Our Cook the Book classes celebrate some of our favorite chefs and restaurants through their cookbooks. We select a signature dish from their cookbook, adapt it for the home kitchen, and build a menu around it to bring the book to life. These events are less instruction-based than our other cooking classes and make for an enjoyable night out.
What You'll Learn
By the end of the class, you will learn…
- How to make seasonal vegetables the center of the plate with bold flavors and various cooking method
- To cook a crisp schnitzel, while keeping chicken incredibly tender
- Ways to use high-quality frozen fruit to amp up your winter desserts
About This Class
Ottolenghi is back and better than ever! With ‘Simple’, his newest book, vegetables are clearly the star. We are going to cook our way through a variety of different recipes, teaching you varying techniques and sharing lots of make-ahead tips. Our menu on its own is a showstopper but we picked each dish because they can stand alone and still be fantastic, so expect to leave with lots of ways to amp up your own simple dinners at home with new spices, flavors, and tricks. While much of this menu is centered around vegetables, the class itself is not vegetarian.
Menu
Cornbread with Cheddar, Feta, Jalapeño, Zucchini Stuffed with Pine Nut Salsa, Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Green Tahini Sauce, Harissa & Confit Garlic Roasted Potatoes, Seeded Chicken Schnitzel, and Salty & Sweet Cheesecake with Cherrie Compote
Details
- Wine included
- Full meal served in class
- Work in teams
- Suitable for vegetarians
- Ages 18+
FAQ
The average duration of our cooking classes is 4 hours, and they are broken down into three segments: Introductory lecture or demo, hands-on cooking, and eating.
The class will begin with a short discussion or demo from your instructor. After, you can expect to work either on a team or individually to prepare the class menu. As a group, your class will prepare the selected menu in its entirety. In most classes, not every student will make every dish.
Learning happens throughout the class, and your instructor will often call out key techniques as they happen in each recipe.
Most classes conclude by sitting down as a group to eat what you’ve prepared, followed by a discussion of each recipe. You will leave with a copy of the recipe packet and a working knowledge of every dish that was made so you can recreate them at home.
Doors open 15 minutes before the class start time.
You do not need to bring anything with you to class, unless otherwise noted in the class description. The kitchens at SFCS are fully equipped and aprons, recipes, equipment, food and wine are all provided for you.
In most classes, you will be sitting down to eat a complete meal that you have prepared along with your classmates. Since this typically occurs towards the end of the class period, an appetizer or small plate is usually prepared early on in class. However, you’re welcome to additionally have a snack before you arrive or bring one with you.
Please note, for our Baking & Pastry classes, a light meal will be provided for you.
We suggest wearing casual clothing you can easily move around in, and highly recommend wearing comfortable closed-toe shoes. Long hair should be pulled back.
Cancellation Policy
Any cancellation up to two weeks prior to your class start date will be refunded 100%. Cancellations up to 5 days before your class start date will qualify for an online credit to be applied to another class. No refunds or credits will be issued for cancellations received less than 5 days before your class start date, however, you may always send a friend in your place if you’re unable to attend.
Margie Kriebel
After earning a professional culinary certificate from San Francisco Cooking School, Margie founded Local Flavor, a personal chef company providing small event catering services, in-home cooking classes, and recipe testing & development. When she is not in the kitchen cooking, she can be found with local farmers, ranchers, and fisherman learning about their craft and products or cultivating her backyard vegetable and fruit garden. In addition to teaching cooking classes, Margie also helps in the vegetable garden at the local homeless shelter.
Christine Gallary
After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, Christine moved to Boston to test recipes at Cook’s Illustrated / America’s Test Kitchen, to teach children how to cook, and to work for Chef Barbara Lynch at her newly opened demonstration kitchen, Stir. Upon a return to California, Christine became a food editor in the test kitchen at CHOW.com. She is now the food editor at The Kitchn and loves the process of cooking as much as she enjoys eating the finished product.
Patty Ponciano
After spending almost 20 years leading travelers all over the world and exploring delicious and exotic cuisines, Patty decided to pursue her passion for cooking. She enrolled and graduated from the Professional Culinary Program at San Francisco Cooking School. Patty trained at the highly rated Italian restaurant, Perbacco, in San Francisco where she learned first-hand the intricacies and complexities of food preparation, presentation, and service. Today, Patty works as a private chef, teaches cooking classes, and still makes time to travel.
Patty Ponciano
After spending almost 20 years leading travelers all over the world and exploring delicious and exotic cuisines, Patty decided to pursue her passion for cooking. She enrolled and graduated from the Professional Culinary Program at San Francisco Cooking School. Patty trained at the highly rated Italian restaurant, Perbacco, in San Francisco where she learned first-hand the intricacies and complexities of food preparation, presentation, and service. Today, Patty works as a private chef, teaches cooking classes, and still makes time to travel.
Alie Guico
Alie is an alum of the professional culinary program at San Francisco Cooking School. She spent her externship in the kitchens of the legendary Chez Panisse where she’s still known to pop up every once in a while. She’s a data analyst during the week, but enjoys coming back to SFCS to teach whenever she can. When not working or teaching, Alie can be found in her backyard garden or cooking for her family and friends using her home-grown produce.
Margie Kriebel
After earning a professional culinary certificate from San Francisco Cooking School, Margie founded Local Flavor, a personal chef company providing small event catering services, in-home cooking classes, and recipe testing & development. When she is not in the kitchen cooking, she can be found with local farmers, ranchers, and fisherman learning about their craft and products or cultivating her backyard vegetable and fruit garden. In addition to teaching cooking classes, Margie also helps in the vegetable garden at the local homeless shelter.
Alie Guico
Alie is an alum of the professional culinary program at San Francisco Cooking School. She spent her externship in the kitchens of the legendary Chez Panisse where she’s still known to pop up every once in a while. She’s a data analyst during the week, but enjoys coming back to SFCS to teach whenever she can. When not working or teaching, Alie can be found in her backyard garden or cooking for her family and friends using her home-grown produce.