Join Chef Luca for Cookshop’s newest class, Squirrel Meals: Dinner Edition! At this class, you’ll prepare and cook the components of 3 delicious dinners that you can eat throughout the week, taking the worry of recipe research, shopping, and prep time off your plate!
Menu 11/6/23 :
Teriyaki Bowl - brown rice, blanched broccoli, homemade teriyake sauce, protein* (chicken, salmon, tofu)
Autumn Chef Salad - roasted delicata squash, braised chickpeas, brined almonds, lemon tahini vinaigrette, salad greens, poached chicken breast*
Posole Rojo - posole base, hominy, cabbage slaw, radish, crema, cilantro, avocado, Protein* (Chicken Thigh/ Pork Shoulder), tortilla chips*, lime*
Items with an * will need need to be sourced by the student.
What to Expect:
Chef Luca will provide menus, recipes and notes to help execute your meals in an efficient manner.
Some demo plus plenty of hands-on work
Your average meal will take about 10-15 minutes to prepare back at home.
This week’s menu is gluten/dairy free and vegetarian/vegan friendly, with the option to add animal or plant proteins at home.
CLASS DATE: Monday, November 6th, 2023, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
About our Instructor:
San Francisco native who has lived in Oregon since 2010, Luca Ponti has been helping in the kitchen since he could talk. He started cooking professionally at Veritable Quandary, a quintessential Portland restaurant, where he developed his skills ranging from osso buco to pastry. He later became Lead Baker and Kitchen Manager at Sweedeedee in North Portland. where he became known for his exuberant energy, creativity, and the best pie in the state of Oregon, according to People Magazine. He is now the owner & creator of SquirrelmealsPDX: an at-home, private chef experience.
The Squirrel Meals Origin Story
During the early days of the pandemic, Luca’s friend, who’s childhood nickname was ‘Squirrel’, reached out to ask him to cook his family some meals. Luca devised a plan for him to pick up 3 meals, every week to feed his family during the middle of the work week. There was just one catch: Luca would design the menu that HE wanted to cook.
In just a few weeks, the simple idea became routine. The meals became more refined. The instructions became more clear. A few neighbors caught wind of the concept and decided to join in on my weekly spread. Just like that, Squirrel Meals was created.
Whether you think of Luca’s friend, Squirrel, or you think of it is as “squirreling away” nourishment for the week, this class is designed to help YOU be a more organized cook and show you tips and tricks to our version of meal prepping. Hopefully, you’ll leave with new knowledge, some delicious food, and a little bit off your to-do list for the week.
For the month of November, Cookshop will match all donations to World Central Kitchen.
About World Central Kitchen:
WCK is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.
Founded by Chef José Andres in 2010, WCK believes Food is essential to life every single day, all over the world—and it is more important than ever in a crisis. Not only is a thoughtful, freshly prepared meal one less thing someone has to worry about in the wake of a disaster, it is a reminder that you are not alone, someone is thinking about you, and someone cares. Food has the power to be the nourishment and hope we need to pick ourselves back up in the darkest times.