Cultivate Kitchen

Cultivate Kitchen is at 754 The Alameda in San Jose, a block from Diridon station. Colleen Mahoney, a sommelier with a cooking background, opened it in early 2012 as Savory Kitchen. She wanted a Silicon Valley venue where a group could have the whole kitchen to itself. Private parties and team building are still the core of the business. Menus change quarterly and use produce from Greenleaf, a local supplier.

Groups choose one of three formats. In Collaborative, you cook all three or four courses together. Competitive and Chopped turn one course into a team contest, such as a Molten Lava Cake Challenge, and the chefs cook the rest and judge the winner with some fanfare. Wine pairings cost $35 to $80 a person, which suits the owner's wine background.

There is also a 90 minute Nailed It cake challenge, plus kids birthday parties and hands on classes that range from Japanese to vegan to date night. Reviewers mention Chef Ken and how carefully the staff handle dietary restrictions. The kitchen has a 4.8 Google rating from 68 reviews.