Gourmandise School staff - Sabrina, Claire, Clémence

Welcome!

The Gourmandise School is a women-owned and operated recreational cooking school in downtown Santa Monica CA. Our mission is to create a space to educate people on how to create amazing meals and treats out of locally-sourced and sustainable ingredients. We want to help people develop their culinary intuition and serve as a resource for at-home bakers and chefs, connecting the LA food community from our kitchens. Our classes speak to every level of skill, age group, and interest. Peek around our website for recipes & resources, and get information on our classes, private events, and product offerings. Or come visit us!

We’d love to see you in the kitchens soon,

Claire, Clémence & Sabrina

The Gourmandise School offers hands-on cooking classes in Los Angeles, California for beginners to professionals.

We focus on teaching classic techniques and use locally sourced ingredients. The school offers baking and cooking classes, professional series and fascinating food workshops. Our private parties are perfect for your next birthday celebration or special event. Our recreational classes are usually 3 hours long. Some of our specialty or technique classes are a bit longer. We also have some series courses that can be anywhere from 2 days to 10-weeks. Prices start at $105 per class for adults ages 16 and up. 

The school’s objective is to educate people on how to create amazing meals and treats out of locally sourced and sustainable ingredients… and have fun! We work with the finest instructors who have their own specialties. They teach the very best techniques. Our aim is to help people develop their culinary intuition, and be a resource for at-home bakers and chefs, as well as a key resource for the LA food community.

Classes are offered mornings, afternoons and evenings. We are located in the Santa Monica Place Shopping Center on 4th Street between Broadway and Colorado, and are open 7 days a week.


Our Vision

Together with Clémence’s culinary expertise, and Sabrina’s marketing and operations background, The Gourmandise School has a new vision to expand the consumer’s education and experience of how to create amazing meals and treats out of locally sourced, sustainable ingredients, using the very finest techniques.


Our Story

Gourmandise originated with Chef Clémence Gossett’s love for sweets, and was born out of a kitchen in Venice, CA. Gourmandise Desserts began offering home-made delectable sweet treats to fans of her fare at 20th Century Fox where she was working as an assistant in the feature film group. The Gourmandise School grew out of a passion for teaching her favorite recipes. Clémence eventually began teaching classes at Culver City’s Surfas Supply Store. Six years and many satellite kitchen classrooms later, Clémence met Hadley Hughes in one of her classes. In 2011, the two opened The Gourmandise School in the newly remodeled Santa Monica Place shopping center. The school quickly became one of LA’s most respected cooking schools.

Early in 2015, Clémence approached former Fox executive, Sabrina Ironside, whom she had met through their mutual friend and co-worker, Michele Morken. Hadley was looking to move on from the school and pursue her interest in the Slow Food Movement being spearheaded out of Italy. Sabrina had come from over 20 years of working in various marketing positions at several of the major studios working in film, television and licensing. Coming off a nice long break from the corporate world, she was starting to look for her next opportunity.  Clémence’s offer to step in as a partner where Hadley left off “was like a light going off in my head”… “I want to do that!” she said.


Who We Are

Clémence Gossett

Co-Owner and Pastry Chef

Favorite Sweet: Anything with Chocolate!
Favorite Savory: Brioche

Sabrina Ironside

Co-Owner and General Manager

Favorite Sweet: Chocolate Chip Cookie with Walnuts
Favorite Savory: Lobster Bisque with Clarified Butter

Claire Hutchens

Co-Owner, General Manager

Favorite Sweet: Crème Brûlée
Favorite Savory: Cheeseburger & Fries

Karrie Martz

Vice President, Retail

Favorite Sweet: Chocolate Chip Cookie
Favorite Savory: Foie Gras Risotto