Our fall season is almost finished, so it's time to start planning for spring. Here's a preview of the cooking classes we have planned for you next semester at Urbana Park District. Mark your calendar for December 3  if you want to be first to sign up for these spring cooking classes: On  February 12, 2026 , we will be celebrating Vietnamese Lunar New Year with guest chef  Thu Nguyen , a first-generation immigrant and " boat person " who forged a deep connection to her Vietnamese roots through food, family, and cultural engagement. Her passion for culinary arts blossomed in her twenties while living in Europe. Her journeys across more than 20 countries further enriched her palate and deepened her appreciation for authentic flavors. On March 5, 2026 , I will be presenting my version of Indian Delights where w e'll learn how to make a Garam Masala spice mix from scratch, then use this delightful seasoning to infuse a homemade Indian Goat Curr...

Residents of Champaign-Urbana (people living within the boundaries of the Urbana and Champaign Park Districts) receive discounted tuition for all Park District programs, including my FLAVOR PRINCIPLES OF ETHNIC COOKING series. The lowest tuition is the "early bird" tuition of $40 for all my cooking classes, but only if you register 2 weeks before the class. So today is the last day to register for the FRENCH CLASSICS class on February 20. Starting tomorrow, the tuition goes up to $50 for residents. So if you want to enjoy a three-course French dinner for $40 and also learn how to make it at home, register today! Full menu and details are here:  www.cooking-with-paul.com/classes For future reference, here is the tuition schedule and the registration deadline for our spring classes: French Classics (Feb 20) - $40 (before Feb 5) - $50 (after Feb 5) Vietnamese Cooking (Mar 3) - $40 (before Feb 27) - $50 (after Feb 27) A Taste of Palestine (Mar 27) - $40 (before Mar 13) - $5...

I often refer to my cooking classes as "cooking parties." That's because they're fun events where you get to cook and eat and learn all at the same time. I always remind students to come hungry and thirsty because there's always lots of food at my classes, and I never let you walk away hungry. So think of my cooking classes as an alternative to eating out at a restaurant, or maybe an interesting twist for "date night" ( see more pictures ). So what happens at a "cooking party"? Starting last year, we converted our classes from cooking show "demonstrations" to 100% hands-on classes where all students will participate in the preparation of the dishes on the menu for that evening. Starting at 6pm, we'll slice, dice, and chop our way to a multi-course dinner. I get to share how I cook at home, and you get to participate in a unique cooking party where we'll eat everything that was prepared that night.  This spring, my long-runni...

Welcome to the 10th season of my long-running Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking classes at Urbana Park District. Since spring 2022, we have traveled around the world and sampled cuisines from Greece to Inida to Jamaica. This spring we're going to France, Vietnam, and Palestine to taste what each country has to offer.  This spring, I will be joined by two guest chefs who will share their personal recipes. With these upcoming cooking classes, our goal is to show you that making great-tasting ethnic dishes is not hard at all. Here's the schedule: French Classics (February 20) : Arguably, French gastronomy is the most influential of European culinary traditions. The French invented haute cuisine, then turned everything upside-down and re-invented itself with nouvelle cuisine — a simpler, lighter approach with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and presentation. Tonight's menu features three French classics.  Vietnamese Cooking (March 3) : Influenced by the flavors of neigh...

The first session of my summer cooking class series called " Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking " starts on June 8, 2023. The "Moroccan Classics" class is sold out, but there is still one seat left for the June 29 "Taste of Hawaii" class. Unfortunately, the July 20 "Vietnamese Cooking" class is also sold out, but if you wish to be added to the wait list, please call 217-367-1544. This Urbana Park District cooking class series will meet at Phillips Recreation Center on Thursdays from 6–8pm. The tuition is $40–$75 per person and includes a full two-course dinner along with wine and beer tastings. Because we'll be visiting Hawaii this summer, you can also expect some experimental retro tiki cocktails on June 29, 2023.  The sixth season of these long-running "dinner party-style" cooking classes will continue in the fall when we visit Palestine, the Czech republic, and Indonesia. A preview of the fall season is already online and ...

My summer edition of "Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking" series starts on June 8, 2023. But we all know how fast these classes sell out, so please mark your calendar for April 5, 2023 because that is the first day of registration for all of Urbana Park District's summer classes. This summer, we're going to be traveling to Morocco, Hawaii, and Vietnam for some tasty meals. We'll deconstructs the recipes of each ethnic cuisine and break down the flavor principles of each culinary tradition. We'll learn how to make almost anything taste Moroccan, Hawaiian, or Vietnamese by following a few master recipes and utilizing simple flavor profiles. By the end of this series you will be able to customize and adjust your favorite recipes to make tasty ethnic dishes for dinner every night. This Urbana Park District cooking class series will meet at Phillips Recreation Center on Thursdays from 6–8pm. The tuition is $40–$75 per person and includes a full two-cours...

  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...

  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).

  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 .