Fresh Starts Cooking Class

Last week a long-awaited evening finally arrived,  attending The Girl and the Fig cooking class at Fresh Starts Cooking School with the ladies.  Fresh Starts Cooking School is part of Homeward Bound,  a nonprofit provider of shelter and services to homeless families and individuals, offering emergency and transitional housing along with job training, counseling, education and referrals in 10 residential programs, right here in Novato.

All proceeds from their events support shelter and training for homeless adults and families.

As a guest, your ticket includes a chance to meet celebrity chefs, cookbook authors, local food artisans, wine experts, and restaurateurs, all while enjoying a chef demonstration, fantastic meals and maybe a bottle of wine if you'd like.

It was girl's night.  My friend, Mendy, arrived early and secured a table right up front for us.  

First course was cheese platter with various cheeses and fig jam compote.

While we were busy eating, drinking and watching the demonstration by Sondra Bernstein, owner of The Girl and the Fig  restaurant and her top chef, John, the Fresh Starts Cooking School students were busy in the industrial  kitchen preparing our courses and waiting on us.

Second course, to die for, Steamed Mussels with Chorizo & Roasted Pepper Broth.

Oh My! 

So good.

During the course of the evening, Sondra and Chef John bantered back and forth, very entertaining, while they demonstrated the preparations for every single course.

For the entree we were served Cafe Pot Roast with mashed potatoes and wilted greens.  I must say, the greens; kale with garlic & shallots, were my favorite.  I could have eaten an entire plate of just that and mashed potatoes.  I know, weird but I love my greens.

OH, and then came dessert of which I could only eat half of, I was so stuffed.  Chocolate caramel tart with brown butter gelato.

After class we got to talk with Sondra for a little bit and I found out she uses Clover Stornetta dairy products in her restaurant and has for years....Yay!!  {FYI we are producers for Clover Stornetta so this was exciting for me}

I can't wait for the next class, I think we're going to try and make this a recurring event.....the 'New Cooking Club'.

Another couple of tips; if you're planning on attending, my friend, Alice clued us in to bringing our own take home containers and Ziplocs....there are leftovers and you don't want to be stranded without a container....especially if it's a chocolate truffle class!
AND, they have a wine bar where you can purchase wine by the glass or bottle.
You also get to come home with a handout of the recipes that were prepared during the evening.