In-Person Cooking Class

From Field & Garden

Sat | Jan 21, 2023 | 10A–2P PT

Part of the Learn to Cook (Saturdays) - Winter 2023 Series

Teacher Frances Wilson

Co-Founder Jen Nurse

In this vegetable-focused class, we will work with a rainbow of seasonal produce—including some ingredients you may never have cooked with before—to create healthy, inviting, nourishing meals.
You will enhance your knife skills with new cutting techniques and employ a range of cooking methods, including roasting, stewing, and pasta cooking basics.
You and your classmates will continue to learn the keys to building and balancing flavor through the use of salt, acids, seasonings, and sauces to keep your meals varied, your tastebuds engaged, and your friends, family and guests asking for second helpings (and the recipe!).

Menu | Recipes

Baked Acorn Squash
with Chickpeas, Chaat Masala & Tamarind

Root Vegetable Gratin

Hashed Brussels Sprouts
with Browned Butter and Capers

Buckwheat & Green Bean Salad
with Roasted Onions

Kimchi Rice Fritters

Grain Fritters
(Master Recipe)

How to Cook Rice like a Chef
(and have it come out perfect every time)

About the teachers

Frances Wilson

FRANCES WILSON can’t remember a time when her life has not revolved around food, from an early age cooking with her mother and then professionally as a chef and teacher. There are some that will say it’s all she ever thinks about!
Frances trained as a high school teacher of Home Economics in her native Ireland. She moved to Berkeley in 1999 and was Executive Chef at the award-winning Lalime’s Restaurant for a decade, followed by four years as Culinary Director at Château Routas in Provence, France, where she catered to chateau guests and ran cooking classes.
For 10 years, Frances was Professional Culinary Instructor at Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco, leading both the Professional Program and weekend specialty classes. She has taught at many other Bay Area venues including the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, Sur la Table, and Copia and the Silverado Cooking School in Napa.
Frances is passionate about teaching people how to cook real food with great local ingredients. She wants her students to know that cooking simple meals doesn’t have to be a chore but can be a fun time spent with family and friends.

Other Classes taught by Frances

Feasting with Friends
Part of the Learn to Cook More Series
Thu | Mar 28, 2024 | 6P

Easter Brunch with Frances
Sun | Mar 31, 2024 | 10A

Get Sharp!—Kitchen Confidence
Part of the Learn to Cook - Spring 2024 Series
Wed | Apr 03, 2024 | 6P

From the Sea
Part of the Learn to Cook - Spring 2024 Series
Wed | Apr 10, 2024 | 6P

From Field & Garden
Part of the Learn to Cook - Spring 2024 Series
Wed | Apr 17, 2024 | 6P

Pasta by Hand
Part of the Learn to Cook II - Spring 2024 Series
Thu | Apr 18, 2024 | 6P

Taking Stock—Chicken & Leftovers
Part of the Learn to Cook - Spring 2024 Series
Wed | Apr 24, 2024 | 6P

More Fish & Shellfish
Part of the Learn to Cook II - Spring 2024 Series
Thu | Apr 25, 2024 | 6P

Comfort—Braises & Beans
Part of the Learn to Cook - Spring 2024 Series
Wed | May 01, 2024 | 6P

Pantry Powerhouses
Part of the Learn to Cook II - Spring 2024 Series
Thu | May 02, 2024 | 6P

Breakfast All Day—Eggs
Part of the Learn to Cook - Spring 2024 Series
Wed | May 08, 2024 | 6P

Art of the Dinner Party
Part of the Learn to Cook II - Spring 2024 Series
Thu | May 09, 2024 | 6P


Jen Nurse

JEN NURSE, co-founder of The Civic Kitchen, has a passion for helping home cooks develop the skills and confidence to create great meals and have fun in their own kitchens. She relishes seeing the joy on students’ faces as they realize they’re mastering something they once feared. Her mission is to foster competence and civility through the medium of shared food experiences.
Before founding The Civic Kitchen, Jen led cooking classes for kids and adults at Tante Marie’s Cooking School, 18 Reasons, and elementary, middle and high schools throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
After years as a prolific and curious home cook, Jen studied pastry arts at the Art Institute of Seattle. She eventually scuttled her 15-year telecommunications career to open an award-winning boutique bakery in Seattle. After relocating to San Francisco, she worked as a pastry chef and recipe developer before enrolling in Tante Marie’s professional culinary program to gain a deeper knowledge of the kitchen’s savory side. Soon thereafter, she found her deepest love of cooking when she began to teach.
Jen credits her mother’s exceptional home cooking (crêpes with Mornay sauce? Go, Mom!), her beloved Aunt Josy’s flaky-crust empanadas, and a transformative teenage year in Brescia, Italy with sparking her culinary curiosity. An insatiable bookworm, she blissfully shares her cookbook library with guests of The Civic Kitchen.

Other Classes taught by Jen

Feasting with Friends
Part of the Learn to Cook More Series
Thu | Mar 28, 2024 | 6P

Dough: Cookies and Crusts
Part of the Learn to Bake (Saturdays)—Spring 2024 Series
Sat | Apr 06, 2024 | 11A

Knife Skills Basics
Tue | Apr 09, 2024 | 6P

Creams: Custards, Curds, and Ganache
Part of the Learn to Bake (Saturdays)—Spring 2024 Series
Sat | Apr 13, 2024 | 11A

Air: Meringues, Cream Puffs, and Soufflés
Part of the Learn to Bake (Saturdays)—Spring 2024 Series
Sat | Apr 20, 2024 | 11A

Layer Cakes
Part of the Learn to Bake (Saturdays)—Spring 2024 Series
Sat | Apr 27, 2024 | 11A