Hands-On Puerto Rican Empanada Cooking Class in Berkeley with Chef Ansarys

Duration

3 hours

Location

Berkeley Kitchen - 1509 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, CA 94709.

Summary

Come to explore one of the most popular street foods of Puerto Rico and Latin America: Empanadas! In this class Chef Ansarys will teach how to: ✔️ Craft homemade empanada dough from scratch ✔️ Cook a variety of mouthwatering fillings, from savory meats to sofrito-infused veggies ✔️ Create traditional sauces and sides that bring the whole dish to life

Menu

• Empanada Dough
• Puerto Rican Beef Picadillo
• Stew Chicken Filling
• Sofrito Butter Veggie Filling
• Creamy Cabbage and Avocado Slaw
• Cilantro aioli
• Homemade Mayo-Ketchup

Class Format:

Each class will begin with a lecture from the chef about the day’s theme and recipes. After this introduction, the group will break up into smaller teams, and start working on the recipes in the class menu. A snack will be served at the beginning of class, and you will be eating the dishes you make at the end of class. You are welcome to eat as much as you’d like in class, though unfortunately, our zoning permit does not allow us to have students take food home.

Health and Safety:

• Masks are optional • COVID protocols are subject to change to reflect local and state mandates.

What to wear/bring to class:

• Close-toed shoes are mandatory. High heels, open-toed shoes, sandals, flip flops are NOT allowed in the kitchen. • Shoulder-length hair or longer needs to be worn back and away from your face; we have plenty of hair ties in the kitchen for you to use and keep. • Feel free to bring a favorite apron or a knife you want to practice with but know that we will supply aprons and all the tools you need for use during class.

Allergies:

Please take a look at the class menu. If you think you might be allergic to anything on the menu, please indicate it on your class registration and if you have a concern, get in touch and we can double check the ingredient list classes@kitchenonfire.com.

Wine and Beer:

We whole-heartedly invite class participants (who are 21 and older) to bring any wine or beer they would like to enjoy during class for personal consumption. Kitchen on Fire employees cannot open or serve beverages you bring into the kitchen. We cannot sell or distribute alcohol and we uphold ABC regulations. No minor can drink and we cannot have intoxicated students attending a class.  

Chef's Bio

Ansarys Andino started her journey to being a pastry chef in 2006 when she had the privilege of starting an internship at Town, working under Pastry Chef Vandanda Nyk. It was there that she absorbed a great deal of knowledge about techniques, styles and skills coupled with new insight into the restaurant business, and once her internship was complete, she moved on to other kitchens such as The Water Club, Babycakes NYC, La Fonda del Sol and so much more. Working in different kitchens all over New York City has been one of the greatest experiences of her life, creating a path for her to be a cake decorator, head baker, pastry cook and pastry chef over the course of 10 years. She then went on to work at Crave Fishbar as their Pastry Chef. While at Crave Fishbar, she was given the freedom to be truly creative, and she gained the experience of how to use local produce and seasonal ingredients.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown most businesses, she became unemployed and she was inspired to birth her company, Sip n Ice. She created Sip n Ice to offer aspiring at home bakers the confidence to use those baking tools that are often purchased and then sit unused in a kitchen drawer. Her hope was to give people a fun class on cake decorating with pro-tips, accompanied by some wine, providing a stress relief during uncertain times, and further bringing her love of baking full circle. As an added bonus to her journey, she was featured in TimeOut's article "New York Pastry Chefs are creating underground pop-ups" for her successful handmade pies and bananas breads. She was able to successfully deliver orders to countless customers via her Instagram page during the pandemic.

Having recently moved to the West Coast, her goal is to continue teaching the art of baking and cake decorating in the San Francisco Bay Area, inspiring home bakers to make delicious and beautiful, sweet treats in their own kitchens.

Happy Cooking!