Chef Jenn’s Mason Jar Salad Dressing

Demystifying the techniques involved in making home made salad dressings, Chef Jenn brought in a variety of fun ingredients to customize a basic salad dressing. But before that, bacon! She showed the youth two methods for cooking bacon, fry pan and air fry. While the bacon was cooking and smelling delicious, Chef Jenn had her audience volunteers chop up a plethora of ingredients for a salad bar. Then she had her volunteers shake up a couple different dressing in mason jars, an easy and convenient way to always have home made dressings on hand. Lastly, all the youth took their turn to come up to the demo tables and make their own salads. Yum!

#chefangelssd#chefworks #YACofSD #chefjenn

Chef Sergio’s California Burrito

The most important ingredient in a California burritos is the French fries, they must be crispy. Next, would be the meat, high quality arrachera meat is a must, and seasoned just right. A fresh pico de gallo was prepared, the meat got grilled and chopped, and it all came together in a flour tortilla with guacamole, Mexican cheese and sour cream.

#chefangelssd#chefworks#varsityteam

Spam Musubi by Chef K

Spam musubi is a simple Hawaiian snack. Sticky rice balls, topped with fried marinated spam slices and wrapped in nori. The fun is customizing with seasonings; Kewpie mayo, sriracha, furukake, coconut aminos, soy sauce… Chef K demonstrated the technique for building and rolling the musubi, then coached the youth as they each took their turn at the table to make their own tasty snack.

#chefangelssd#chefworks #YACofSD #chefK

Pasta, pasta, pasta Summer Edition!

Chef Jillian brought her pasta game on strong at the Youth Assistance Coalition class, adapting her usual pasta class to a make-your-own pasta salad bar. First, she worked on pasta shaping techniques with her group of audience volunteers. When everything was ready to go, she invited the audience up to the demo tables. Everyone individually selected what ingredients they liked and what sauces they preferred, had a little toss in a bowl, and pasta salad was made to everyone’s preference.

#chefangelssd#chefworks #YACofSD #chefjillian

Double Header Monday!

We’re keeping busy on a Monday with Chef Angels, featuring two cooking classes at two separate venues!

First off, Chef Scott entertained the Varsity Team boys with a hands-on sushi class. They learnt how to make classic rolls, along with the technique for making hand rolls. They filled their sushi up with choice of real crab, krab with a k, cucumber, and avocado.

Over at the Youth Coalition Assistance, Tommy the Fishmonger, along with his trusty sidekick Chef Christina, did a massive seafood demo. He brought in shrimp, crab cakes, beautiful giant scallops, white seabass, and introduced the youth to an ugly but delicious under-utilized fish called monchong. All the ingredients came from Tommy’s amazing Tunaville Market. Tommy and Christina, along with one of our eager youth Jasmine, and a few others, got busy frying, sautéing and searing everything. And finally everyone got to sample all the amazing seafood. Even those that don’t like fish!

#chefangelssd#chefworks #YACofSD #chefscott#tommythefishmonger

Inaugural class at YAC with Chef Christina

So excited to announce our collaboration with Youth Assistance Coalition of San Diego, a wonderful non-profit supporting homeless youth aged 12-24 years old.

Chef Christina introduced the youth to Vietnamese spring rolls. A couple of youth volunteers helped Chef Christina prep all the ingredients that go into the rolls, while an eager crowd watched. When it was all ready to go Chef Christina did some sample rolls, then had each youth come up to the demo table and make their own, assisting in technique as needed. Some of the youth even got creative with the plating skills. For some youth, it was their first exposure to Vietnamese cuisine.

This was a successful first class, with many more to follow…

#chefangelssd#chefworks #chefchristina#YACofSD

Knife Skills, Pasta Knowledge and Hygiene in the Kitchen…

Chef K got busy teaching the boys some new knife cutting techniques, working on onion dicing, slicing cherry tomatoes in a precise manner, and chopping spinach without bruising the leaves. She talked about different pasta shapes, using fettuccine for tonight’s class. Then came hygiene in handling raw chicken breast. Knife skills got bumped up a level by learning how to cut cutlets out of chicken breasts, then dicing into even pieces.

Pasta got bubbling away in the pot, chicken and onions cooking up in the pan for the sauce. All coming together for a beautiful chicken fettuccine in cream sauce with garlic bread.

#chefangelssd#chefworks #varsityteam #chefK

Sushma and her magical box of Indian Spices

Sushma reviewed all the spices she keeps in her special spice tin and what all the uses are. The chicken was diced up and put in a marinade of garlic, yogurt and lots and lots of spices. Next up, the strawberry lassi, was prepared, so it would have time to develop flavors before dinner is ready. Then all the sauce ingredients were chopped up and blended in the processor and sautéed along with the chicken. Some steamed basmati rice and warm naan bread rounded out the meal .

#chefangelssd#chefworks #varsityteam