Mastering Leftovers: Become a Home Cook with Answers

A hands-on cooking class culminating in a family-style dinner served with wine and beer.

Anyone can grab a recipe off the internet, make a list, and go to the store to buy everything needed for the dish. But no one cooks like that every night. More often than not, we peer expectantly into the fridge and hope for a miracle dish to form in front of our eyes with the odds and ends we've collected. We firmly believe that good, even beautiful, meals can grow from whatever's hanging around, and save you from too many trips to the grocery store. Chef Mike grew up in a house where “loavers” - his father’s term for left-overs – were on the menu many nights. In this class, Mike will give you four enduring techniques for creating a satisfying meal from random fridge ingredients.  

MENU

Pasta 

Chicken and sausage Jambalaya with Roasted Chicken carcass stock

Pork and cabbage potstickers with spicy dipping sauce

Omelet Challenge: Mike will teach you two omelet techniques: French and American Diner. Students will come up with their own omelet designs in the class with a mystery pantry of ingredients to test their skills.

Born in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, Mike Weller grew up in 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.  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 tends to his backyard garden, helps his wife to can and preserve food, and loves to cook for his friends and family.

_{(Photo courtesy of Pixabay)}