Cozy French Bistro

A hands-on in-person cooking class culminating in a dinner served with wine and beer. This class is limited to 12 students. Review our registration and cancellation policies here. Proof of full vaccination is required at the door. Masks are REQUIRED for this class.

Transport to the streets of Paris on a cold winter night, ducking into a cozy side street bistro to find comfort in a bowl of French onion soup. Celebrated across France as a classic comforting dish, it takes skill to acheive the humble yet perfect harmony of all the flavors. 

Together with our resident French chef instructor, Zoé McLaughlin, you'll explore the secrets behind creating the iconic golden brown caramelized onions. Make a special base broth of rehydrated porcini mushrooms that add a tantalizing hint of umami to the final soup. Garlic rubbed crostini and nutty gruyère cheese round out the complex flavor profile. Be sure to save room for a final slice of gateau au chocolat! 

MENU

Soup à L’Oignon—French Onion Soup* Topped with Garlic Crostini & Gruyère Cheese

Oignons Confit - Golden Brown Caramelized Onions with White Wine, Honey, Fresh Herbs, & Garlic

Salade D'Escarole et Herbes Fines - Escarole Salad with Fresh Herbs & Toasted Walnut Vinaigrette

Gâteau au Chocolat—Chocolate Flourless Cake with Vanilla Scented Whipped Cream 

*The base recipe is not vegetarian, but we can accommodate a vegetarian student with advance notice. Please email us when you buy your ticket. 

This menu contains the following common allergens: Tree Nuts, Dairy, Wheat. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions that concern your ability to cook along, please e-mail info@18reasons.org before purchasing a ticket.

Let’s Cook Together! 

Zoé McLaughlin was born in Paris and raised in San Francisco. She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and worked in restaurants in France while she wrote and published her first cookbook – a collection of family recipes influenced by her multicultural upbringing. She now lives in San Francisco, where she works in the non-profit culinary world and hosts online cooking demonstrations. She has a passion for bringing together the diverse flavors and culinary traditions of the Bay Area with the time tested techniques of classical French cooking.

_{Photo courtesy of Zoe McLaughlin}