Knife Skills 201

A hands-on class culminating in dinner served with wine and beer. This course is limited to 10 students.

Join 18 Reasons' Chef and Culinary Instructor Mike Weller for a class on more advanced knife skills. Students should already have a basic understanding of knife use, care, and safety; participation in our Basic Knife Skills course is encouraged but not required before taking this class. 

In this three-hour course, we will quickly review a few basic knife skills before learning more ambitious and challenging vegetable cuts -- e.g., dicing fennel, segmenting citrus, prepping artichokes, cutting winter pumpkin, etc. -- and how to break down a whole chicken. We will then use the meat and produce prepped during class to cook a meal. Each student will leave with "stock kit," which includes 1/2 of their butchered chicken and an assortment of chopped vegetables and bundled herbs.

Born in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, Mike Weller grew up in suburbs of San Jose, where he discovered cooking as his first profession and lifetime passion. After wandering through typical teenage jobs at pizza joints and ice cream parlors, Mike’s first “restaurant” job was with Sambo’s Coffee Shops, slinging hash and cooking eggs for the bar rush and Sunday breakfast crowds.  He moved on to help open several restaurants, attend the California Culinary Academy, and study under European chefs with Michelin backgrounds. Later, Mike served as an executive chef for catering companies, wineries and country clubs.  When his son was born, Mike transitioned his career into teaching, returning to the CCA where he eventually became the Executive Chef and Director of Academics.  Having taught for Le Cordon Bleu North America in both online and brick and mortar schools, Mike is thrilled to return to teaching in a neighborhood-based community.  When he is not teaching he tends to his backyard garden, helps his wife to can and preserve food, and loves to cook for his friends and family.