Julie Huynh • Attended May 2026



I did this class with my business partner and it was an amazing experience. I haven’t done a class quite like this one at Mindful Maki. It gave us a chance to truly slow down and be intentional, and the prompt cards from the class really enabled us to think deeply, whether it’s about our friendship/connection or the food that we were preparing together. James is a great host, extremely knowledgeable in what he does and made the experience really enjoyable. Would highly recommend!

Chirashi Sushi Date Night: More Than a Cooking Class review by Julie Huynh - Sydney

Menolly Lee • Attended May 2026



incredible date night experience that let's you both truly feel present together. James is an amazing instructor and makes you really feel relaxed and enjoy the moment. Quite enjoyed taking it at our own pace and the cute cards used as conversation starters. Premium ingredients are also used to make the chirashi bowls too! The dessert is also really delicious. thanks James!


Declan Bucco • Attended May 2026



An absolutely fantastic class. My wife and I had the best time and cannot believe how enjoyable it was. We raved about it the entire drive home and would love to do it again.

Candy Luk • Attended Apr 2026



Amazing and fun mindful experience! James is very professional in both mindfulness teaching as well as sushi making! My partner and I have learnt a lot during the session and enjoyed our final products at the end a lot! They also gave us a lovely dessert to end the night. Fish quality was fantastic. Highly recommend it!


Arfin M • Attended Mar 2026



Brilliant and well thought through experience. Life has been quite busy the past year and this session certainly helped practice slowing down :)

Ivy Ng • Attended Mar 2026



So peaceful, calm and all round lovely experience. James is a brilliant host, keeping the pacing relaxed and providing a space for meaningful conversations between the group. The prompting is well thought out, with moments to reflect between every step. And also as a foodie, I love how eveey ingredient is high-quality and handled with a lot of love. Not often do you get to feel such zen while cooking, so this is the perfect gift to do with a loved one or a friend who you know needs to step away from the hustle and bustle of daily life!


Reezvy Ali • Attended Mar 2026



James has crafted an experience here that is so beautiful and necessary for the present day adult. The slowed down atmosphere combined with the amazing food and people is really grounding. I recommend anyone going on a first date or just catching up with friends to try this out. Quickest 2 hours of your life.

Neo Vu • Attended Mar 2026



It was a good time after long days working. Chill & relaxing plus learning something new. Its just a wholesome experience. Thank you team


Neo Vu • Attended Mar 2026



This was a really special experience. I felt more present and relaxed throughout, with a perfect balance between cooking and reflection. The prompts were thoughtfully paced and helped us go deeper into conversations. The mindfulness elements also slowed things down in a good way. Everything was clear and easy to follow, and it felt more intentional than a usual cooking class. Sharing it with my partner made it even more meaningful.

Tianna Pessotto • Attended Mar 2026



James facilitated an amazing session - truly a one of a kind experience. I don’t want to give much away but if you’re looking for a unique date night idea that goes beyond a simple get together and allows you to have fun as well as nurture that deeper connection with your partner, Mindful Maki is the one!

Jason Le • Attended Mar 2026



Mindful Maki was a truly unique experience. My partner and I expected a chirashi bowl cooking class with some mindfulness elements on the side. Very quickly, we came to the shared realisation that this class was focused on intentionally slowing down to build a connection with your partner and the preparation of the chirashi bowls was the medium that facilitated this. The entire process was extremely well thought through in terms of the set-up from the music to the arrangement of the tables, to how the steps were broken down as well as the assignment of each person's role to make the chirashi bowl. Our biggest takeaway from the class were the prompts which contained questions for us to answer about our relationship. The prompts were thoughtfully designed, drawing out genuine conversation and reflection on our relationship without feeling forced. They gave us space to pause and express gratitude to each other, something that is easily overlooked in our day-to-day life. To top it all off, the quality of the seafood was unbelievable when we got to eat it at the end!

Ina Grace Jose • Attended Mar 2026



Mindful Maki was honestly such a great experience learning to slow down, pause and reflect with someone that is very meaningful in your life. I went with my younger brother as a sibling bonding activity and we honestly learnt more about each other and actually had the time to talk with each other and be vulnerable together as adults. James has created an experience that will always be memorable and one that has taught me to be mindful during activities especially as a person recovering from a stressful, fast-paced workaholic lifestyle. I highly recommend Mindful Maki to anyone who just wants to self reflect with the benefit of having someone else there with you to experience that with you.

Khoa Nguyen • Attended Mar 2026



Wow! What an introspective dining/culinary experience, my partner Tianna and I came in without any real expectations for the experience, and we both came out of it calmer and more in tune with one another. mindful Maki helped us find space in our business lives for a moment of insightfulness, into each others current mind space and honestly really helped us become closer. What an awesome experience.

Huon Toombs • Attended Mar 2026



great unique experience - loved it!

Emelie Fogelberg • Attended Jan 2026



I booked this as a team building exercise for my team (there are three of us). James put together a bespoke session for us and it was so interesting learning the different aspects of rice and sashimi making. We all felt very relaxed (and full!) after the cooking class and I feel like we all went away knowing each other a bit better. Thank you, James!

Melly Arias Holtschamp • Attended Jan 2026



Every detail was thoughtfully considered, creating a calm and intentional space. The experience allowed us to slow down, be present, and genuinely connect while sharing something meaningful together. It felt relaxed, nurturing, and very well held from start to finish

Phillip Quigg • Attended Jan 2026



We greatly enjoyed Mindful Maki. It was a thoughtful way to share the making of a meal. The prompt cards throughout the afternoon sparked our conversations and led us along the steps to make our meal. Our session was aimed at couples, and we found it exciting and interesting to reflect on past experiences and future dreams. It was a fun journey and a pleasant, slow-down activity. Not once did we look at the time or our phones. Our host, James, was attentive and genuine, taking time to get to know all the participants. Our ending meal was beautiful, featuring quality ingredients. Recommend this experience. ️️️️️

Chirashi Sushi Date Night: More Than a Cooking Class review by Phillip Quigg - Sydney

Sharren Kou • Attended Dec 2025



I was so impressed by this Mindful Maki experience, and even more impressed by our teacher, James. The class and deck felt so intentional, and had the perfect ratio of engagement and self-guidance. I left with a newfound appreciation for the mindfulness aspect of cooking, learning that cooking can be a slowed-down process with more than just the end goal of eating. There are options for solo, couple or group experiences, so there’s something for everyone! I highly recommend James’ Mindful Maki experience if you’d like to connect with yourself and/or others, learn some sushi-making techniques, and have a delicious sushi bowl to devour after as well!

Cathy Nguyen • Attended Dec 2025



This was the first time that my friends and I attended an experience like this, and it was easily the most memorable “cooking class” that i’ve ever done. James did an incredible job at setting up the night with his thoughtful touches- from the freshly sourced ingredients, to his attentiveness with demonstrating, to the mindful eating exercise at the end. Each stage throughout the night was curated so well! Not only did we leave with our bellies full, but our hearts were warm and our friendship also deepened to a new level. Highly recommend this unique experience!

Chirashi Sushi Date Night: More Than a Cooking Class review by Cathy Nguyen - Sydney

Qing Zhong • Attended Dec 2025



I attended the workshop with two of my closest friends and it was such a special experience. The workshop blended creativity, mindfulness, and connection in a way that felt both effortless and deeply intentional. Working together to create our sushi bowls felt like a gentle return to the simple joy of making something with your hands. There was no rush or pressure — just an invitation to slow down and enjoy the process together. What really stayed with us though was the food for thought cards. Each question gently invited us to open up in ways we don’t often hold space for in our every day lives. They encouraged conversations that were meaningful without ever feeling forced. We found ourselves laughing, crying, reflecting, and sharing memories we hadn’t talked about in years. We walked away feeling closer to each other, more present in our own minds, and grateful for the gentle reminder that connection can be created with small, intentional moments.
Mindful Maki offers something special that goes far beyond food; it creates a moment of presence between people that nourishes you on multiple levels. It’s the kind of experience you carry with you, and I genuinely think anyone looking to reconnect, slow down, or simply share something meaningful with someone they care about would find so much value in it.
(Thank you James for such a wonderful night!)

Phuong Giang • Attended Dec 2025



I loved the mindful prompts, they were thought provoking and engaging. They provided a basis for discussion around relationships and psychology. Also bonus, we had amazing chirashi to accompany the chats. Food was easy to make!


Chris Jose • Attended Dec 2025



It’s quite rare to take a moment and reflect on your experiences in life. There are too many distractions and it’s only amplified by social media. James has set up something truly special where he invites you to connect with others (or even with yourself) through the one experience every human shares: food.
The prompts give you an avenue to explore fond memories and moments you may not even realise mean a lot to you. On top of all this, you get to learn how to prepare a sushi bowl and share it with others, a skill I know I’ll be using every so often.
There is a sincerity in this experience that shines through and I’d highly recommend it for those who want to take things slow and learn new things about yourself and/or others.
Thank you James!

Cindy Tran • Attended Dec 2025



I recently attended James’ mindful cooking ritual workshop at Chestnut Café, and it was truly beautiful. The whole experience centred around slowing down, being present, and reconnecting with the people we love.
James’ gentle guidance and thoughtful approach made the session feel meaningful and personal, especially considering it was his first ever workshop. You could really feel the heart behind the concept.
What stood out to me most was how something as simple as being mindful while cooking turned out to be much harder to do in real life. It made me reflect on how chaotic I’ve been in the kitchen all these years. Life moves so fast that we often forget to pause, and this workshop really opened my eyes to a different perspective.
The food was amazing! We got to make our own chirashi bowls with incredibly fresh seafood, complemented by the best pickled ginger I’ve ever tasted. We also enjoyed a hearty miso soup, and finished with delicious panna cotta cups, with the matcha layer being my favourite.

Edwina Y • Attended Dec 2025



This was such a memorable experience! James fostered a warm and inviting atmosphere and this experience combined my curiosity for cooking with a gentle mindfulness element. You also get mindfulness cards which really guide you through the process which was great. Highly recommend for friends or couples

Jonathan Nguyen • Attended Dec 2025



James was an amazing teacher. He made all the tasks super easy to follow whilst facilitating unique conversations between my partner and I.
The process genuinely felt like a unique way of story telling.
Would certainly like to take this class again in the future!

John Pham • Attended Dec 2025



This wasn’t a typical cooking class. It felt more like taking a breather from life for a few hours. The way James guided everything made it comfortable and easy to follow, even for someone who doesn’t cook much. The food was legit, the atmosphere was relaxing, and my partner and I actually had proper conversations instead of rushing around. Really glad I went.

Nathan Rebello • Attended Dec 2025



Really introspective experience that was also thoroughly enjoyable in a group setting. Really recommend this for couples, friends, siblings anyone really! Awesome idea!
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