FD 11 — From Garden to Table: Cooking Without Recipes
Quarter: Summer
Instructor(s): Jesse Ziff Cool
Date(s): Jul 20—Aug 17
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Mondays
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 6:00—7:30 pm (PT)
Tuition: $330
Refund Deadline: Jul 22
Unit(s): 0
Status: Open
Recipes matter, but this course invites you to cook intuitively, letting ingredients lead the way. Discover confidence and joy in the kitchen using a simple framework built on seven core elements that form the foundation of cooking—fat, acid, salt, heat, sweetness, and herbs or spices.
Over five weeks, each seasonally inspired class guides you to work with what’s available from your garden or local farmers’ market. You’ll learn straightforward techniques for preparing vegetables and proteins at home, and we’ll create seasonal cocktails or mocktails to complement each meal.
Each week, you’ll join a live Zoom session where we cook together and share our results. Between classes, your “homework” includes shopping locally and completing simple prep. At the end of each class, gather friends around your table to enjoy what you’ve made. This course welcomes anyone curious about cooking without recipes, eating more seasonally, or finding fresh inspiration.
Over five weeks, each seasonally inspired class guides you to work with what’s available from your garden or local farmers’ market. You’ll learn straightforward techniques for preparing vegetables and proteins at home, and we’ll create seasonal cocktails or mocktails to complement each meal.
Each week, you’ll join a live Zoom session where we cook together and share our results. Between classes, your “homework” includes shopping locally and completing simple prep. At the end of each class, gather friends around your table to enjoy what you’ve made. This course welcomes anyone curious about cooking without recipes, eating more seasonally, or finding fresh inspiration.
This course is primarily demonstration-based, with limited time for Q&A. Because recipes are planned in advance, ingredient substitutions for dietary restrictions, allergies, or personal preferences (including vegetarian requests) may not be possible. Students are encouraged to review the recipe list in advance to ensure the course meets their needs.
JESSE ZIFF COOL
Owner and Founding Chef, Flea Street
Jesse Ziff Cool is a pioneer in food, community, and sustainability. She has been dedicated to sustainable agriculture and cuisine for over five decades as a writer, restaurateur, spokesperson, and consultant for healthcare and eco-conscious food service. Cool is the author of seven cookbooks and has written for dozens of publications. She has founded five restaurants, starting in 1976 with Late for the Train, considered one of the first organic restaurants in the US. She oversees the legendary Flea Street in Menlo Park, which opened in 1980. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.