Reto's Kitchen Cooking Class

I recently attended a cooking class at Reto's Kitchen, a catering company and cooking school in Greensboro. If you're looking for something fun and different to do, this is a very entertaining and educational experience. The classes are themed and quite varied - Northern Italian, Spanish Tapas, German Night Out - and just a heads up: the classes are very hands-on! My class had a Mexican theme, and there were 7 participants. A few folks even drove in from Jamestown and Archdale for the class! We all had an awesome time, and left with new knife and cooking skills, and full bellies. Chef Reto Biaggi is not only a skilled chef, he is a fabulous teacher with a friendly and fun demeanor. It was a really great night.

Chef Reto's A+ student

We arrived at 6pm and put on our aprons while we sipped Watermelon Agua Fresca, a lovely and refreshing beverage for a hot summer day. Reto offered us red and white wine, and you could also BYOB. One by one, we assisted Chef Reto with prepping the ingredients for two dishes: Mexican Corn Salad and Scallop Ceviche. He instructed us on how to properly cut vegetables (lay your corn cobs on their sides to cut the kernels instead of standing them up!), preparing meat and chopping herbs, and how to safely hold a knife. Many of the class participants weren't familiar with Ceviche, a dish that uses acidity from citrus fruits to cook fish. It was fun to see their eyes light up when we tasted the bold, bright flavors and the tender, perfectly cooked scallops!

Ceviche

As we enjoyed the appetizer, Chef Reto got working on a Mole Sauce to pair with Pork Tenderloin. I've always been intimidated by Mole Sauce because there are several ingredients and it's a multi-step process, but I was shocked at how quickly the sauce came together! It boasted smoky, spicy pepper notes and dark chocolate brings it a surprising sweetness. It was incredibly luscious and went beautifully with the perfectly seasoned moist pork. Chef Reto prepared some seasoned rice and black beans to go alongside this - a great vehicle for eating more of that sauce!

Pork with Mole

The highlight of the entire meal was a simple corn salad. I have never had a corn salad quite like this - fresh kernels get charred, then combined with herbs, aromatics and a light yogurt and lime cream. Add in some cotija or feta cheese and let it chill so the flavors can marry. I lost my mind for this dish. I will be making it for dinner this week and every week this summer.

Delicious plate with the delicious corn!

For dessert, we learned how to make churros! The dough reminded me of a pâte à choux pastry dough: at first the texture was like wet sand, but then after incorporating eggs, it looked like sugar cookie dough. Chef put the dough in a piping bag and piped long strips into hot oil. We all watched them cook with anticipation, and then rolled them in cinnamon sugar. There's really nothing better. Some of my classmates would argue that warm chocolate sauce made it better, but I respectfully disagree. Just the warm, doughnut-like dough with the crunchy cinnamon sugar was enough to make me a happy girl.

Chef Reto making the churros

The finished product!

I highly recommend Chef Reto's cooking classes for a friends' night out, date night or adventure with a parent. You'll learn a lot and make new friends - it's a great way to spend your evening.