YesChef Review 2023: Can It Help You Become A Chef?

Ever watched MasterChef seasons and wondered if you can cook like one of those excellent contestants? 

Well, what if I told you that it is possible? Yes, I am not even lying.

I was able to find a learning platform on the internet that is based only on cooking – YesChef.

The cooking-based learning platform with the world’s best chefs as instructors is the right option if you are an amateur or a beginner in cooking. I took their course to find out if it was worth the hype.

In this article, you’ll be able to find everything you need to know about YesChef, the pros & cons, and also my experience of taking a course in YesChef.

I also share the ultimate verdict – “is YesChef worth it or not?”

YesChef: An Overview

YesChef is an online learning platform solely dedicated to all aspiring chefs out there. Anyone from beginner level to advanced level in the craft of cooking can benefit from YesChef.

The home-cooking platform uses innovative documentary-level storytelling to make it easier for the students to grasp the knowledge acquired in the courses, which was effective in learning.

Handled by the greatest chefs of all time worldwide, YesChef is considered the best source to learn cooking because you get complete access to be taught by professionals in the field.

The best part about YesChef are their classes which are perfectly programmed for any beginner because apart from taking the classes, you also get

• Highlights of the course
• Some incredible recipes
• Excellent techniques
• Ingredients tab

as an extension to the course, which is a great way to follow the lessons taught.

Each course in YesChef starts with an inspiring 40 minutes documentary of the instructing chef, which is a great motivation to start a new class. I thought it was some big-budget introduction.

Though every class is about cooking and taught by a chef, it varies according to the signature style practiced by each instructor. It doesn’t feel repetitive or the same.

On average, you get 25 minutes per lesson which is an appropriate time frame for a cooking course where 30+ excellent tips and secrets are also shared in the course. I found it helpful.

You also get the option of sharing feedback in the course if you like the teachings by the chefs.

The course is focused on self-learning at your own pace, where you can take the course whenever you want, wherever you want, and on whatever device you want.

I have covered a detailed section on pricing towards the end; keep reading to find out.

What are the classes like in YesChef? (My Experience)

You might be wondering how the courses in YesChef are, how the lessons are categorized, and an instructor’s teaching style since it is based on cooking. I had the same doubts, too, until I stepped ahead and took a course on YesChef.

So, now let me share my experience of taking a course in YesChef. I took Erez Komarovsky’s YesChef course based on middle-eastern cuisine since I love hummus and wanted to learn how to do it. His course does not only teach that, obviously, but I was more attentive on that part.

The course had a watch time of 6 hours consisting of 20 lessons. Yes, 20 excellent lessons.

Unlike other online courses, YesChef provided 40+ recipes in this course, which was big news to me, especially since I am a fanatic of the middle-eastern cuisine.

He goes in-depth about the entire cooking process in the course, which was helpful on all cooking levels. The thorough explanation of making Pita was top-notch, but again, I felt an additional workbook provided along the course would have been perfect.

As he was taking the course, he casually dropped insights and tips on Israeli cooking. Apart from excellent culinary skills, he was indeed a great teacher too.

The class was beautifully executed, and I left out with no doubts except for a few how-to recipes.

YesChef Instructors: Who are they?

The chefs, disguised as instructors, in YesChef are the ones who made YesChef into what it is known today. With professional-level teaching, beginner-friendly lessons, and well-structured content, YesChef is the appropriate course for you to start learning how to cook.

The instructors in YesChef provide A-class lessons from the very basics. To name a few exceptional instructors in YesChef are:

1. Dario Cecchini

Dario Cecchini, known for his excellent butchery skills, teaches the traditions and meat cookery in his YesChef course. He shares insightful knowledge about the craft of cooking meat and his story.

He is internationally famous for his style of cooking, especially meat, which is testimony to his work.

2. Erez Komarovsky

Erez Komarovsky teaches cooking lessons from the roots of middle-eastern cuisine, where you get to learn the process of making the best Hummus, Pita, and Falafel.

Apart from that, unique techniques are also discussed in his YesChef course, like high-heat cooking, hummus grinding, and bread braiding, which was exciting to learn.

3. Edward Lee

The holder of four James Beard awards, Edward Lee, teaches from buttermilk to bourbon, where you get to learn the secrets of fermentation, bourbon-infused brown butter, and more.

Brutal techniques like balancing flavors, shucking oysters, and open fire grilling are also taught.

Since you learn from diverse instructors from various cooking experiences and cuisines, it does not feel like you are taking the same courses in YesChef.

For example, you get to learn meat cooking from Dario, how to balance flavors from Edward Lee, and middle-eastern cuisine from Erez, which are also entirely different cooking styles and techniques. Each Chef in YesChef has an independent influence on their students, which is excellent.

NOTE: YesChef constantly updates its home page with new instructors coming to its platform.

What makes YesChef Stand out Among Competitors?

Though YesChef can claim that it is the best compared to other competitors in online learning, I can share my verdict if it is true or not because I have taken the courses in YesChef and others.

There are few things that I felt were great in YesChef. They are:

• Well-structured for beginners

The courses in YesChef are available for any beginner because they have carved the lessons in a way it is easier to understand by anyone starting on how to cook.

•    Exceptional instructors

Only award-winning and internationally recognized chefs are considered in YesChef, which means you can expect professional-level teaching with several years of experience in the field.

•   Fixed niche

The platform is fully committed to teaching everything related to cooking. In contrast, other learning platforms offer multiple niches, which is great but won’t be appropriate if you are looking for one niche to learn from. 

In such cases, YesChef comes handy, which is dedicated to cooking only.

•  Top-notch quality

YesChef stands out in the quality of video lessons and production. You can blindly opt for the courses in YesChef without fear about the quality factor in their lessons. The experience is worth it.

•  Storytelling

Unlike other learning platforms, YesChef steps ahead and starts each course with a documentary of the instructor handling the course, which is a motivating way to initiate a learning class. Even the lessons are followed by a storytelling pattern that is inspiring to watch.

What is the cost of YesChef? (Pricing plans)

Now that you know about how the lessons are and who the instructors are, let us dive into the pricing plans of YesChef and conclude which is the appropriate plan for you. Shall we begin?

There are three exciting plans to choose from where the platform offers:

1. Basic Plan: The basic plan costs $15/mo, which will be billed annually. This plan allows you to access YesChef’s classes on one device, get printable PDF books, get new lessons every week, and get step-by-step guidance.

2. Premium Plan: The premium plan costs $20/mo, which will be billed annually. This plan gives you all the basic plan features and allows you to stream YesChef’s classes in 4k and on two devices at once.

3. Plus Plan: The plus plan costs $25/mo, which will be billed annually. You get all the same features of the basic plan, plus you get to use your subscription of YesChef for upto six devices simultaneously.

With Annual Pass, the more courses you take, the more beneficial the pricing is. If you buy Annual Passes and limit yourself by taking only one course, it will be insanely expensive, so I’d suggest taking at least five courses from several instructors to make the best use of YesChef.

What I felt can be improved in YesChef:

Though there were a few things that I liked about YesChef, it comes with some downsides.

No additional workbooks

Though YesChef has perfected their courses too but doesn’t provide any physical product, it is essential to give workbooks or at least downloadable files along with the courses. That is something I felt was lacking in YesChef.

No Vegan-cooking courses

Cooking is an ordinary skill that anyone can learn from a course or by self-learning, but I don’t think it will be fair if it is not included between courses. So, consideration of adding Vegan content will be greatly appreciated by the Vegan community who’d like to take a course.

Non-accessible ingredients

Understandably, instructors are worldwide, but it is nearly impossible to source a few ingredients from other countries. I feel some strong alternatives or relatively cheap materials can be suggested to students facing difficulties finding a few ingredients.

YesChef Pros & Cons

Here are the benefits and drawbacks of using YesChef.

Pros 

• The instructors of YesChef are famous chefs themselves.
• You can learn recipes from all over the world.
• The content of any class on YesChef is well-structured and easily accessible to any premium user.
• Video lessons are in cinematic views, making learning more interesting.
• Instructors use storytelling to teach their recipes.

Cons

• You can not speed up or slow down the video to learn at your own pace.
• The customer support of YesChef is a bit slow, which can be annoying.

Alternatives to YesChef (My suggestions)

If you are not fully convinced or satisfied with the courses offered by YesChef, don’t worry, I have a great collection of alternatives with better options to choose from.

The first competitive platform that comes straight to my mind is MasterClass which is a multi-learning platform where you can learn anything from cooking to writing to acting.

With the same pricing plan of $180/- per year, you are limited to one niche of learning in YesChef. In contrast, in MasterClass, you are exposed to multiple courses by several celebrities worldwide.

Like Christina Aguilera is teaching singing, Penn and Teller teach Magic, and Hans Zimmer is teaching Film Scoring. You can take all these courses simultaneously while also taking cooking courses by some of the greatest chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Aaron Franklin, and more. It’s a win-win situation.

Aaron Franklin teaches BBQ cooking in his signature Texas style, while Gordon Ramsay teaches everything about general/home cooking, which is another excellent option to consider.

Remember, in MasterClass, there is no need for additional payment to take extra courses. Overall, you get the most benefit from MasterClass by learning multiple skills while only one in YesChef.

Final Verdict – YesChef Review (2023)

YesChef is a good choice if you are passionate about cooking and only cooking. In YesChef, various celebrated chefs offer several courses across the world, which is insane.

Though a few things, like the absence of workbooks, inconsistent fresh content, and expensive ingredients, can make you think for a bit about taking a course in YesChef, there is more to the platform.

You are exposed to some of the greatest chefs, numerous cooking tips, and a collection of recipes that is not readily available elsewhere. The lessons are also well-structured and beginner-friendly.

There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can at least give it a try because why not?

Anyone keen on learning how to cook directly from the best can opt for YesChef immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions