The Chopping Block
The Chopping Block is a privately held recreational cooking school founded in 1997 in Chicago's Lincoln Square, serving individual home cooks, corporate teams, kids/teens, and culinary travelers through in-person classes, boot camps, private events, virtual Zoom programming, and curated international culinary tours.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Chopping Block does
The Chopping Block is a privately held recreational cooking school founded in 1997 by Shelley Young and currently owned by Lisa Counts, operating from a single dedicated kitchen facility at 4747 N Lincoln Ave in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood with approximately 30 employees. The company generates revenue from a diversified set of transaction-based offerings: in-person and demonstration cooking classes (starting at $95/person), 40-hour culinary boot camps, private and corporate team-building events (starting at $1,700 for 6–50 participants), wine and cocktail classes led by sommeliers and mixologists, kids and teen summer camps, virtual cook-alongs and demonstrations via Zoom (capacity up to 300 demo or 100 cook-along screens), retail gift cards, and a Wine of the Month Club. Internationally, the company runs small-group culinary tours (capped at 12–14 travelers) to Tuscany, Iceland, and Ireland through a partnership with Onward Travel that has been active since 2018, with tours priced at approximately $5,975 per traveler for double occupancy.
The business is supported by a standard SaaS technology stack rather than proprietary platforms: Occasion powers online class registration, Zoom delivers virtual programming, HubSpot manages CRM, MailChimp handles email marketing, and Square processes payments for gift cards and retail. Distribution spans direct in-person sales, virtual nationwide events, third-party listing on CourseHorse, gift card e-commerce, and curated international tours. Customer segments are primarily individual home cooks (the dominant segment), corporate teams, kids and teens ages 7–17, and culinary travel enthusiasts, with no external funding rounds disclosed and a 28-year operating history that has earned consecutive Best of Chicago recognition in 2024 and 2025.
The Chopping Block firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Chopping Block
- Legal name
- The Chopping Block
- Website
- https://thechoppingblock.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Chopping Block is a privately held recreational cooking school founded in 1997 in Chicago's Lincoln Square, serving individual home cooks, corporate teams, kids/teens, and culinary travelers through in-person classes, boot camps, private events, virtual Zoom programming, and curated international culinary tours.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Chopping Block industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recreational Cooking School
- NAICS
- Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cooking Classes & Chef-Led Workshops (THAJAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Culinary Arts & Cooking (Baking, Pastry, Global Cuisines) (EDAAAGAG), Culinary Skills Workshops (Baking, Regional Cooking, Food Prep Skills) (THAJAKAE)
Keywords
Where The Chopping Block is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Chopping Block business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Cooking Classes: In-person hands-on and demonstration cooking classes covering ethnic cuisines, techniques, and skills from beginner to advanced levels. Specialty classes in grilling, knife skills, baking, and sushi. Priced per person starting at $95.
- Private Events: Customizable private cooking events for celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, showers, rehearsal dinners, and family gatherings. Customized menus for 6 to 50 participants. Starting at $1,700 per event.
- Culinary Boot Camps: 40-hour intensive culinary programs covering core principles such as knife skills, sauces, meat and vegetable preparation, and desserts. Professional curriculum adapted for home cooks.
- Wine & Cocktail Classes: Guided classes by expert sommeliers and mixologists, including hands-on and demonstration-based cocktail education. Available for private social and corporate events.
- Kids & Teen Classes/Camps: Cooking camps for ages 7-17 focusing on baking, regional cuisine, fundamentals, safety, and cooking techniques. Teen Boot Camps offered for more skilled young chefs.
- Culinary Tours: International culinary travel experiences to Tuscany, Iceland, and Ireland in partnership with Onward Travel. Includes hands-on cooking, wine education, cultural excursions, and accommodations at local villas.
- Virtual Private Events: Virtual cook-alongs, demonstrations, and sips & snacks-style parties via Zoom. Capacity of up to 300 demo screens or 100 interactive cook-along screens.
- Gift Cards & Retail: Gift cards sold through Square for class registrations. Wine and spirits retail, including Wine of the Month Club.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard cooking class pricing per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Private event base pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Ireland 2026 culinary tour |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Chopping Block product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Chopping Block is Chicago's largest recreational cooking school, delivering hands-on and demonstration cooking classes, 40-hour culinary boot camps, wine and cocktail classes, kids and teen cooking camps, corporate team-building events, private parties, virtual Zoom cook-alongs, and international culinary tours to Tuscany, Iceland, and Ireland. The company operates from a single Lincoln Square facility with dedicated instructional kitchens and complements paid programming with free content resources including recipes, how-to videos, and cooking guides.
Product overview
The Chopping Block is Chicago's largest recreational cooking school offering a comprehensive portfolio of culinary education services. The core offering consists of in-person cooking classes, culinary boot camps, corporate team building events, private cooking events, wine and cocktail classes, and kids/teen cooking programs. The company has expanded into culinary tourism with international cooking tours to Tuscany, Iceland, and Ireland in partnership with Onward Travel. Supporting the core educational services, The Chopping Block provides digital content including a blog, how-to videos, recipes, and cooking guides, plus retail offerings such as gift cards and a Wine of the Month Club. Virtual offerings include Zoom-based cook-alongs and demonstrations for remote participants. The business operates from a single physical location in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood and serves customers both in-person and nationally through virtual programming.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cooking Classes In-person hands-on and demonstration cooking classes covering ethnic cuisines, techniques, and skills from beginner to advanced levels, including specialty classes in grilling, knife skills, baking, and sushi. Designed for home cooks seeking to build confidence and culinary skills.
- Culinary Boot Camps 40-hour intensive programs covering core culinary principles including knife skills, sauces, meat and vegetable preparation, and desserts. Adapted from a professional culinary curriculum for home cooks.
- Corporate and Team Building Events Interactive cooking experiences and challenges tailored to support collaboration, communication, and morale-building among teams. Includes wine and cocktail party options for corporate groups.
- Private Cooking Events Customizable private cooking events for celebrations including birthdays, anniversaries, showers, rehearsal dinners, and family gatherings. Accommodates 6 to 50 participants with professional instruction and customized menus.
- Wine and Cocktail Classes Guided classes led by expert sommeliers and mixologists featuring both hands-on and demonstration-based cocktail and wine education. Available for private social and corporate events.
- Kids and Teen Classes and Camps Cooking programs for kids ages 7-12 (focus on baking, pastries, regional cuisine) and teens ages 13-17 (fundamentals, safety, and cooking techniques), including week-long summer camps.
- Virtual Private Events Virtual cook-alongs, demonstrations, and sips and snacks-style parties delivered via Zoom. Supports up to 300 demo screens or 100 interactive cook-along screens for remote team building and celebrations.
- Culinary Tours - Tuscany Weeklong culinary journey through Tuscany combining hands-on cooking classes, wine education, and cultural excursions from a historic stone villa in Chianti. Features visits to Dario Cecchini's butcher shop and Badia a Coltibuono.
- Culinary Tours - Iceland Weeklong culinary journey through Iceland featuring geothermal baths, Reykjavik exploration, Golden Circle, geothermal greenhouse dining, and immersive food culture experiences.
- Culinary Tours - Ireland Nine-day culinary adventure featuring Ballymaloe Cookery School, Sally Barnes' fish smoking experience, coastal foraging, and visits to Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry, and Killarney National Park.
- Gift Cards Gift cards available for purchase, enabling recipients to book classes and culinary experiences at their convenience.
- Wine of the Month Club Subscription-style wine club offering monthly curated wine selections.
- Loyalty Program Tiered rewards program where spending on classes earns discount milestones, with retroactive credit for qualifying purchases and automatic email coupon distribution.
Quantifiable outcome
- Thousands of home cooks have gained confidence in the kitchen over nearly 30 years
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Chopping Block
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Chopping Block technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
The Chopping Block partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Onward TravelcorePartnership since 2018 for culinary tour experiences. Onward Travel curates and operates international culinary journeys including Cook Like a Tuscan, Iceland tours, and Ireland tours. The Chopping Block provides marketing, customer base, and tour directors (Andrea Miller, Viktorija Todorovska) for these experiences.
- LAZ ParkingminorParking partner offering 20% discounted rates at garage at 4715 N. Western Ave. Discount code Lincoln20Chi available for customers.
- SpotHerominorParking reservation platform partnership offering discounted rates up to 50% off compared to drive-up prices for class and event attendees.
- OccasioncoreClass registration and booking platform powering The Chopping Block's online class calendar. Handles online registration and payment processing for classes.
- ZoomcoreVideo conferencing platform used for virtual cooking classes, private events, and demonstrations. Supports both demo-style (up to 300 screens) and interactive cook-along (up to 100 screens) formats.
- HubSpotcoreCRM platform used for customer relationship management, conversational and inbound marketing, and sales relationships.
- MailChimpcoreEmail marketing platform used for newsletters and promotional communications to opted-in subscribers.
- SquarecorePayment processing platform for online gift card purchases and in-store retail transactions.
- Ballymaloe Cookery SchoolcoreFeatured destination on Ireland culinary tours. World-renowned cooking school in County Cork, Ireland, founded by Darina Allen. Offers private hands-on cooking classes, farm and garden tours, and meals for tour groups.
- Sally Barnes / Woodcock SmokerycoreLegendary Irish fish smoker featured on Ireland culinary tours. Offers coastal foraging experiences and traditional smoked fish meals at The Keep smokehouse.
- Dario Cecchini / Antica Macelleria CecchinicoreWorld-famous butcher in Panzano, Italy featured on Cook Like a Tuscan tours. Offers butchery classes and traditional Tuscan beef experiences including Bistecca alla Fiorentina.
- Badia a ColtibuonocoreHistoric abbey and agritourism destination in Chianti hosting pasta and sauce cooking classes for Cook Like a Tuscan tours. Produces wine and olive oil for over a thousand years.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Chopping Block competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EatWith: Marketplace for in-home dining experiences and culinary events hosted by local chefs. Competes for the experiential food/private-event customer with similar culinary-tourism appeal.
- Sur La Table: National recreational cooking school and gourmet retail chain offering hands-on classes, private events, and culinary travel. Closest direct peer in format, customer type (home cooks), and product mix.
- Classpop!: Cooking class aggregator and booking platform where customers discover and reserve in-person cooking experiences — overlaps with The Chopping Block's CourseHorse distribution channel and class discovery.
- Cozymeal: Online marketplace that aggregates cooking classes, private chef experiences, and food tours in multiple cities. Direct competitor for consumer cooking class bookings and team-building events.
- Ballymaloe Cookery School: Ireland-based recreational and professional cooking school, currently a tour partner of The Chopping Block. Comparable curriculum, immersive short-course format, and farm-to-table educational positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Williams Sonoma: Premium kitchenware retailer that operates in-store cooking classes and events. Adjacent peer — same home-cook customer base and aspirational culinary lifestyle positioning, though classes are an adjunct to retail.
- Le Cordon Bleu: Global culinary education brand with structured curriculum and short recreational courses. Broad incumbent in culinary education; relevant for aspirational positioning and chef-instructor talent pool.
- Institute of Culinary Education (ICE): Large culinary school offering both professional culinary arts training and recreational/continuing-education classes. Comparable curriculum and boot-camp format, though ICE is primarily professional-track.
Emerging players
- Airbnb Online Experiences: Hosts virtual and in-person cooking experiences globally, including chef-led cook-alongs. Direct overlap with The Chopping Block's virtual events and culinary tour offerings; massive built-in distribution.
- MasterClass: Subscription streaming platform featuring celebrity chef instructional video content. Substitutes for entry-level cooking education at near-zero marginal cost per learner; pressure on beginner-class value proposition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Chopping Block social profiles
Digital presenceThe Chopping Block compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
The Chopping Block financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Chopping Block leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Chopping Block funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Chopping Block M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Chopping Block
What does The Chopping Block do?
The Chopping Block is Chicago's largest recreational cooking school, delivering hands-on and demonstration cooking classes, 40-hour culinary boot camps, wine and cocktail classes, kids and teen cooking camps, corporate team-building events, private parties, virtual Zoom cook-alongs, and international culinary tours to Tuscany, Iceland, and Ireland. The company operates from a single Lincoln Square facility with dedicated instructional kitchens and complements paid programming with free content resources including recipes, how-to videos, and cooking guides.
Is The Chopping Block a public or private company?
The Chopping Block is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Chopping Block founded?
The Chopping Block was founded in 1997. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Chopping Block based?
The Chopping Block is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Chopping Block make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Cooking Classes are the primary driver. The others are private Events, culinary Boot Camps, wine & Cocktail Classes, kids & Teen Classes/Camps, culinary Tours, virtual Private Events and gift Cards & Retail.
Who are The Chopping Block's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EatWith, Sur La Table, Classpop!, Cozymeal and Ballymaloe Cookery School. Broad incumbents are Williams Sonoma, Le Cordon Bleu and Institute of Culinary Education (ICE). Emerging players are Airbnb Online Experiences and MasterClass.
Does The Chopping Block have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Chopping Block.
What industry is The Chopping Block in?
The Chopping Block's product category is Recreational Cooking School. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAGAI, Cooking Classes & Chef-Led Workshops, with a secondary code of EDAAAGAG, Culinary Arts & Cooking (Baking, Pastry, Global Cuisines). Its NAICS code is 3118.