Soup-filled xiao long bao, the jewel of Chinese dumplings, will be our focus for this special workshop. This is an intensive hands-on class: you’ll make both the dough and fillings for xiao long bao from scratch, and you’ll master rolling by hand their paper-thin, round wrappers.
Most importantly, you’ll learn the secret to encasing rich broth in the tender dough and then have plenty of time to practice pleating these delicate bundles of savory goodness.
Class Menu
You will prepare xiao long bao, traditional Chinese soup dumplings
Learning Objectives
By the end of the class you will:
- Know how to make Superior Stock, a fundamental stock of classic Chinese cuisine, and transform it into aspic for soup filling
- Be able to to mix, knead and roll supple yet strong dumpling dough
Details
- Wine included
- Light 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.
All students enrolling in our hands-on cooking classes must be 18 or older. All students enrolling in our wine and beverage classes must be 21 or older.
San Francisco Cooking School is located at 690 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. The building is gray with orange awnings and is on the southeast corner of Van Ness Avenue and Turk Street.
Cancellation Policy
Our cancellation policy enables us to bring you cooking experiences that are small, intimate, and hands-on. 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, credits or class transfers 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.
Thy Tran
Thy has been writing, teaching, cooking and eating in the San Francisco area for over 20 years. She has worked in restaurants, co-authored award-winning cookbooks, contributed to national food magazines, and consulted for a wide range of nonprofits on issues of food, culture, and health.