
What You'll Learn
By the end of the class, you will:
- Be able to cut your vegetables in a consistent shape and form
- Know how to slice, dice, mince, and julienne vegetables
- Understand how to properly handle and safely use your knife
About This Class
Getting proficient with a knife takes lots of practice and our Knife Skills class will give you just that. We will guide you through a series of lessons as you learn a variety of different knife cuts. This class is not centered on preparing a meal but rather providing you with lots of repetition to get you cutting, slicing, and chopping comfortably. Using vegetables as your guide, you will learn the proper, and safest, ways to use, store, and hone your knives.
While no meal is prepared in class, we’ll send you home with plenty of veggies and the SFCS recipe for Minestrone Soup so you can put them to good use.
Details
- Wine not included
- No meal provided
- 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.
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Dario Albiar-Carmona

Dario grew up in a large food-centric family where it was often all-hands on deck in the kitchen. While completing his Bachelors Degree at St. Mary’s College, Dario grew tired of the cafeteria’s monotonous meal plan and decided to get better acquainted with his kitchen and the local grocery store. What started as a meal for 1 quickly became a meal for 6 as several of his friends decided to invest in the new Dario meal plan.
Having spent the last 9 years facilitating professional and leadership development for various organizations, Dario decided it was time to combine his passion for teaching with his love of food and cooking. He went on to complete the part-time Professional Culinary Program at San Francisco Cooking School under Chef Kirsten Goldberg and work the line at The Village Pub in Woodside, CA. If he’s not at home cooking, you can find Dario immersed in his expanding cookbook collection, tending to his vegetable garden, or in the line-up waiting for the next wave.
Bettyann Chun
After a successful career in market research for such companies as LVMH and Clorox, Bettyann decided to ditch the corporate ladder and pursue something she loved: Food. She successfully completed the Part-Time Professional Culinary Program at San Francisco Cooking School and has worked as a line cook at both Firefly and Spruce restaurants. Bettyann also consults in culinary research & development doing menu analysis, copy writing, food styling, and recipe testing for food delivery companies, recipe websites, and food consulting firms.
David Groff

After graduating from both the California Culinary Academy and Tante Marie’s Cooking School, David spent time teaching cooking classes and working as a line cook at Zuni Cafe and Gioia in San Francisco. He has worked as a personal chef and volunteered with the Bay Area’s largest fish supplier before joining SFCS as Lead Recreational Cooking Instructor. David believes cooking is about bringing people together to have a good (and delicious) time.
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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.
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