Jane Butel Testimonials

I don't usually like going on group tours since I prefer to march to the beat of my own drum (ha!), but this tour was a major exception, as I suspected it would be. The wonderful assembly of outstanding people on the tour, the variety and quality of experience, especially culinary, and the cozy, almost private hotel, were all highlights. Thanks so very much for organizing and leading this trip. And sign me up for any reunion. 

Edie
Oaxaca Culinary Tour
June 2022

Let me just say thanks for your wonderful ground chile powders, which have served me well over many a year.

For your amusement, I've attached my own Texas-style recipe, customized so that even novice chili makers can make it without too much bother. I've sent it around to many friends over the years - and, as you'll see, I always credit you.

Steve Elman
February 17, 2021

Jane, Thanks. Judy and I enjoyed the Oaxaca tour. We thought it was well organized, with a nice mix of cooking and touring. And of course, Oaxaca is a great place to visit. We also enjoyed getting to know you.

Phil Krehbiel
Oaxaca Culinary Tour
March 2019

I attended your school in Albuquerque some time ago and have some of your cookbooks. Several of your recipes are my favorites and I have served them many times. I love the Texas potato salad and the Nine Day Coleslaw!

Donna Thompson
May 2022

I attended the week long class two weeks ago and am still amazed at all I learned, the fun I had, the richness of the history Jane shared with us and the amazing delicious, beautiful dishes we made. I had decided to come to the school to celebrate my recent retirement and if all the choices in the world were laid before me, I could not have chosen better! Thank you Jane for everything!

Debbie Summers
Weeklong Class - All Sessions
March 7 - 11, 2022

 "Amazing experience with Jane! Learned to make homemade tortillas and have already made them at home. So many thoughtful tips shared from her experience. Already signed up for another class!"

Lesley Summers
Take a Tortilla AND... Full Participation class
February 10. 2022 

Thank you for the wonderful evening on Thursday. Debbie and I had so much fun learning from you and hearing your amazing story. You are a very warm and patient soul! We had great fun interacting with everyone. It was a lovely time. Thanks again.

Diane Fitzpatrick
Green and Red Chile Favorites, January 20, 2022

My wife and I were at your Red Chile class with  Logan and his wife. I just wanted to say that my wife and I made your Bowl of Red today from the recipe you sent with us and it was absolutely phenomenal! I just wanted to say thank you once again for a great experience and an amazing dish!

Best regards,
Carl Williams
Green and Red Chile Favorites, January 6, 2022

Jane Butel’s Teambuilding Cooking Class was an amazing experience for my team and me! Jane’s teaching approach is one marked by organization and encouragement. My team had clear instructions on how to make each dish and along the way Jane gently encouraged and guided us, even though several of us were novice cooks. Jane’s gift is that she helps anyone gain confidence to cook dishes one might never attempt alone. Her warm personality and ample stories of working with notable cooks, celebrities, and executives ensures an enjoyable few hours. I highly recommend her to any team who wants to build their bonds and their cooking expertise, no matter their previous culinary experience!

Marshall Poindexter,
Chief Marketing Officer, OpenEye Scientific
Team Building Class September 26, 2021

Oaxaca trip extraordinaire ! We just returned from what will be one of our favorite experiences. Jane had everything well organized, with considerate and educated drivers, comfortable hotel, and 3 unique hands-on cooking experiences. We loved going to food markets, learning about masa & chocolate, as well as the culture of the area. Oaxaca is a very clean, safe city and Jane was a delightful hostess!

Nancy Chamberlin
Oaxaca Culinary Tour
June 2021

Hi, Jane!

The cooking class on June 3, 2021...Classic Paella Dinner Party... was absolutely beyond words fabulous and delicious!!!  We loved every minute and learned sooo much. Your classes are always a wonderful experience and I love bringing my best friends from here and afar along. They rave about the classes afterward! And it makes me feel so good to be able to provide such an amazing experience for them.

I so wish I could be coming along to Oaxaca this summer. I most definitely will next year. 

I wish you and your class group safe travels. I know you'll all have a magical experience!

Fondly,

Scott Paula Merrow 
Tue, Jun 8

Let me just say thanks for your wonderful ground chile powders, which have served me well over many a year.
Stay well and keep cooking

Steve Elman
March 12, 2021

Took weekend class this past weekend and had a great time. Learned a lot (Jane is a wealth of information about culinary science) and got some great recipes along with the experience in making them. Would recommend the class to anyone interested in Southwest Cuisine.

Kristine Harriger 
November 17, 2015 

I just finished a fabulous weekend class with Jane! Wow, what an experience! Jane is so great to share history, flavors, techniques, stories, knowledge and healthy & tasty recipes. I highly recommend to anyone interested in true southwest cuisine!

Anne Pierce
August 12, 2018 

Hi Jane,
Thank you for such a great cooking experience! You shared history, experience, talent and so many wonderful recipes with us.
I have already been to the local Mexican market to make sure I have everything in place to practice your helpful hints.
Last night I made my first meal and Rich couldn’t stop eating. He wanted more, more, & more!
I appreciate all your expertise and thank you again for all you do.
Warm Regards,
Christie

Christie Wingert
Sept. 13-15, 2013 class

Hi Jane,
I just wanted to write and thank you again for a fantastic program. Our library patrons that attended have been raving about it!

Jenna Wells
Aug 26, 2019

Ms. Butel: Thank you for fixing my order. You have the best chili powder and I have been ordering it for a while. One day – when my children are out of college – I plan to attend your cooking school. With a name like Alfred Joseph Pasini you would never know my grandfather was Mexican – Jose Conception Gomez-Gullien - born on the Immaculate Conception. From Ocotlan south of Guadalajara near Lake Chapala which has the largest expatriate American population in Mexico. A Paradise location. Hope to retire there someday. He was a coal miner and got killed in a cave in. However, we always cooked Mexican food and still do today. We always used Paprika for our enchilada base as I suppose back in those days they did not have access to chili powder.

Alfred Pasini
October 28, 2014

Jane,

Wow!!! Thank you for SO many things this past weekend! We all had such a great time in your home and learned things I wish I would have learned 40 years ago! I am going to buy me a large comal like yours, and the cast iron tortilla maker. Saw them on Amazon for a pretty good price. I also bought your Tex Mex cookbook online and it is on its way.

Thank you for giving us so much of yourself freely....you are truly a fountain of good information. Wish I lived closer..You have the true gift of hospitality which more people need to develop in their lives.

Jane, you are such a lovely, generous lady on the inside and outside. We are so thankful that our paths crossed.

Love you and appreciate you sweet lady!

Veni and Darrell Hardy

I just wanted to drop by and say thanks.
In Fact, a BIG THANKS !

Born 1971, I always loved hot Spices, even as a Kid.

In 2006, I visited Ben´s Chili Bowl in Washington DC.
It was the first time I grasped what Chili means in the US, and what Chili can mean to People everywhere.

I started cooking better Chili.

In 2008 I purchased your "Chili Madness" Book, which opened up a whole new Universe of cooking Chili.

Last Year I started a Blog and a Facebook site and made my Dream come true to sell some real good Chili to the People and spread the Chili Spirit even more : I organized the first Chili Cook off in Hamburg for Charity.

In two weeks I will be selling a "Chips n Chili Bowl" at a Chili and Barbecue Festival in Hannover; Chili is getting more and more of a Trend besides a Niche here in Germany ; think about publishing your Book translated here :-)

If you like, please check out schueringschili.com and tell me how you like my Logo and take a Look at Schürings Chili on Facebook.

Without your "Chili Madness" this all would have not happened in that particular way.

Thanks and Love to you

Klaus Schüring
Schürings Chili
Hamburg / Germany

Jane, thank you so much for sharing your expertise and your Southwest hospitality. We had a wonderful time together and hope to come again!

Pamela McSorley

Hi Jane,
We all so enjoyed our wonderful culinary class last night!  You were so informative & interesting!  Thank you for providing us with such a lovely authentic southwestern experience!
Best, Judie 

I signed up for the New Mexican Tex-Mex Cookery class because for years I have wanted to learn to make Mexican food. I lived in rural Japan for seventeen years and if I didn’t haul the ingredients home for Tex-Mex food in my suitcase they were unavailable. My husband promised me, at least eight years ago; that when we returned to the USA that I could attend one of Jane’s classes. We returned to the States in April and I enrolled in the first week long class that was available.

I have learned so many things at the class! I think we were taught at least 30 new recipes at the class. However; we learned more than just how to prepare a recipe. Jane taught us the history of the foods we cooked, for example; how important corn was to the native Americans, the religious aspects of corn, how politics influenced the food, how the influx of the Spanish and French in Mexico and the Southwest changed the cuisine. We learned that each Pueblo has their own type of blue corn and ways of preparing it. I found the historical aspects of the lessons fascinating.

I have attended many cooking classes, but this class was different; first of all because of Jane’s passion for preserving the history and cultural aspects of the recipes. Second, we were so absorbed in the class that we seemed to run over the scheduled finish time by an hour or two every day and Jane really didn’t mind. She wanted us to learn something that she was passionate about. The sharing of this cuisine seemed much more important to her than sticking to the schedule – it seemed as if we were a group of friends cooking for pleasure - rather than a class.

I hope to use the recipes I learned quite often. I stocked up on spices, bought a few more cookbooks and plan to go the Mexican grocery store this week and buy some tools I need. I was thrilled with the variety and depth of southwest cooking! When I returned home last night back to Utah and unloaded my stock of spices, the whole kitchen smelled marvelous and my husband said he could not wait to taste my food!

Linda Reinherz
August, 2014

Jane Butel Cooking School is one of the best cooking schools to attend. She has many interesting stories and information about the foods she is teaching you to make . I took the 3 day weekend class and had the best time and had the pleasure of meeting new people. The food was fabulous. I learned some new techniques for cooking . Looking forward to cooking with Jane in the near future. If you are thinking of a class do not hesitate, it will be the best decision you will make.

Hi Jane,

I really appreciate your checking in with me. You are my Rock-Star in this world.
At some time I will introduce you to my nephew who many years ago tasted his first "real" Chili made with your Chili starter kit. It was a hit with the whole family, but little Roy who was somewhere between 4- and 5-years old tore into this first bowl and I used everything in the kit, and it was really spicey and he loved it! He became a very good cook, but his wife and my brother say he won't cook hardly anything that isn't something like Tex-Mex. So, you started it all.....
thanks,
I will sign-up for your next course when it's available.
Ken

Kenneth G. Sexton
Nov 11, 2020

Kenneth G Sexton
Wed, Nov 11, 2020,
March 21, 2021

 "I just finished a week long class with Jane. It was fun, informative and generally a great time. Jane is a wealth of information and has the patience of a saint. If you are interested in learning about south western cooking, this is the class for you!"

Deb Broderson Howser 
March 15 – 19, 2021

Hi Jane!

I thought you’d enjoy knowing that my husband, Joe, was the first of us to make a recipe from your cookbook. We had huevos rancheros for breakfast this morning Joe backpacked about 12 miles a day for the past 3 days, so he was ready for a big breakfast! It was delicious, of course.

I so enjoyed your class last week, mostly because I so enjoyed you (though the food was also fabulous)! You have such an astonishing set of skills - you’re very gracious and warm; you know how to keep things moving while maintaining a fun, casual atmosphere; you’re clearly a culinary artist, but also an astute, competent businesswoman; you’ve had at least 5 lives worth of fascinating experiences and you tell your stories beautifully; and you teach well - you allow your students room to make our own mistakes, but also offer plenty of support and instruction.

I just don’t know how you managed to roll all of those skills into one charming person!

It was truly a pleasure to get to know you, and I do hope we stay in touch.

God bless you,

Lisa Glass
March 21, 2021

I just pulled my worn and stained, 40-year-old copy of Chili Madness off the shelf to make another big pot for friends. One of the best cookbook ever. I guess in 1980 nobody thought what "strictly American" meant in the old picture.

Tom Crumm
Praise for Chili Madness cookbook
October, 2013

Let me just say thanks for your wonderful ground chile powders, which have served me well over many a year.

For your amusement, I've attached my own Texas-style recipe, customized so that even novice chili makers can make it without too much bother. I've sent it around to many friends over the years - and, as you'll see, I always credit you.

Steve Elman
February 17, 2021

I can't even come up with words to thank you enough for organizing this trip to Oaxaca for all of us! It was simply amazing. I'll be in "withdrawals" for days to come as the wonderful memories swirl around with all of the feelings and tastes and sounds and visuals of Mexico, and of new friends made there. The "finale" dinner was out of this world! You made all of that happen; thank you so much!

I do think it would be fun to have a post-trip bar-b-que or picnic or potluck - whatever is easiest at some point this summer. I'm sure everyone has busy schedules, but many of us are in or close to Albuquerque, so perhaps a late afternoon on a weekend would be possible. 

Thank you again and again Jane. Hope to see you soon! If nothing else, I will take another class at some point in the near future!

Teresa
Oaxaca Culinary Tour
June 2022

Jane Butel Cooking School is one of the best cooking schools to attend. She has many interesting stories and information about the foods she is teaching you to make . I took the 3-day weekend class and had the best time and had the pleasure of meeting new people. The food was fabulous. I learned some new techniques for cooking . Looking forward to cooking with Jane in the near future. If you are thinking of a class do not hesitate, it will be the best decision you will make.

Kimberly Wortman 
February 2020 weekend class

From apricots to zucchini and everything in between, Jane Butel’s recipes are simply the best. I learned more proper techniques and execution and organization for preparing food in a weekend class this month than in a lifetime of just cooking. Her life stories are as interesting and delicious as the food we prepared. Indulge yourself. Take Jane’s class!

Suzi Darensburg
November 15, 2015