Savory Kitchen

Savory Kitchen is now called Cultivate Kitchen. Colleen Mahoney opened it in early 2012 at 754 The Alameda in San Jose. She has a cooking background and is a sommelier, and she wanted a Silicon Valley venue where a group could have the whole kitchen to itself. That idea still shapes the place. Wine pairings are a big part of most events, and menus change every quarter, using seasonal produce and cheeses from Greenleaf, a local supplier.

Most bookings are private. Groups pick a format. In a collaborative event you cook all three or four courses. In a competitive event teams battle over one dish, such as a Molten Lava Cake Challenge. In a chopped event teams work from a mystery basket. The chefs judge the contest and cook the rest of the meal, then everyone sits down to eat together.

There's also a 90-minute Nailed It cake challenge, plus kids' birthday parties with mini pizzas and cupcake decorating. Classes go deeper on topics from Japanese to Mexican, vegan to gluten free.