The Confident Cook: Pork - In Person

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. Masks are recommended.

Take your culinary skills to the next level with our new fundamentals series, The Confident Cook. It’s a Pick-Your-Own-Adventure, where you decide which classes are most beneficial to you as a home cook. We guarantee that taking at least six classes will build your kitchen skills, broaden your repertoire, and give you the confidence to tackle any 18 Reasons class on the calendar.  That’s why we’re offering you a deal - add six or more Confident Cook classes to your cart to take 15% off your total order! Cook along with Chef Mike and add a swagger to your seasoning, a cool hand to your chef’s knife, and a flair to your plated presentations. 

The Confident Cook: Pork is centered around this most versatile animal protein.  Two dishes, two meals suitable for entertaining or just celebrating a weeknight.

We will save time, effort, and money on our first dish.  Rather than butchering a whole hog for traditional porchetta, we will do ours in a weeknight-friendly version.  Still some butchering, as we learn to butterfly and roll a pork tenderloin, then stuff it with porchetta flavors of garlic, lemon, and fennel.  Wrapping it up in bacon and then roasting it will give us a chance to learn the secrets of roasting meat.  Then onto the science of mashed potatoes for the best version ever, and some produce-butchery as we prep broccoli rabe and even learn how to pronounce the name of this versatile vegetable!

Our second dish will take us north to Germany.  We will take apart a pork butt, find out why it is located in the shoulder, and sear it into a stew with apples and cabbage.  More apples and cabbages outside the stew as a finishing gesture slaw to top off the dish.  Then Chef Mike will teach us how to craft his favorite easy dumplings as we make a delicious pile of spaetzle to serve under our delicious stew.  Not a drop to be wasted!

MENU

Porchetta-Flavored Pork Tenderloin Wrapped in Bacon, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli Rabe

Pork Shoulder, Cabbage, and Apple Stew on Spaetzle

This menu contains the following common wheat, egg, dairy. 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! 

Born in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, Mike Weller grew up in the 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. Mike also returned to school for training in his new field, earning a Master’s Degree in Education. 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 reaps the benefits of his backyard garden, kept in perfect order by his Master Gardener wife.