Levantine Home Cooking

We’re excited to welcome a new instructor to our classroom, CJ Villareal! As a student, CJ was initially drawn to the Levant by the region’s language and history—but it was through food that she began to truly understand the culture. Some of her most meaningful memories took place in home kitchens: watching family members prepare meals together, learning the importance of generosity and hospitality, and discovering how recipes carry stories from one generation to the next.

In this class, we'll explore the flavors of the Levant through staple dishes from across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. You'll learn foundational techniques and flavors that define the region, from charring eggplant for baba ghannoush and balancing a bright fattoush dressing to caramelizing onions for musakhan and baking syrup-soaked hareesa. Along the way, I'll share stories and hard-earned lessons from CJ’s years studying Arabic and living in Jordan while we explore the role food plays in hospitality, family, and community throughout the Arab world.

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Baba Ghannoush - Roasted Eggplant Dip

Fattoush - Chopped Salad with Toasted Pita

Mussakhan - Sumac Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Pine Nuts on Flatbread

Hareesa/Nammoura - Semolina Cake with Citrus Syrup and Almonds

Leymon Wa Na'naa' - Mint Lemonade Slushy

Allergens: Sesame, Tree Nuts, Wheat. Concerns? Email info@18reasons.org.

CJ Villareal's love for food began at age six, when she insisted on baking her own birthday cake wearing nothing but a red plastic chef's hat. Her past lives include baker, line cook, Arabic professor, translator, intercultural dialogue facilitator, and corporate leadership trainer. As an American of Filipino and white European heritage, CJ is endlessly curious about the ways food connects us to culture, place, and identity. Years spent living in Spain and the Arab world deepened that belief, and now she teaches cooking as both a practical skill and an invitation into new cultures and perspectives. 

Review our registration and cancellation policies here.