of taste after becoming low fat vegans. In fact, the food tastes even better! Earlier this year, the Studio of Good Living started a meal delivery service, which we have also used occasionally. The delivered food is top notch and meets all of our dietary restrictions. Who would have ever believed that you would be able to have gourmet meals meeting strict dietary guidelines delivered to your home?
Melinda A.
I just hired Phoebe and Perrie for BOTH personal chef services and catering. We just had a backyard bocce ball event for 30plus and Perrie/Phoebe/Staff were amazing! The menu was delicious and the planning/execution was flawless! Originally I was looking for a private chef service but so many did not have a catering component. Both services are very reasonably priced and the service surpassed my expectation. Our life is full of "Good Living" thanks to Phoebe and Perrie!
Bridget K.
For my boyfriend's birthday this year, I really wanted to surprise him with a great night out with lots of friends and great food. I ended up booking the Cookhouse in North Beach and had Phoebe and Perrie cater the event. Perrie was very patient with me in coming up with several menu choices--from fresh California to a bold, very seasonal menu. I can't remember how we ended up talking about Indian food, but in a passing conversation I mentioned that my boyfriend LOVES Indian food. A light bulb goes off. Perrie gets very excited and tells me that Phoebe has studied Indian food extensively and really enjoys sharing the nuances of Indian food with people. And so it was decided. I was SUPER excited about having Indian food prepared for us at Cookhouse. Phoebe had spent a few days before the event shopping for ingredients AND wine pairings(!) and prepping the deeply flavorful curries and sauces and then spent an hour before our friends arrived making paratha, rice, grilling shrimp skewers, and preparing the salad and the chicken tikka. When our friends arrived Perrie offered them a glass of wine as they walked up the stairs and Phoebe prepared the apps for a "cocktail" hour. Afterwards, we were all seated at the dinner table and as Perrie filled the table with all of Phoebe's aromatic creations and pour all of us another glass of wine, Phoebe talked a little bit about each dish and explained how to eat them and what ingredients she used to prepare the meal. From conception to the unforgettable cardamom cake and homemade chai, Phoebe and Perrie were phenomenal. I pretty much said "this is what I want", they said "we'll take care of it", and I didn't have to worry about a thing. I felt very comfortable being the hostess and mingling while they executed the menu and the service. Their attention to detail was amazing and the food was spectacular. I got so many compliments on the catering for my boyfriend's birthday from both he and his friends. And it was all thanks to Studio of Good Living! Not really sure how I'm going to top this year's birthday...
Frank W.
Phoebe is our regular caterer. Friendly, competent, efficient, reasonably priced, and easy to work with. For work, we have about three caterers on our approved list. None are as good as Phoebe: one is, but is much more expensive; the other two in her price range are not as skilled or experienced or reliable. We have used Phoebe for about a dozen dinners at our home. Flawless every time. She also does classes at her home studio. I have done that several times as a team building exercise. Also highly recommended. Really a pleasure to develop a professional relationship with someone such as Phoebe.
Harper B.
I have two separate reviews of Phoebe that I will roll into one. First, I took a few different "group" cooking classes with Phoebe as a work event and then with co-workers. The events were mostly important fun, secondly she had us make food that we could realistically recreate on our own after, and third, she gave us hints along the way that were helpful for cooking in general. After cooking, we would sit down at her table and eat together in a nice, cozy setting. While her kitchen isn't enormous (it isn't small either), we didn't have any problems with the 10 or so people cooking there. Separately, I asked her for personalized cooking lessons after that to help me with cooking quick, tasty, and nutritious meals for my daughter. These sessions were absolutely wonderful as she taught me basic, intermediate, and more advanced cooking skills that I have continued to apply today. I also go to sample a bunch of the foods she was cooking for her clients, which were delicious. I'm surprised to read a review below saying she wasn't particularly friendly. I found Phoebe to be genuinely friendly at all the events - a nice contrast to the sort of fake "I need to be super friendly because I'm being paid" mentality you can sometimes find.
Julie S.
Chef Phoebe and I spent nearly 3 hours together preparing a panoply of delicious dishes. I've already made the broccoli salad again at home. The knife skills portion of the lesson was worth the price of admission. Chopping with a sharp knife makes all the difference. Phoebe is warm and approachable and shared lots of great ideas, tricks, tips and techniques. I recommend her class for foodies and newbies alike, everyone can learn something.
TheTraveller I.
I took the healthy vegetarian cooking class. The class started on time and was very well organized. When we got there, Phoebe already had an apron and a bag (one of those foil sealed bags that is great for the market and for a picnic) on each chair. There were 3 people for the class. We went through the recipes and started to cook. We cooked 5 different dishes. They ranged from simple to complex. Phoebe started by teaching us simple knife skills which I found very helpful. Then we all rotated and cooked the dishes. It was fun and I enjoyed the whole experience. Phoebe is quite knowledgable and talented. At the end, we ate the food which was great. The class overall was wonderful and I would definitely take another class from Studio of Good Living. Enjoy.
Phoebe, thank you for an informative, interactive and delicious evening. I was a little skeptical about the pile of recipes handed to me at the start of the class with a promise that we would be eating all of these things in a mere three hours, but Phoebe you delivered. I learned how to make ricotta cheese and an Italian souffle. We rolled and cut our own pasta and turned chocolate into gelato. Bringing eight strangers into a kitchen and coaching them to culinary greatness in one night is quite a feat. The price was reasonable for the time, instruction and ingredients provided...not to mention the cool insulated tote. I have taken other classes and left hungry, but nobody left our Italian Small Plates class was a full dinner, not small at all. I plan to bring friends and coworkers back to this school. What a great way to spend an evening. Did I mention you can drink wine throughout the lesson? So much better than having to hide the bottle like when I took an archery class.
Gretchen S.
"This doesn't taste like white people cooking Indian Food" A group of 6 friends bought a deal for a cooking class with Phoebe. The class was in her beautiful home on a Friday night and we made vegetarian Indian food. Phoebe was obviously a knowledgeable chef and took the time to answer all of our questions - from food, to Indian spices to knife skills. In short, she'll let you chat the night away and not learn anything, or she'll be more hands on and engaging if you're open to it. The kitchen did get a little crowded at times, but Phoebe always stopped to gather us around and teach about a certain dish. We learned all sorts of knife tricks, how to make a super thin crepe and what to do when you mess up -- the most important part! We all sat down at the end to feast on our hard work... YUM. There are definitely things I'll make again with the recipes Phoebe shared. And the best part is I'll feel confident cooking for anyone. Thanks, Phoebe!
Misha F.
Do you LOVE refunds, or when the owner contacts you re: your yelp review? Well, post my review, Phoebe reached out and kindly refunded me.
Chaz N.
Went to her place for a cooking class and the recipes were great and her and her husband were very nice people and gracious hosts. The food recipes were different from what was on their website but that was a GOOD thing because they mixed it up and there were appetizers and main courses etc. instead of just appetizers and desserts.
Chelsea M.
I had a wonderful time cooking at Studio of Good Living. The set-up was casual, fun and informative. I learned a lot of great simple tips that will go a long way in the kitchen. The instruction on basic knife skills was fantastic and the food the 5 of us made was scrumptious! What a great deal.
We were using Phoebe's meal service for several months and were very satisfied with the quality of the meals. Unfortunately, two weeks in a row she texted me the very moment that we were anticipating her deliveries and had an excuse why she could not deliver them. We were very disappointed, as she had become very unreliable on her delivery services. Sadly, we had to look elsewhere for a more reliable meal delivery service.
I contacted Perrie when a friend was in the hospital and her East Coast office staff wanted to have food delivered for her husband and son. Half Moon Bay is a small community, and finding resources there wasn't easy. I was thrilled to find Studio of Good Living! From our first contact to the last, Perrie was professional, patient, helpful and creative. The food was outstanding...the boys loved all of it. So fresh and tasty, and delivered on time each week. The price was very reasonable for the quality of the food and the amount of preparation it took. Having been in the catering business, i know the level of work involved, and the results were just outstanding. I highly recommend the Studio of Good Living for food delivery, and from what I read here about their catering services, it sounds like this is your go-to food service team!
Phoebe has been a huge asset to our family. She has been our personal chef for over a year and has been so easy to work with . After a major illness, I was unable to shop and cook for my family of four( two teens) and she was highly recommended from a very good friend. She not only took my dietary restrictions into play, she adapts to my ever changing interests, my two teenagers' requests, and is so GREAT at all that she cooks: gluten free, dairy free, special diet for my treatments, while making Indian, Italian, Greek, california style, etc. I even have left recipes for her to try and she makes it better than I could ever have! If she knows we are going out of town, she will offer to make some easy dishes to throw in the freezer. If she knows my daughter is coming home from college, she makes her favorite dishes. She is a FABULOUS cook; she has trained with excellent chefs and schools...she comes in twice a week and cooks for us here; I love having her here as I get to smell the aromas without having to do all the hard work! Phoebe has become a friend.she is know, thoughtful and very sweet. Always asks about my health and my kids and has really been a treasure! She and her business partner are now doing some awesome catering jobs, some really interesting ideas are flowing. I am excited to have her cater some upcoming events for our family too ! If it were not for Phoebe, I would not have survived this last year. She has been truly a huge asset to my getting better!
We have been clients Chef Phoebe for over eight years. She is absolutely charming and the gourmet food she prepares for us is always fabulous. She has helped us with many intimate dinners and several large events and all have been an unqualified success. At our request, she often comes and talks to our guests about the cuisine and they are totally charmed. She has also been our personal chef one or two days a week for most of the last eight years and we always really enjoy the gourmet meals she prepares. When she prepares food in our home, she is a very pleasant addition to the household. We really feel like she is part of our family. Phoebe is also incredibly versatile. Two years ago we went to the McDougall program in Santa Rosa and began following a whole food plant-based vegan diet. At this point, Phoebe became invaluable. She is very creative and had no problem preparing meals that followed the McDougall guidelines. She also created many delicious vegan versions of our favorite dishes. She continues to amaze us with her new creations. Thanks to Phoebe, we can say that we have not given up anything in terms of taste after becoming low fat vegans. In fact, the food tastes even better! Earlier this year, the Studio of Good Living started a meal delivery service, which we have also used occasionally. The delivered food is top notch and meets all of our dietary restrictions. Who would have ever believed that you would be able to have gourmet meals meeting strict dietary guidelines delivered to your home?
I just hired Phoebe and Perrie for BOTH personal chef services and catering. We just had a backyard bocce ball event for 30plus and Perrie/Phoebe/Staff were amazing! The menu was delicious and the planning/execution was flawless! Originally I was looking for a private chef service but so many did not have a catering component. Both services are very reasonably priced and the service surpassed my expectation. Our life is full of "Good Living" thanks to Phoebe and Perrie!
For my boyfriend's birthday this year, I really wanted to surprise him with a great night out with lots of friends and great food. I ended up booking the Cookhouse in North Beach and had Phoebe and Perrie cater the event. Perrie was very patient with me in coming up with several menu choices--from fresh California to a bold, very seasonal menu. I can't remember how we ended up talking about Indian food, but in a passing conversation I mentioned that my boyfriend LOVES Indian food. A light bulb goes off. Perrie gets very excited and tells me that Phoebe has studied Indian food extensively and really enjoys sharing the nuances of Indian food with people. And so it was decided. I was SUPER excited about having Indian food prepared for us at Cookhouse. Phoebe had spent a few days before the event shopping for ingredients AND wine pairings(!) and prepping the deeply flavorful curries and sauces and then spent an hour before our friends arrived making paratha, rice, grilling shrimp skewers, and preparing the salad and the chicken tikka. When our friends arrived Perrie offered them a glass of wine as they walked up the stairs and Phoebe prepared the apps for a "cocktail" hour. Afterwards, we were all seated at the dinner table and as Perrie filled the table with all of Phoebe's aromatic creations and pour all of us another glass of wine, Phoebe talked a little bit about each dish and explained how to eat them and what ingredients she used to prepare the meal. From conception to the unforgettable cardamom cake and homemade chai, Phoebe and Perrie were phenomenal. I pretty much said "this is what I want", they said "we'll take care of it", and I didn't have to worry about a thing. I felt very comfortable being the hostess and mingling while they executed the menu and the service. Their attention to detail was amazing and the food was spectacular. I got so many compliments on the catering for my boyfriend's birthday from both he and his friends. And it was all thanks to Studio of Good Living! Not really sure how I'm going to top this year's birthday...
Phoebe is our regular caterer. Friendly, competent, efficient, reasonably priced, and easy to work with. For work, we have about three caterers on our approved list. None are as good as Phoebe: one is, but is much more expensive; the other two in her price range are not as skilled or experienced or reliable. We have used Phoebe for about a dozen dinners at our home. Flawless every time. She also does classes at her home studio. I have done that several times as a team building exercise. Also highly recommended. Really a pleasure to develop a professional relationship with someone such as Phoebe.
I have two separate reviews of Phoebe that I will roll into one. First, I took a few different "group" cooking classes with Phoebe as a work event and then with co-workers. The events were mostly important fun, secondly she had us make food that we could realistically recreate on our own after, and third, she gave us hints along the way that were helpful for cooking in general. After cooking, we would sit down at her table and eat together in a nice, cozy setting. While her kitchen isn't enormous (it isn't small either), we didn't have any problems with the 10 or so people cooking there. Separately, I asked her for personalized cooking lessons after that to help me with cooking quick, tasty, and nutritious meals for my daughter. These sessions were absolutely wonderful as she taught me basic, intermediate, and more advanced cooking skills that I have continued to apply today. I also go to sample a bunch of the foods she was cooking for her clients, which were delicious. I'm surprised to read a review below saying she wasn't particularly friendly. I found Phoebe to be genuinely friendly at all the events - a nice contrast to the sort of fake "I need to be super friendly because I'm being paid" mentality you can sometimes find.
Chef Phoebe and I spent nearly 3 hours together preparing a panoply of delicious dishes. I've already made the broccoli salad again at home. The knife skills portion of the lesson was worth the price of admission. Chopping with a sharp knife makes all the difference. Phoebe is warm and approachable and shared lots of great ideas, tricks, tips and techniques. I recommend her class for foodies and newbies alike, everyone can learn something.
I took the healthy vegetarian cooking class. The class started on time and was very well organized. When we got there, Phoebe already had an apron and a bag (one of those foil sealed bags that is great for the market and for a picnic) on each chair. There were 3 people for the class. We went through the recipes and started to cook. We cooked 5 different dishes. They ranged from simple to complex. Phoebe started by teaching us simple knife skills which I found very helpful. Then we all rotated and cooked the dishes. It was fun and I enjoyed the whole experience. Phoebe is quite knowledgable and talented. At the end, we ate the food which was great. The class overall was wonderful and I would definitely take another class from Studio of Good Living. Enjoy.
Restaurantji Recommends
Phoebe, thank you for an informative, interactive and delicious evening. I was a little skeptical about the pile of recipes handed to me at the start of the class with a promise that we would be eating all of these things in a mere three hours, but Phoebe you delivered. I learned how to make ricotta cheese and an Italian souffle. We rolled and cut our own pasta and turned chocolate into gelato. Bringing eight strangers into a kitchen and coaching them to culinary greatness in one night is quite a feat. The price was reasonable for the time, instruction and ingredients provided...not to mention the cool insulated tote. I have taken other classes and left hungry, but nobody left our Italian Small Plates class was a full dinner, not small at all. I plan to bring friends and coworkers back to this school. What a great way to spend an evening. Did I mention you can drink wine throughout the lesson? So much better than having to hide the bottle like when I took an archery class.
"This doesn't taste like white people cooking Indian Food" A group of 6 friends bought a deal for a cooking class with Phoebe. The class was in her beautiful home on a Friday night and we made vegetarian Indian food. Phoebe was obviously a knowledgeable chef and took the time to answer all of our questions - from food, to Indian spices to knife skills. In short, she'll let you chat the night away and not learn anything, or she'll be more hands on and engaging if you're open to it. The kitchen did get a little crowded at times, but Phoebe always stopped to gather us around and teach about a certain dish. We learned all sorts of knife tricks, how to make a super thin crepe and what to do when you mess up -- the most important part! We all sat down at the end to feast on our hard work... YUM. There are definitely things I'll make again with the recipes Phoebe shared. And the best part is I'll feel confident cooking for anyone. Thanks, Phoebe!
Do you LOVE refunds, or when the owner contacts you re: your yelp review? Well, post my review, Phoebe reached out and kindly refunded me.
Went to her place for a cooking class and the recipes were great and her and her husband were very nice people and gracious hosts. The food recipes were different from what was on their website but that was a GOOD thing because they mixed it up and there were appetizers and main courses etc. instead of just appetizers and desserts.
I had a wonderful time cooking at Studio of Good Living. The set-up was casual, fun and informative. I learned a lot of great simple tips that will go a long way in the kitchen. The instruction on basic knife skills was fantastic and the food the 5 of us made was scrumptious! What a great deal.