Our Best of Bay classes bring notable, local food talents into our teaching kitchens to share their expertise in a hands-on cooking class.
What You'll Learn
By the end of the class, you will:
- Learn how to build a basic Mexican pantry
- Begin to refine your ability to season dishes like a pro
- Know how to make the staples of Mexican cuisine that can be adapted for any occasion
About This Class
Born as a pop-up, the Michelin-starred Californios is a petit spot offering fine dining based on classic Mexican cooking. Chef Val Cantu has an incredibly deft hand when it comes to seasoning and this class will focus not only how to make the key components of his stellar dishes: Sauces.
The class will focus on the foundational sauces and salsas that can be used and applied to any occasion. Like the mother sauces of French cuisine, we’ll focus on fine-tuning salsas, understanding moles, and how to prepare aguachiles. With these skills down pat, you’ll learn how to apply the techniques to improve your own cooking and broaden your culinary horizons.
Menu
Hamachi Aguachile, Tomato and Chicken Broth, Fresh Tomatillo and Roasted Tomato Salsas, Handmade Duckfat Masa Tortillas, and Crispy Chicken Thighs
Details
- Wine included
- Full meal served in class
- Work in teams
- Ages 18+
FAQ
All students must show proof of vaccine before entering school and will be required to wear a mask unless eating/drinking.
We understand and respect that lifestyle decisions during Covid are an individual choice. If you test positive for Covid while the class is in session, you will be asked to send a friend in your place until you have a negative test. Classes will not be rescheduled, credited or cancelled. Once the class session starts the class is non-refundable. This was our policy pre-Covid and continues to be our policy today. We hope you find this policy acceptable and understand that this policy is required for a small school like SFCS to operate and open our kitchens for great food experiences.
The average duration of our current cooking classes is 4 hours, which is predominately hands-on work. You will be standing for the majority of class, cooking at your work station as your instructor demonstrates techniques and walks around providing individual feedback. Most of the time you’ll be working with a partner or small group on a few different recipes.
Doors will open 10 minutes prior to class starting and we will begin promptly on time. Students will be asked to queue up outside the door of the school to have their vaccine cards checked the first week of class (these will only need to be checked once).
Please arrive at the school with your own mask on. New, disposable masks are available should you need to replace yours while in class.
Wear comfortable clothes and close-toed shoes (remember, you’ll be on your feet cooking). The kitchens at SFCS are fully equipped with everything else you need, including clean aprons.
You will sit down with your classmates to eat what you’ve all prepared, along with some wine. We do suggest you have a small snack before class as dinner does happen towards the end of each session.
Wear casual clothing you can easily move around in, and comfortable close-toed shoes. Long hair must be pulled back and masks are required while in the building.
Cancellation Policy
Val Cantu
Raised in Texas, Val Cantu grew up hunting with his brother and father, who owned a Mexican restaurant that was a second home to Cantu. He got his first professional gig at Uchi in Austin and went on to stage at Benu and Saison in San Francisco, moving to the city permanently to work at Sons & Daughters. There, Cantu began thinking about fine dining as it pertained to Mexican food. With the seeds for Californios planted in his imagination, Cantu took off for Mexico City to stage at Enrique Olvera’s Pujol. Californios opened in January 2015. At 16 courses, it’s (likely) the only Mexican tasting menu in the country. Cantu earned a Michelin star and Californios was named one of Eater’s Best New Restaurants in America.