The Confident Cook: Beef - 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: Beef will prepare you to be as fancy or as casual as you want with this ever popular meat. Impress your partner, your friends, and yourself with a steakhouse-quality steak at home, or indulge in the happy nostalgia of a saucy meatball sub. 

First up: steak cookery. Believe it or not, steak cooks for less than 12 minutes in the pan - and can make for a quick weeknight meal! We’ll baste our steaks with butter and herbs, then learn about cooking to a specific degree of doneness. Getting a perfect medium-rare steak may seem intimidating, but Chef Mike will demystify the process. Next we’ll learn the technique for compound butter - adding in herbs for a touch of flavor - to serve with our finished steak. Finally, learn Chef Mike’s favorite 5-minute side dish, a bowl of steaming couscous with a rainbow of seasonal vegetables.

Next up: meatballs, for the casually delicious meatball submarine sandwich. Step one, figure out what a panade is, how it keeps your beef tender, and how to use it. Then we’ll sauté, roll, and bake our way to glistening brown, perfect meatballs. Whip up a batch of homemade tomato sauce, infusing flavors as you go. Over-stuff your hoagie bun with meatballs, sprinkle some melting mozzarella cheese, and smother the meatballs in sauce. Complete the dish with a quick lesson in perfect oven fries! 

MENU

Seared New York Steak, Compound Garlic Butter, Toasted Couscous with Rainbow Vegetables

Meatball (with optional added ground pork) Submarine Sandwich, Seasoned Oven Steak Fries

This menu contains the following common allergens: fish, dairy, wheat, eggs. 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.