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:
- Prepare fail-proof, authentic German-style pretzels
- Be able to spatchcock a chicken
- Master meringue and bake a perfect pavlova
About This Class
In a cooking rut? Join us for this hands-on class, where author Jessica Battilana will teach you a handful of simple, stunning recipes from her brand new cookbook, “Repertoire.” The book answers the age-old question, “What should I make for dinner?” with trustworthy, versatile and real recipes from real life that really work, all created with home cooks in mind.
Ever wondered how to roast a chicken so it’s juicy and evenly cooked? Pro tip: Spatchcock it! How about mastering a meringue that is shatteringly crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside? We’ll do that, too. You’ll learn recipes that help you master some of the most important techniques in the kitchen, helping you get comfortable building your own repertoire of dishes.
Menu
Pretzel Rolls, Garlic Butter Roast Chicken, Sam’s Spring Fattoush Salad, Beans and Greens and Seasonal Pavlova
Photo by Ed Anderson
Details
- Wine included
- Full meal served in class
- Work in teams
- 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.
Jessica Battilana
Jessica Battilana is a freelance food writer and recipe developer. She has co-authored six cookbooks, including Vietnamese Home Cooking, with Charles Phan, Tartine Book 3, with Chad Robertson, and Home Cooked, with Anya Fernald. Her forthcoming solo cookbook, Repertoire, will be published by Little, Brown in Spring 2018, and she writes a bi-monthly column of the same name for The San Francisco Chronicle.