Team-Building & Private Events at The Prickly Pear
Team-Building and Private Events
Private Events run Monday - Thursday.
Looking for a Friday/Saturday date? *On occasion we are able to offer private events on Friday or Saturday, please see note below under "How do I secure my date?" section.
📅Scheduling Considerations:
Most classes run 2.5-3hrs, except for Wood-fired Pizza Class and Inspired by Mexico EXPRESS which are ~ 2hrs.
The majority of groups choose to start at 6pm but if our schedule allows you may start as early as 11am.
Please plan on having your group arrive at least 20 minutes early.
We open our doors 30 minutes prior to the event.
We start promptly at scheduled start time.
🐦Please note we cannot accommodate early birds.
What are the class minimums/maximums?
There is a minimum of 8. However, you could pay for 8 and proceed with fewer.
Our maximum for fully hands-on classes is 24 students. Please note that companies with teams larger than 24 often opt to split their teams into two separate classes over a couple of days.
We are not aware of any other cooking class operations in the greater Austin area that offer classes for parties greater than 24.
How much do classes cost?
The menus are the same as on our website. However, most private events are structured/priced differently.
Depending on what menu you choose, it is anywhere between $110/student-$135/student plus tax, with the majority of the menus falling around $120/student plus tax.
Classes available for team-building and private events are:
🥑Inspired by Mexico (for groups up to 24) 118/student + tax, Are you a traveling team? This is a regionally specific class/cuisine! Short on time? Ask us about our EXPRESS 2-hour version of this class. Full menu & deets: https://thepricklypearcookingclasses.com/mexican-deets
🍛Taste of Rome (for groups up to 18) 120/student + tax How about some scratch-made pasta? Everyone loves Italian! Full menu & deets: https://thepricklypearcookingclasses.com/new-page-1
🥘New American Mediterranean (for groups up to 24) 120/student + tax Fresh, trending ingredients and inclusive dishes. Full menu & deets: https://thepricklypearcookingclasses.com/new-american-meditteranian
🥖French Class (for groups up to 24) 135/student + tax Classic, elegant, our longest running class, bon appetit! Full menu & deets: https://thepricklypearcookingclasses.com/new-page-4
🍕Wood-fired Pizza Class 110/student + tax (up to 20 students) Fun class for groups looking for a more casual experience with a shorter time commitment. Full menu & deets: https://thepricklypearcookingclasses.com/pizza
Please inquire regarding date availability so we may ask our pizza chef if he is available.
For groups with significant dietary restrictions:
🥑Inspired by Mexico Accommodations can be made for dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan team members.
🥖French Class Accommodations can be made for dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and keto team members.
🍕Wood-Fired Pizza Class Accommodations can be made for dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan team members. Because students build their own entree and dessert this class appeals to both foodies and those with less adventurous palates.
🥘New American Mediterranean Accommodations be made for dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan team members.
Not sure your team member’s restrictions will be accommodated for? Just email and ask! We will help you figure it out.
Menu details and dietary accommodations for each class can be viewed here, just click on your desired menu.
https://thepricklypearcookingclasses.com/
How do I secure my date? What are your policies?
Please note that all reservations are secured by payment via our Stripe payment platform (accepts most credit cards).
Other payment arrangements must be discussed prior to booking. We often have more than one group interested in the same date. In fairness to all, we do not "pencil in" reservations. Thank you for understanding.
Please see the "Rescheduling/Cancellations" page on our website for full policies.
*Friday/Saturday Events: We generally reserve Friday and Saturday for Public Classes. If given ample notice we may be able to offer you a weekend opportunity. However, because these dates are high-demand, we require different minimums and cancellation policies than stated on our website. There is a 16-student minimum, (you may, of course,) pay for 16 and go forward with fewer. Though individual tickets are not refundable once reserved, if the group as a whole decides to cancel the event, we will honor a full refund if requested a minimum of 30 days in advance. We cannot offer refunds or partial refunds inside the 30-day window. Thank you for understanding.
🔪Why should I choose a cooking class over dinner out?
Cooking Classes are the number one most requested team-building experience today!
👥The Prickly Pear Team Building Classes encourage your team to improve communication and collaboration.
✨️Our classes help people see each other in a different light and allow them to connect in a welcoming setting, all the while learning a new, fun, skill-set.
Unlike other cooking class formats, your entire team will be seated at one communal table (not individual stations that accommodate 2-4 people.)
Your entire team will be working TOGETHER for a true team-building experience.
However, please note some important information regarding the cooking class format:
We ask that you please do not confuse us with a restaurant.
Our core mission is to instruct, educate, inspire and bring people together.
Individual/team participation is key to producing the dishes.
We are a small team with a well-organized format.
We run one specific menu each class and are not prepared to alter the ingredients or preparation on the fly.
🍷We are BYOB!
Our BYOB format saves you approximately 30% compared to traditional dining or event venues.
You may set up a self-serve bar in our classroom, we have ample table space, glasses, ice, openers, shakers and a dedicated chilling fridge.
Most teams greatly appreciate this set up.
Please note we will be fully dedicated to instruction.
We are not able to uncork, pour or otherwise serve alcohol.
Please schedule any alcohol deliveries between 12-3pm on the day of the event. Kindly let us know ahead of time.
🚫What if some of my team members have dietary restrictions that a menu doesn’t accommodate for?
We understand that being an organizer can be a challenging job!
We do our very best to make accommodations for your team members.
We try very hard to make our menus inclusive. However, not all restrictions can be accommodated.
Though we will, when appropriate, remove/replace specific ingredients, some students may need to just participate (learn the techniques) and pass when it comes time to eat ingredients they cannot tolerate. Picky eaters and those with food aversions will need to be flexible for their team.
All potential food restrictions or allergies must be discussed with staff prior to booking.
Please note that a final headcount for approved accommodations must be made one week prior to the event.
What if our group wants custom services/extended time/add-ons?
Significant requests outside our model, i.e., extra conference time, company product set-ups, extra dietary accommodations, deliveries, favors, enhancements, etc. may be subject to additional service fees. No outside vendors (i.e. custom point of sale merchandisers, instructors, bartenders, entertainers, etc. are permitted without pre-authorization and if approved are subject to a service charge.) All requests for incorporating services outside our model must be presented prior to quoting. Private events/team-building services are limited to private cooking classes, not event space rental unless otherwise discussed. Additional charges will be applied to teams that over extend their stay. Please see the “CONTACT US” tab on our website for additional information.
Location:
📍1610 New York Avenue, Austin, Texas 78702
We are very central - just over a mile from the Capitol Building.
Thank you for your interest. We can’t wait to host you!
Let us know:
1️⃣ What dates you are looking at,
2️⃣ What menus you are considering
3️⃣ Your group size
and let's start planning!
The Prickly Pear Cooking Classes