Short and Sweet: One Pot Meals

A fast-paced, hands-on cooking class culminating in a family-style dinner served with a glass of wine and beer. 

Not every eager home cook can afford a whole evening to an in-depth cooking class at our 18th Street Classroom. To help those cooks out, our "Short and Sweet" series asks only two hours from your busy lives to learn something new and have a delicious meal. You'll get to enjoy all the perks of being in our space: meeting new people, learning from our teachers, and walking away with recipes that can inspire future meals.

Come let Chef Mike turn Sunday dinner into a weekday classic!  Two hours will be more than enough time as we craft delicious one pot meals – one vegetarian and one chock-full of meats. As a bonus for a busy schedule, one pot dinners also cut way down on the dishes to be done afterwards.  A double win for potwashers, cooks, and especially the diners. One quick class and you not only have two new classics for your weekly dinner rotations, you will also share in a wonderful meal with your neighbors on 18th Street!

MENU:

Shakshouka – Eggs poached in a spicy Middle Eastern Tomato Stew

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya – traditional Creole dish with deeply cooked down flavors and rice

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.