Wondering what to do with the expensive knife set you received for your birthday, or how to filet that slippery trout you bought at the grocery store? Local cooking classes may be provide the answers. Conducted in roomy instructional facilities or real-live restaurant kitchens, these classes can help us gain some pretty cool (and impressive) cooking skills. Here are four of our favorites:
East Bay Restaurant Supply The biggest challenge you’ll have as an East Bay cooking student will be getting to the culinary center, located at the back of the large store. Why? Because first you have to walk through row after row of gleaming, beautiful cooking equipment, from platters and sauté pans to pastry brushes—the kind of supplies that make a foodie’s heart go pitter-patter. But if you can rip yourself away from the store’s inventory, you’ll enjoy the intimate, friendly layout of the instructional area, which encourages lots of hands-on participation while still allowing a good view of the teacher. Classes are taught by a host of local chefs, and feature user-friendly cooking subjects such as the baking of pies; the preparation of soups, sauces and stocks; and crafting of hand-made pizzas and pastas. 522 North 12th St., Sacramento, (916) 440-0620; www.eastbayrestaurantsupply.com/culinary.html
Whole Foods Salud! Cooking & Lifestyle School Whole Food’s cheery class descriptions and variety of culinary subjects are sure to pique a food-lover’s interest. From “Sensuous Moroccan” and “Pizza Hors d'oeuvres” to “International Comfort Foods” and a “Goats Do the World” cheese class, there is certainly something here for anybody interested in cooking (and eating). A number of the classes go beyond just cooking technique. T he school also offers evenings devoted to issues such as nutrition for cancer prevention and survival; and there’s even a class that explores Ayurveda. 4315 Arden Way, Sacramento, (916) 488-2800; www.wholefoodsmarket.com
Restaurant 55° Devotees of Chef Luc Dendievel’s sophisticated, European-inspired cuisine now have a chance to learn some of his secrets at the restaurant’s once-a-month classes, which include a series of wine pairings by wine director Kassidy Harris. Classes start at 9 a.m. and students will observe as Chef Dendievel demonstrates the preparation of a three-course meal. Questions are encouraged, and students sample food during the demonstration. The meal is then served up in the swanky dining room of the restaurant, and may include items such as a roasted stuffed poultry leg with wild mushrooms and marjoram sauce; Alaskan halibut with a tomato, olive and garlic concassé; or a Grand Marnier frozen soufflé. 555 Capitol Mall, Suite 55, Sacramento (916) 553-4100; www.restaurant55.com
Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op Expect to find a menu of deliciously global cooking classes at the Co-op, which operates one of the most entertaining culinary programs in the region. Classes range from Indian Street food, where students make, and munch on, tamarind chutney and pani puris stuffed with garbanzo beans, to a sushi-making seminar that explores recipes such as the “colossal reverse roll.” Other popular classes include a grilling series (including a section on marinades, rubs and sauces) and a kids’ and teens’ summer camp, where your youngster will learn to bake up a potato gratin with Gruyère cheese and master basic knife skills. Vegetarian dining, gardening and wellness classes also are offered. Co-op Community Learning Center, 1914 Alhambra Blvd., Sacramento, (916) 455-2667; www.sacfoodcoop.com/pages/classes/class_main.htm
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