Season Like a Chef: 3 Day Workshop

A hands-on in-person cooking class culminating in a dinner served with wine and beer. The three dates of this workshop are: Tuesday, January 10th, 17th and 24th from 6:00 pm-10:00 pm. This class is limited to 14 students. Review our registration and cancellation policies here. 

Think of this series as learning how to play the culinary scales. Over the course of three weeks, we are going to arm you with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to master the art of salt, sour, and umami. Through a combination of tasting seminars and hands-on cooking, we will zero in on these three key tastes and dive into their uses, their sources, and the importance of knowing how and why to master them. 

You will not only increase your confidence in executing the latest recipes but also develop the skills to navigate kitchen mishaps. Say goodbye to blaming poorly written recipes and hello to creating delicious meals with ease. With this program you will become braver and more self-assured in the kitchen. 

Day 1 is all about Salt: Friday, January 10th

• Ingredient Tastings: We will have a guided tasting of the star ingredients of the day. This will include different kinds of salts and salty ingredients.
• Pre-seasoned Tastings: A guided tasting through simple, pre-made recipes that contain varying amounts of our star ingredients. For example, vegetable broth with Kosher salt vs. tamari vs. no salt. 
• Play with Your Food: Students will transform basic, unseasoned recipes using their newfound flavor knowledge.

Day 2 is all about Sour: Friday, January 17th

• Ingredient Tastings: We will have a guided tasting of the star ingredients of the day. This will include different kinds of vinegars, citrus, and other sour ingredients. 
• Pre-seasoned Tastings: A guided tasting through simple, pre-made recipes that contain varying amounts of our star ingredients. For example, salad dressing with vinegar, vs. lemon juice. vs no sour element. 
• Play with Your Food: Students will transform basic, unseasoned recipes using their newfound flavor knowledge. 

Day 3 is all about Umami: Friday, January 24th

• Ingredient Tastings: We will have a guided tasting of the star ingredients of the day. This will include different kinds of vegetarian and vegan sources of umami. 
• Pre-seasoned Tastings: A guided tasting through simple, pre-made recipes that contain varying amounts of our star ingredients.
• Play with Your Food: Students will transform basic, unseasoned recipes using their newfound flavor knowledge.

This menu contains the following common allergens: Soy, 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! 

Marie Brennan is a vegetable enthusiast, keen fermenter and an avid traveler. Her explorations are fueled by the desire to find her next pantry staple and learn yet another way to use onions. Her culinary focus is vegetarian, Californian cuisine that is imbued with global flavors. Her classes are known for their healthyish and punchy flavors as well as her non-dogmatic and enthusiastic approach to food. 

Marie graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Dietetics and in 2014 moved to the Bay Area to attend culinary arts school. She stayed for the produce and the sunshine. Marie lives in Berkeley California and works as an educator, consultant, private chef and recipe developer. You can learn more about Marie at www.hedonistinmoderation.com

_{Photo by Vincent Po}