How long is the class?

The Classic Burger Experience runs three hours.

What is the minimum age?

Participants must be at least 15 years old to attend.

Can I take food home?

No—due to zoning, students cannot take prepared food off-site after class.

Yes, guests 21+ may bring beer or wine for personal consumption but staff cannot open or serve it.

Are tools and aprons provided?

Yes, Kitchen on Fire supplies aprons and all necessary tools; you may also bring a personal knife.

Close-toed shoes are mandatory and long hair must be tied back; avoid open-toed footwear.

Hands-On Burger Class in Berkeley: Bake Buns, Grill Patties & Make Pickles | Cooking Class | Guided Tour

Berkeley Kitchen sits at 1509 Shattuck Ave in downtown Berkeley, California. The Classic Burger Experience with Chef Mat is a focused, three-hour hands-on cooking class that teaches you to bake potato buns, form and grill beef patties, fry shoestring fries, and make old-fashioned ketchup and Chef Mat’s pickle chips; it finishes with a frosty root beer float. The class runs three hours and welcomes cooks aged 15 and up. Step into a working teaching kitchen where instruction begins with a short lecture from Mat Wertlieb—who grew up in a family of chefs and caterers in New Jersey, trained at the Culinary Institute of America, did an externship at One Market Restaurant in 2000, and has worked at Grill 23, Lark Creek Inn, Farallon, Lalimes, and Gather. Mat’s approach is practical: small teams break out to bake, season, and grill under guided timing so you practice every technique from shaping a bun to controlling pan heat and assembling a composed burger. Key features of the experience are tactile and satisfying. You’ll learn house-baked potato buns, hand-shaped patties, a reliable approach to creating a caramelized grill crust, crisp fries fried to order, scratch ketchup, and quick refrigerator pickles labeled as Chef Mat’s Pickle Chips. The menu emphasizes comfort food done with culinary fundamentals—building sauce, balancing salt and acid, and finishing textures with a creamy root beer float. Practical details matter: close-toed shoes are mandatory, long hair must be tied back, and aprons and tools are provided. Guests are welcome to bring beer or wine for personal consumption, but Kitchen on Fire cannot serve alcohol; due to zoning, you also can’t take prepared food home. If you have allergies, the kitchen asks that you disclose them at booking or contact [email protected] to verify ingredients. Why this class stands out in Berkeley’s food scene is simple: it strips back trends to teach reliable techniques you’ll use at home. It’s a short, energetic course for comfort-food lovers who want skills as much as a good meal. Whether you want failproof burger timing, bakery tactics for soft potato buns, or an approachable intro to quick pickling and condiments, this class delivers hands-on practice in a professional classroom in the heart of Berkeley. Leave with recipes, skills, and a very good burger. Classes begin with a snack, then break into teams so everyone rotates through baking, frying and grilling stations; you’ll eat what you make at the end of class. The format suits solo travelers, date nights, and small groups learning together. Kitchen on Fire supplies aprons and all necessary tools, though you may bring a favorite knife. Spaces fill fast for weekend sessions, especially Saturday classes, so book through the event page to reserve your spot.

About Kitchen on Fire

Kitchen on Fire is a hands-on cooking school and event producer that offers a broad calendar of culinary workshops, multi-week series, camps, and virtual classes. The school presents technique-driven, chef-led experiences ranging from single-session workshops to 12-week fundamentals courses. Classes focus on regional cuisines, baking, pastry, vegetarian and seasonal cooking — examples include Italian pasta and breads, Indian and Burmese dishes, Middle Eastern street food, Mexican and Latin specialties, and classic bistro techniques.

Chef-led offerings feature named instructors and visiting chefs, with programs such as multi-week Basics of Cooking series, themed nights like A Night in Florence and A Night in Rome, specialized workshops including ricotta and doughnuts, and seasonal pie and baking classes. Kitchen on Fire also runs teen camps, school-break day camps, and virtual workshops to reach learners at different levels and schedules.

Instruction emphasizes hands-on practice, practical skills like knife work and recipe fundamentals, and communal dining of the dishes created during class. Many classes run three hours or longer; multi-week series provide progressive skill development. In addition to in-person workshops, the organization publishes virtual classes and instructional series led by its roster of chefs.

Kitchen on Fire’s program diversity — from single-session craft workshops to immersive multi-week courses and teen camps — reflects a commitment to accessible, skill-focused culinary education. The school’s transparent class descriptions, named instructors, and recurring series offer prospective students clear expectations and opportunities to build lasting cooking skills. Class sizes vary to prioritize engagement, hands-on practice, and personalized instructor feedback for students.