Want to learn to cook… or learn to cook better? We know you are cooking more at home these days, so why not up your game in that department? Chef Jill Garcia Schmidt, our CCKC Lead Instructor, has launched a slew of Tuesday night CookBetter™ cooking classes designed to speak directly to the home cook who really wants to become… well… a better home cook!
Taught by Chef Jill and seasoned cooking instructor Chef LaDonna Johnson, these Tuesday night classes focus on fundamentals that will help you become the master of your kitchen. Register separately for each of these CookBetter classes. We think they’d make a great gift idea for the foodie in your life… or treat your own darn self to the wonderful world of cooking.
Here are the CookBetter classes currently on our class schedule, but remember we’ll be adding more! Click on any of them for more class details and registration.
From Sauté to Braising – Learn Essential Cooking Methods for the Home Cook
SPECIAL BOGO DEAL: Register for this class and use promocode COOKBETTER to sign up a friend for free!
Tue, March 30 | 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Instructor: Chef and Lead Instructor Jill Garcia Schmidt
This fundamentals class will cover the basic cooking methods of sautéing, searing, braising and more, all necessary to the practical application of most recipes. Chef Jill will walk you through these methods with her fun and easy-to-understand teaching style. You’ll garner loads of expert tips that will absolutely change the way you approach cooking. You’ll be introduced to the language and techniques used by chefs and excellent cooks all over the world. And you’ll get some cooking time alongside Chef Jill too. MORE >>
Cooking from the Perfect Home Pantry including Tricks for Quick Meal
Tue, April 13 | 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Instructor: Chef and Lead Instructor Jill Garcia Schmidt
Get ready to learn lots of pro tips and secrets to creating delicious meals using what you have on hand. It’s not hard to do once you know the basics. Chef Jill is eager to share her expert tips on important pantry essentials like pastas, grains, condiments, and canned goods to keep stocked in your pantry — ready to play starring roles in great weeknight repasts. You’ll learn how to dress up basic ingredients, how to turn tonight’s leftovers into tomorrow’s dinner and how to make judicious use of one’s freezer space, etc. You’ll also get in on some of the cooking activities with Chef Jill. This is the stuff of real cooks – straight up from a culinary pro! MORE >>
Easy Healthy Meals For the Home Cook
Tue, April 13 | 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Instructor: Chef LaDonna Johnson
Tonight’s interesting class is all about learning to prepare good-for-you meals. Chef LaDonna Johnson has lots of great tips up her sleeve and is eager to share this knowledge with you. You’ll learn healthy cooking basics from an experienced instructor and lover of flavorful, healthy food as Chef LaDonna shows you how to use REAL food to excite your palate with healthy ingredients. You’ll get in on some of the cooking activities, too! She’ll teach tips and tricks to apply to simple and satisfying dishes that you and your family will love and that are actually good for them. Don’t worry, we won’t tell them, if you don’t! MORE >>
Up The Flavor Quotient: Spices, Herbs, Oils, Vinegars and Other Flavoring Tricks
Tue, April 20 | 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Instructor: Chef and Lead Instructor Jill Garcia Schmidt
Join us as Chef Jill explores and demystifies the fragrant world of herbs, spices, vinegars and flavored oils. You’ll learn so much about many varieties of herbs and spices; how to toast and grind them; fresh vs. dried; how to experiment with seasoning blends and tips to create your own spice blends, etc. Plus, you’ll learn how to make, store and cook with flavored oils and vinegars. Oh, and how to use them to create delicious meals. Duh – we are a cooking school, after all! The lessons you learn tonight are sure to take your dishes from “ho-hum” to “Holy Cow!” Promise. MORE >>
Baking Essentials for the Home Cook
Tue, April 27 | 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Instructor: Chef and Lead Instructor Jill Garcia Schmidt
It’s all about baking fundamentals with a professional chef as you learn basic baking principles, techniques, equipment usage, key ingredients like flour, butter and leavening agents while participating and learning to make some basic baking recipes. Chef Jill will lead you through a discussion about equipment, plus she’ll cover a list of pantry essentials that every home baker should have on hand, and so much more! You’ll also get some hands-on time in the kitchen as you help with some of the baking activities. An important, comprehensive baking fundamentals class that every home cook will enjoy. MORE >>
Cooking with Glorious Grains & Fresh Pasta: Every Way & Every Day
Tue, May 4 | 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Instructor: Chef and Lead Instructor Jill Garcia Schmidt
Cooking with grains and fresh-made pasta doesn’t have to be a scary proposition. Both are low cost, simple to prepare and perfect for quick weeknight meals. Chef Jill will walk you through an exploration into the different varieties of grains and teach pro techniques to cook them to a flavorful perfection. From unpolished to polished, fast cooking to slow cooking – there’s so many unique grains to explore and learn to love… and Chef will cover it all. You’ll also learn to make homemade pasta dough, yep, that’s right… from scratch – plus how to roll, cut and shape it to incorporate into tasty dishes the whole family will love. Once mastered, grains and fresh pasta can find a place on your table in an almost limitless array of delicious (and family-friendly!) recipes. MORE >>
A Protein-Packed Cooking Lesson – Meat, Poultry, Fish & Seafood
Tue, May 11 | 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Instructor: Chef and Lead Instructor Jill Garcia Schmidt
Join us for an in-depth power-packed lesson that covers the basics of cooking proteins… that’s right, we’re talking all kinds of protein. Chef Jill is a self-professed fanatic when it comes to teaching folks to cook – the right way. And there IS a right way when it comes to cooking meat, poultry, fish and seafood. She’ll lay some expert knowledge on you as she teaches how to choose, season and cook them to perfection. You’ll also learn basic cooking methods such as poaching, pan-frying and roasting to add tons of variety to your cooking skills, and more. Of course, Chef Jill will let you help with some of the cooking activities too. The best way to learn is by doing, so Chef wouldn’t have it any other way. This class is a game-changer and will give you the confidence to expand new options for your meals. Boom. MORE >>
Vegetable Cookery 101
Tue, May 18 | 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Instructor: Chef and Lead Instructor Jill Garcia Schmidt
We’re shining a light on vegetables – how to choose, prep, preserve and cook the fresh vegetables that are in abundance at our local grocery stores or farmers markets, year ‘round. Chef Jill has some yummy dishes and loads of essential cooking tips and techniques up her sleeve and is eager to lay her expert knowledge on you while discussing the why’s and how’s of using seasonal vegetables and how they can make even the most basic recipes taste deliciously good. She’ll explore several yummy vegetable recipes and you’ll get to help Chef with some of the cooking activities too! Who knows, after this informative class, you just might be inspired try a vegetable you thought you didn’t like… imagine that! MORE >>
Smart Meal Planning Tips for the Home Cook
Tue, May 25 | 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Instructor: Chef and Lead Instructor Jill Garcia Schmidt
Meal planning is asking the “what’s for dinner?” question once for the whole week, instead of every night (sound familiar?), and then shopping for and prepping the ingredients before cooking. Regardless of your family’s size or food restrictions, Chef Jill has loads of pro tips to share that will make your meal planning easy-peasy. She’ll explore things like how to select your meals and recipes, shop for the ingredients, prep tips and more. Plus, time-saving gems like what can be purchased and prepared ahead of time, the proper way to freeze meals, how to create an efficient shopping list. She’s got you covered! Put simply, this informative class will change your life… promise! MORE >>
Sign up TODAY before the seats are full!