I took the Practical Series class-- one night a week for 24 weeks-- and I loved it! We learned proper cooking techniques, we covered everything from sauces and meat to desserts, and the time we had in class to cook the food ourselves was wonderful!
Chef Pascal is incredibly knowledgeable, he's passionate about food, and he's funny, too.
The Academy also offers wine tasting classes and special dinners; the 5-course dinner was incredible and the wine guy knows his stuff.
There is a Practical Series for pastries as well, and if I still lived in Arizona I would take that class in a heartbeat. I definitely recommend this place!