Chicken Butchery and Italian Cookery
A hands-on in-person cooking class culminating in a dinner served with wine and beer. This class is limited to 12 students. See our registration policies here and our rules for in-person events here.
Two of our chefs get to join forces to create an unforgettable and magnificent class that showcases both of their skills, techniques, and passions. On this lovely Sunday afternoon, join chefs Gracie and Viola in a deep dive into the most common, often overlooked animal - the chicken.
Chef Viola will guide students in preparing her famous whole roasted chicken, and while those big birds slowly cook, Chef Gracie will guide students through the process of efficiently and carefully butchering a whole bird. Once the birds are butchered, Chef Gracie will pass the baton back to Chef Viola, who will guide students through cooking every single piece of chicken to perfection! No best chicken practices stone will be left unturned during this workshop, even bones and offal will be spun into unforgettable delights. At the end of class, you'll know how to roast a kick-ass chicken and how to confidently carve it with shears; you'll be able to skillfully break down a raw chicken, braise its juicy thighs, and make scaloppine out of its breasts. Moreover, you'll come away with a million ideas to cook chicken without wasting any of its bits!
MENU
Patè di Fegatini alla Toscana—Tuscan chicken liver pate sets itself apart with the umami of anchovies and capers, and the sweet tang of Vinsanto. Religiously chopped by hand, it is served warm over thin slices of toasted country bread.
Pollo Magic—Magic is what Viola's friends call her whole roasted chicken. It is the dish of choice for everyone's birthday in her circle. The cherry on the cake? The vegetables and stale bread cubes soak up the juices during roasting.
Cosce di Pollo alle Olive al Profumo di Salvia e Arancio—Straight from Viola's "Italy by Ingredient" cookbook, these sage and orange scented braised chicken thighs with olives will soon become a family favorite!
Saltimbocca di Pollo—The chicken version of this Roman classic will make chicken breast tender and exciting. Literally translating to "jump in your mouth", these tasty morsels will leave you craving more!
Brodo di Pollo all'Italiana con Ali, Schiena—An Aromi-Italian style chicken stock with wings, backs and aromatics
Insalata di Pollo Lesso con Sedano, Mandorle, e Vinaigrette allo Scalogno—Poached chicken salad with celery, almonds, and shallot vinaigrette.
This menu contains the following common allergens: Tree Nuts, 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!
Gracie Schatz has been in the food industry for over fifteen years. In her career, Gracie has worked in a variety of places: as a baker and private chef in Eugene, OR, farming and cooking in Italy, raising pigs in the Sierra Foothills, butchering at the Fatted Calf in San Francisco, managing Avedano’s in Bernal Heights, cooking at Bay Area restaurants Molina and Cala and her own pop-up restaurant, Bread and Bones Supper. In Eugene, she started her own food justice nonprofit, Marigold Cooking Collective. After working with 18 Reasons as a guest instructor for the past 7 years, Gracie has decided to move from Eugene to San Francisco and join us as our head Chef. Her dream is to never stop learning about delicious food, to never stop exploring the many nuanced ways that food brings us joy, connection to culture, identity, seasons, and community. 18 Reasons feels like the perfect place to explore this dream and she is so excited to be here!
Viola Buitoni, chef instructor and food writer, was born in Rome and raised in Perugia, Italy. With stories and knowledge from six generations, her dishes cross the best of California agriculture with the finest Italian food imports. After moving to the US to attend NYU, Viola started Buitoni & Garretti, a catering kitchen and Italian fine foods shop in New York City. She later moved to San Francisco where she began lecturing and teaching Italian food tradition workshops at the SF Italian Cultural Institute and Italian Consulate. She teaches Italian cooking at 18 Reasons, The Civic Kitchen, and Milk Street year-round, and at the Puglia Culinary Center in the summer. In October of 2021, she will lead an immersive fall foraging workshop in Le Marche. She is a regular contributor to La Cucina Italiana US. She lives in the Mission District with her husband and son.
