Two new classes coming this summer (and an old favorite is back)

 

We're very excited to announce two new collaborations with guest chefs this coming summer.

Aliya Dosmanbetova from Kazakhstan will join us on July 10 as our special guest chef. Aliya is a visiting scholar at the University of Illinois, and she loves to cook and share her culture. She comes from a big family where everyone cooked, and she has fond memories of helping her mom prepare large meals for many guests in their kitchen. “Cooking for me is more than just preparing food,” says Aliya. “It is a way for me to connect with my heritage, my family, and the memories that shaped me. In her cooking class, Aliya will share three favorite family recipes, including a luscious lamb pilaf.

On August 7, Darlene Anderson will introduce us to a healthy vegan soul dinner featuring Kentucky Fried Tofu Nuggets. She swears that you won't be able to taste the difference between the hormone-injected mass-produced fast-food version and her healthy vegan homemade version. "It's all in the seasoning," says Darlene. In addition, Darlene will also share two other healthy vegan recipes and why she chose the vegan lifestyle.

I will also be repeating my Thai cooking class this summer. If you missed this sold-out class in 2023, here's your chance to learn how to make anything taste Thai by combining sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors in one of the most exciting Asian ethnic cuisines in the world. The featured main dish on the menu will be a healthy steamed whole fish smothered with a zesty garlic-chili sauce. It's so easy to make and so tasty that you'll never want to cook fish any other way!

Registration is now open for all summer Urbana Park District classes. The cost is $40 per class for residents. These intimate hands-on cooking classes only have 12 seats, so reserve early. Full menu and details are here: www.cooking-with-paul.com/upd-2025-summer.html

More information about my cooking classes and pop-up events can always be found on my website, where you'll also find over 200 recipes from my classes (no ads!). You can also subscribe to my email newsletter or follow me on Instagram or Facebook and like my posts. Bon appétit!