The spring 2024 edition of the "Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking" series starts on February 15. This series always sells out fast and as of today, two out of the three classes have already sold out. However, there is still one seat left for the Mexican cooking class on Thursday, March 14 at 6pm.  Although the Chinese and Ethiopian classes are full, Urbana Park District does have a wait list and you can still add your name to this list. Full menus and registration links are on my  website . Tuition starts at $40 per class for in-district residents of Champaign County. All my cooking classes are for adults and the tuition includes a two-course dinner complete with wine, beer, and/or cocktails. Do come hungry and thirsty because these classes are "dinner party-style" events where we'll be tasting and eating everything that will be made that night. Whenever possible, students will get to participate by helping me make a dish or two. I'll also share all the ...

Reminder: registration for all Urbana Park District spring 2024 programs starts today. This includes the next edition of the "Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking" series. From past experience, we know that this series sells out fast. Full menus and registration links are on my website . Tuition starts at $40 per class for in-district residents of Champaign County. In the seventh season of this long-running "dinner party-style" cooking classes, you'll be able to learn how to make almost anything taste Chinese, Mexican, or Ethiopian. In each of these classes, we'll be deconstructing the recipes of each cuisine and breaking down the flavor principles of these culinary traditions. By following a few master recipes and utilizing simple flavor profiles, you will be able to customize and adjust your own favorite recipes and make tasty ethnic dishes every night for dinner. Do come hungry and thirsty because the tuition includes a two-course dinner complete with ...

Back in fall 2021, I approached Janet Soesbe at Phillips Recreation Center with a cooking class proposal. Janet is the community program manager for all of Urbana Park District, and at the end of our 15 minute meeting, she signed off on a new cooking class series that we called "Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking." The series was a big hit and almost every class sold out. After teaching more than 18 of these classes in their beautiful James Room Demonstration Kitchen, it's almost time to  celebrate our two-year anniversary. And how are we going to do that? By not changing a thing and repeating what we've been doing for the last two years. I mean, why fix something that's not broken? So starting in spring 2024, we're going to offer the same cooking classes that we offered in spring 2022. This means if you tried to register for a class in the past but couldn't get in, this is your chance to try again. Be warned, some of these classes do sell out fast...

  This fall, I taught a total of seven ethnic cooking classes around town (three at Urbana Park District and four at Common Ground Food Co-op). Every class was filled and we had some great dinner parties, ate a lot of good food and drank a lot of wine, beer, sake, soju, and even grappa. We traveled the world and tasted delightful treats from China, Greece, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. We cooked up classic dishes like Sichuan-style Kung Pao Chicken, Korean bibimbap, Indian tandoori chicken as well as more challenging delights like Greek-style grilled octopus, pig ears in hot oil, and braised pork belly (see more pictures on  Instagram  or  Facebook ). But there's more to come: In the spring, we've planned six more classes with all new menu items. I've also committed to teaching 18 classes per year with six brand new classes planned for the summer and six more coming next fall. In each season, my "deep dive" series will continue at the Common Gr...

  On Tuesday, September 20, Common Ground Food Co-op will host my first "Taste of China" cooking class. In this class, we will focus on Cantonese cuisine, also known as the most popular style of Chinese cooking outside of China. This is the first session of my "deep dive" series, where we will focus on a different region of China for each class. The Cantonese session is sold out, but there are still seats available for the upcoming Sichuan and Shanghai classes. We will also be tasting a selection of Southeast Asian beers during the entire series.  More info is available here .

  There is only one seat left for the August 3 session of "Taste of Asia," a unique class with no cooking, just assembly. This class will cover four summertime appetizers from China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan. Extensive sake and beer tasting is also included.  More info is available here . There are only 3 seats left for the Cantonese session of the "Taste of China" deep-dive series. In this hands-on series, we will learn how to break down the flavor principles of three different Chinese culinary traditions, deconstruct recipes and customize the recipes to your liking. The tuition also includes beer and wine tastings all evening long. The first class in the series starts on September 20 and registration is now open.  More info is available here . (Sorry, the entire fall season of the Urbana Park District "Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking" series is sold out).

  "A Taste of China" will survey the vast flavors of Cantonese, Sichuan, and Shanghai cuisines. In this hands-on series, we will learn how to break down the flavor principles of each culinary tradition, deconstruct recipes and customize the ingredients to your liking. Do come hungry and thirsty because we’ll be cooking and tasting at the same time. The tuition also includes beer and wine tastings all evening long. The first class in the series starts on September 20 and registration is now open.  More info is available here .

  On Tuesday, August 30, I will be teaching a new class at the Common Ground Food Co-op called "A Taste of Asia." This class will cover four summertime appetizers from China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan. What's unique about this class is that there will be no cooking, just assembly. Come hungry as we will have plenty of tasty treats as well as beer and sake tastings all evening long.  More info is available here .