de gustibus cooking school

What de gustibus cooking school does

De Gustibus Cooking School, legally De Gustibus Culinary Studio, is a privately held culinary education and experience business founded in 1980 by Arlene Sailhac and acquired in April 2008 by current Owner and CEO Salvatore (Sal) Rizzo. The company operates a single flagship classroom on the 8th floor of Macy's Herald Square in Manhattan, configured with long communal tables, four large screen TVs, and a state-of-the-art Miele-equipped kitchen, with capacity capped at 48 guests per class. It serves food enthusiasts, home cooks, corporate groups, and private-event celebrants through seated celebrity-chef demonstrations, hands-on cooking classes, wine tastings, and bespoke events.

The core product is a multi-course tasting experience in which a celebrity chef prepares dishes live while guests sample the menu, sip paired wines from sponsor distributors (Kobrand, Vias Imports, Royal Wine), and take home recipe booklets. The school has hosted over 1,800 celebrity chefs and culinary figures across its 46+ year history, including Jacques Pépin, Thomas Keller, Daniel Humm, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Bobby Flay, and Marcus Samuelsson. Supporting offerings include virtual classes via Zoom, corporate team-building (operationalized through a 2023 partnership with Cooking by the Book), private celebrations, luxury culinary travel through Authentic Explorations (2020), charity fundraising events, a Shopify-based gift shop for cookbooks, aprons, and gourmet products, and gift certificates priced from $100 to $3,500.

Revenue is generated through one-time class fees, gift certificate sales (prepaid bookings), custom-quoted private and corporate events requiring a 50% non-refundable deposit, commission or margin on culinary travel bookings, and retail product sales. The business relies on a tightly integrated sponsor ecosystem — Miele (flagship), OXO, S.Pellegrino, Acqua Panna, Lavazza, Baldor, and others — to offset equipment costs and reinforce premium brand positioning. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the flagship location, virtual Zoom sessions, the Shopify storefront, and direct sales outreach for private and corporate events.

Name

de gustibus cooking school

Legal name

De Gustibus Culinary Studio

Website

https://degustibusnyc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

De Gustibus Cooking School is a privately held, single-location culinary studio at Macy's Herald Square in NYC that hosts celebrity-chef-led cooking classes, wine tastings, private and corporate events, and culinary travel, serving food enthusiasts and home cooks since 1980.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Culinary Education Services

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooking Classes & Chef-Led Workshops (THAJAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH), Culinary & Wine Travel Agencies (THAKAFAH), Food Festivals & Culinary Events (Ticketed Tastings, Pop-ups) (THAJAGAL)

Keywords

• Cooking classes
• Culinary education
• Wine tastings
• Corporate team building
• Chef-led events

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Cooking Classes: Revenue from in-person and virtual cooking classes featuring celebrity chefs. Classes include multi-course tasting menus paired with wines, education, and recipe booklets. Most classes run from 6 to 8 PM at Macy's Herald Square.
2. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates sold in denominations from $100 to $3,500, applicable to any class or gift item. These represent prepaid bookings for future classes.
3. Private and Corporate Events: Revenue from hosting private events including birthdays, bachelorette parties, corporate team-building (hands-on cooking classes), and chef demonstrations. Pricing varies based on guest count, chef fees, and add-ons. A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to secure dates.
4. Culinary Travel Experiences: Partnered with Authentic Explorations to offer luxury culinary travel experiences including wine-soaked weekends in Napa Valley, pasta-making sessions in Italy, and group tours. Revenue generated through trip bookings.
5. Retail Products: Sales of gift shop items including cookbooks, aprons, and gourmet products such as caviar gift sets and specialty food items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

De Gustibus Culinary Studio operates a single-location cooking school at Macy's Herald Square in New York City, delivering celebrity chef-led multi-course cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, hands-on cooking classes, and corporate/private events both in-person and virtually via Zoom. The business also offers luxury culinary travel in partnership with Authentic Explorations, charity fundraising events, gift shop retail (cookbooks, aprons, gourmet products), and gift certificates in denominations from $100 to $3,500.

Product overview

De Gustibus Culinary Studio operates as a single-location culinary education institution offering live cooking demonstrations and tastings hosted by celebrity chefs. The core offerings comprise In-Person Cooking Classes at Macy's Herald Square (limited to 48 guests) and Virtual Classes via Zoom, both featuring multi-course menus paired with wines. The studio also provides Private Events (corporate teambuilding and personal celebrations), Wine Tastings, Culinary Travel Experiences in partnership with Authentic Explorations, and Charity/Fundraising Events. Supporting revenue streams include a Gift Shop (cookbooks, aprons, gourmet products) and Gift Certificates in denominations from $100 to $3,500. The portfolio functions as a unified culinary experience platform rather than a modular software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Cooking Classes
• Virtual Cooking Classes Live cooking demonstrations conducted via Zoom, allowing remote participants to watch, learn, and receive PDF recipe booklets.
• Corporate Teambuilding Events Hands-on cooking team-building experiences for corporate groups, with guests preparing dishes guided by culinary experts and dining on their creations.
• Private Events Customized culinary events for personal celebrations including birthdays and bachelorette parties, featuring hands-on cooking or chef demonstrations.
• Wine Tastings Guided wine tasting experiences led by noted wine professionals, covering fundamentals such as color, aroma, flavor, body, and finish judgment.
• Culinary Travel Experiences Luxury culinary travel journeys curated in partnership with Authentic Explorations, featuring destinations such as Italy, Spain, France, and emerging culinary regions, including wine-soaked weekends and pasta-making sessions.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates available in various denominations ($100 to $3,500) for use toward any class or gift item at De Gustibus.
• Gift Shop Online storefront selling cookbooks, leather aprons, gourmet products, and caviar gift sets from De Gustibus.
• Charity and Fundraising Events Bespoke culinary fundraising events partnering with renowned chefs and their chosen charitable organizations, featuring exclusive menus, auctions, raffles, and rare wine selections.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ happy customers served over 46+ years of operation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Cooking by the Book (CBTB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership established in 2023 for hosting corporate teambuilding events. CBTB provides culinary expertise for hands-on corporate team-building cooking classes at the De Gustibus facility.
• MieleflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiele is a German manufacturer of high-quality domestic appliances and commercial equipment founded in 1899. They are the primary kitchen equipment sponsor, providing state-of-the-art appliances including refrigerators, freezers, convection ovens, stovetops, and other kitchen equipment for the culinary studio.
• OXOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOXO is a leader in innovative, award-winning kitchen tool design known for creating products that enhance everyday life. They have won over 100 design awards worldwide and donate 1% of annual sales to environmental causes.
• Kobrand Fine Wine and SpiritscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKobrand imports and markets a distinguished portfolio of hand-selected brands representing virtually every major wine and spirits region. Family-owned since 1944, they provide wine pairings for classes including brands like Cakebread Cellars, Champagne Taittinger, and Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia).
• Vias Imports Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 1983, Vias is the leading importer of Italian fine wines in the US market. They represent the finest wineries from all over Italy including Produttori del Barbaresco and Damilano, and also carry wines from Argentina, Austria, France, Lebanon, Spain, and the United States.
• S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerS.Pellegrino sources water from the snow and rain of the high Dolomite Mountains, taking around 30 years to mineralize naturally. They provide sparkling mineral water for class tastings.
• Acqua Panna Natural Spring WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcqua Panna flows pure from a natural spring in Tuscany with a natural pH balance of 8.0. They provide still spring water for class tastings, with production facilities dating back to the 1860s.
• LavazzacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1895, Lavazza has been crafting some of the world's most desired coffees, founded by Luigi Lavazza who invented the concept of coffee blending. Four generations of the Lavazza family continue the founder's commitment to quality. They provide freshly brewed coffee after classes.
• Baldor Specialty FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaldor is one of the largest importers and distributors of fresh produce and specialty foods in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Beginning as Balducci's fruit stand in Greenwich Village in 1946, they curate and deliver the best and freshest foods.
• Royal Wine Corp.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoyal Wine Corp. has been owned and operated by the Herzog family since the 19th century in Czechoslovakia. The company is the unequivocal leader in the kosher wine and beverage industry, providing wines and spirits for classes.
• TeakhausminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeakhaus creates cutting and serving boards from teak wood following ethical, eternal, evocative, and exceptional principles. They are committed to enhancing the art of cooking and entertaining.
• KorinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNestled in lower Manhattan's Tribeca, Korin offers the finest Japanese knives, kitchen products, and tableware. They have the most extensive collection of Japanese knives in the world and frequently host special events with the city's chefs.
• Ceriello Fine FoodsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1980, Ceriello has been a cornerstone of quality in the specialty food world, offering prime meats, handmade sausages, imported Italian specialties, and nationally-distributed pasta sauces and seasonings.
• Authentic ExplorationsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthentic Explorations offers high-end, custom, culinary-themed trips to Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, and the US. Founded by Gary Portuesi (also co-owner of De Gustibus), they design fully tailored travel experiences fusing extraordinary cuisine, insider access, and local connections. Recognized by Condé Nast Traveler and on Travel + Leisure's A-List.
• Food Dreams FoundationflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit charitable organization supported through De Gustibus fundraising events. The 2019 event with Jean-Georges and Cedric Vongerichten raised funds for this foundation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Williams-Sonoma: Premium kitchenware retailer with in-store cooking class programming at its flagship locations. Comparable as a larger incumbent pairing culinary education with retail cookware and curated food products.
• Sur La Table: National premium kitchenware retailer that historically offered in-store cooking classes as part of a broader retail and culinary experience portfolio. Comparable in pairing culinary education with upscale cookware retail.

Direct peers

• Home Cooking NY: New York City hands-on cooking school focusing on date-night, private, and small-group classes. Directly competes for the same urban food enthusiast and private-event customer segment.
• The Chopping Block: Chicago-based cooking school offering in-person recreational classes, corporate team-building, and private events. Similar multi-stream model (classes, private events, retail) in a major U.S. metro.
• Institute of Culinary Education (ICE): New York City-based culinary school offering recreational cooking classes, professional culinary training, and special events. Direct competitor for the same food-enthusiast and corporate-event customer in the NYC market.
• Milk Street Cooking School: Christopher Kimball's Boston-based cooking school and media brand offering hands-on classes and online cooking content. Comparable in combining live cooking instruction with broad media reach and packaged retail products.

Emerging players

• Cozymeal: Online marketplace for in-person cooking classes, food tours, and chef-led experiences across multiple cities. Overlaps with De Gustibus on private culinary experiences and chef-led classes, but at lower price points and broader geographic reach.
• CocuSocial: Marketplace for hands-on cooking classes, private parties, and team-building events hosted in partner venues. Competes in the same corporate team-building and private-event niche, but with a tech-driven, distributed-venue model.

Others

• Eataly: Italian-themed marketplace with restaurants, retail, and on-site cooking classes at its U.S. flagships. Comparable in offering an immersive culinary experience that combines food retail, dining, and educational classes in a destination retail setting.
• MasterClass: Subscription-based online education platform featuring celebrity chef video classes. Adjacent competitor showing how digital, celebrity-driven culinary content can scale globally without the constraints of physical venues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/degustibusnyc
• Facebookfacebook.com/De.Gustibus.NYC
• Instagraminstagram.com/degustibusnyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about de gustibus cooking school