Kouign-Amann Workshop with Chef Michael Kalanty at Berkeley Kitchen

Berkeley Kitchen — 1509 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, CA 94709 provides the bright, functional setting for the Kouign Amann Workshop with Chef Michael Kalanty, a focused, hands-on baking class that teaches the Breton pastry and sourdough fundamentals. In a room of stainless-steel counters, proofing cabinets, and a hot deck oven, participants learn to laminate dough, manage a levain, and coax out the deep caramelization that defines a perfect kouign-amann. The class runs roughly 3 to 3½ hours and opens with a short lecture from Michael, who brings nearly thirty years of baking experience and international awards to the bench. Expect a clear demonstration of technique followed by small-team stations where you’ll shape, turn, and score your own pastries under the chef’s supervision. You’ll leave with your own starter, a fresh pastry to eat in class, and practical troubleshooting tips for recreating lamination and caramelization at home. Note: zoning rules at the Berkeley Kitchen don’t allow students to take finished food home. What makes this workshop stand out in the East Bay food scene is the combination of a world-class instructor and an accessible, community-oriented kitchen. Michael Kalanty’s resume—winner at the Tiptree World Bread Competition and author of How To Bake Bread: The Five Families of Bread®—means technical detail is delivered with patient clarity. The class is as much about sensory learning (feel of a slack dough, sound of a crackled crust) as it is about recipes. The menu centers on kouign-amann, a Breton specialty of layered yeasted dough, butter, and sugar that bakes into crisp, crackly exteriors and tender, butter-rich interiors. The workshop highlights techniques transferable to croissants and laminated doughs more broadly, plus sourdough maintenance and shaping. The space at 1509 Shattuck Ave. places you a short walk from Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto and local bakeries that reflect the city’s strong ingredient-first culture. This is an adults-only class (18+) with close-toed shoes required; bring an apron or knife if you prefer, though tools are supplied. If you have allergies, note them at registration or email [email protected] for ingredient details. For visitors, pairing this hands-on morning or evening with a stroll to the Berkeley Rose Garden or a stop at the Cheese Board Collective extends the culinary day. Ideal for home bakers who want a concentrated workshop on lamination and caramelized pastries, the Kouign Amann class turns technical technique into delicious practice, and leaves students with the starter and confidence to keep baking long after the ovens cool. Chef Kalanty’s teaching blends precise timing with practical shortcuts, so students of all skill levels leave with a clear plan for replicating results; participants 21+ may bring their own wine or beer to enjoy during class, though staff cannot open or serve alcoholic beverages comfortably.