Registration opens on August 6 for all fall cooking classes

The fall edition of the Urbana Park District Program Guide is now out, and this means that fall registration will be open soon. Mark your calendar for August 6 if you want to be first to sign up for our fall cooking classes. If you already have the catalog, flip to page 28 to preview all the cooking classes coming this fall — and they're all new!

Here's a summary of what's coming up in our long-running PRINCIPLES OF ETHNIC COOKING class series at Urbana Park District's Phillips Recreation Center. This is a series of "cooking parties" where all students will participate in the preparation of the dishes on the menu:

• On September 11, I will be sharing the results of my latest home kitchen experiments in a Taste of Georgia class. Georgia is a former Soviet state nestled between Europe and Asia with a unique and vibrant cuisine. Join us for this special Georgian feast, which will include the world-famous Georgian Kharcho (beef stew) and two other exotic dishes inspired by the Silk Road trade routes. 
• On October 2, I will be presenting my first Oaxacan Flavors cooking class. Oaxaca is the southernmost state in Mexico most famous for its use of chocolate in their mole sauce. Our featured main dish this evening will be Estofado de Pollo (Oaxacan Chicken Stew), a recipe that was taught to me by a native Oaxacan cook in Mexico last December. Join us for this opportunity to deepen your appreciation of Mexican cuisine.
• On October 30, guest chef Kayla Lammy will present her own version of Butternut Squash Ravioli with Ricotta Cheese in her Nuovo Italian cooking class. Kayla's recipes for this evening were developed to highlight the seasonal flavors of fall with an emphasis on nutrition and taste. Join us for this hands-on cooking class where we will be making three of her favorite dishes completely from scratch.

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-fall.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!