Classes

Class Reservations

To reserve a space in a cooking class, please email events@hillskitchen.com with information about which class you are interested in, number of attendees, email address, and phone number. Please write in the subject line what class(es) you are interested in. We will get back in touch with you to confirm your seat in the class. Once confirmed, we will require payment information for the class (cash, gift certificates, Visa/MasterCard) for the purpose of our cancellation policy. You have until 72 hours before the scheduled class to cancel without any penalty; cancellations within 72 hours will be charged the full amount.

New rule: Unfortunately we have had a problem with people coming late to class! You will not be admitted to class if you arrive more than 15 minutes after the start time of class. You will be responsible for payment for the class in the event that you arrive more than 15 minutes after the class begins.

New Feature: Vegetarian Index!

Each class description now includes information on whether a class is vegetarian or vegetarian-friendly. The following descriptions are used:

Vegetarian: the class is completely vegetarian; no meat or fish products are used at all.

Vegetarian-friendly: Most dishes served are vegetarian, but one item is not and can be easily omitted. See Pierogi for an example.

Not Vegetarian: the class focuses on meat/fish or meat/fish products.

If a class is full, we are always happy to add you to the waiting list. People change registrations constantly, so you very well might get in!

To be kept up to date on class announcements, please join our email list under the Contact Us tab or email events@hillskitchen.com to be added.

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Sunday, April 28, 11AM Handmade Pasta with Marta Mirecki (FULL)
Sunday, April 28, 3PM Middle Eastern Vegetarian with Marta Mirecki (FULL)
Tuesday, April 30, 6:30PM Basic Knife Skills with Marta Mirecki

Saturday, May 4, 3PM Pasta (FULL)
Sunday, May 5, 11AM Basic Knife Skills
Saturday, May 11, 11AM Baseball Dining
Wednesday, May 15, 6:30PM Basic Knife Skills
Tuesday, May 21, 6:30PM Middle Eastern Vegetarian (FULL)
Wednesday, May 29, 6:30PM Basic Knife Skills

Sunday, June 2, 3PM Author Event and Demo with Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery – no need for reservations
Tuesday, June 4, 6:30PM Basic Knife Skills (FULL)
Saturday, June 8, 11AM Grilling Basics
Sunday, June 9, 3PM Farmers´ Market Basket (FULL)
Sunday, June 16, 11AM New Orleans Brunch
Tuesday, June 18, 6:30PM Basic Knife Skills (FULL)
Wednesday, June 19, 6:30PM Knife Skills 2
Sunday, June 30, 11AM Ice Cream

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Basic Knife Skills, $50
Learning basic knife skills can change cooking from a chore to a real pleasure! This class will teach you the basic cuts and give you the chance to practice them in a fun and relaxed environment. Hill’s Kitchen will provide excellent quality Mac knives to practice with–so just bring yourself! Covering everything from knife selection to knife use to knife storage, this class will make you feel more comfortable in the kitchen and help you keep your fingers safe. Vegetarian.

Middle Eastern Vegetarian, $45
Vegetarian cuisine: It´s not just for vegetarians anymore! During this demonstration class you will see some great dishes that adapt themselves well to many other cooking styles. Join us as we prepare Steamed Basmati Rice with Red Lentils, Spinach and Chickpeas, Baba Ghanouj (Roasted Eggplant Dip), and Yogurt Sauce with Garlic, Dill, and Lemon. Vegetarian.

Knife Skills 2: Poultry, $65
Learning knife skills can change cooking from a chore to a real pleasure! This class will teach you how to break down and debone a chicken. We will practice on two birds per student, and students will head home with their butchered chicken parts packed so they can use them for dinner. We will practice quartering, deboning, and skinning, as well as discussing the basic cuts of chicken and where they can be used best, as well as making stock. Hill´s Kitchen will provide excellent quality Mac knives to practice with-so just bring yourself! Taking the basic knife skills class is a pre-requisite for this class. Not Vegetarian.

Handmade Pasta, $50
Handmade pasta is something special: chewy and toothsome but just sticky enough to carry the right amount of sauce. A great accompaniment to dishes like beef bourguignon or braised lamb, or as a simple main dish tossed with pesto and early summer tomatoes; handmade pasta is a skill to master for colder weather. This is a participation class, so everyone will be making their own batch of pasta, with enough to take home. Wear an old shirt and bring good questions! Vegetarian.

Baseball! Eating at Nationals Park, $45
Did you know that both Chef Marta and Leah the store owner are giant baseball fans? And more importantly, did you know that visitors to Nationals Park are allowed to bring in their own food? During this demonstration class, we will discuss and sample menus that will keep you satisfied during the game and ready to cheer on the Nats. Chef Marta will also talk about food that is sold at the park, including her recommendations.
Vegetarian-friendly.

Brunch: New Orleans Style 2 ways, $50
In this demonstration class, learn to prepare a savory breakfast pudding, and ham grillades and gravy over grits. Eggs Benedict Bread Pudding uses traditional ingredients: eggs, Canadian bacon, English muffins, lemon, and dairy to create a custard-based brunch casserole. Then we make an heirloom Tallant family recipe by simmering baked ham is in a Louisiana roux with onions forming savory gravy served over grits. Not Vegetarian

Farmer´s Market Basket: What´s Fresh This Week? $45
This class will feature ideas on how to cook what is fresh and available from local farmer´s markets that week. June harvests typically include beans, summer squash, radishes, rhubarb, cherries, salad greens, and other fruits and vegetables. This is a demonstration class.
Vegetarian-friendly.

Grilling Basics, $50
Grilling season is upon us! During this demonstration class Chef Marta will talk about choosing meats, fish, and vegetables for the grill; dry rubs vs. marinades; and how to build the perfect charcoal fire.
Not vegetarian.

Homemade Ice Cream, $45
Who doesn´t love ice cream? Forget the hand-cranked drudgery of the ice cream maker of your childhood. In this class, Chef Marta will demonstrate how easy an electric ice cream maker is to use. We will discuss simple and egg-based ice cream bases, sorbets, as well as substituting sweeteners and creating your own flavors. This is a demonstration class.
Vegetarian.

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Marta Mirecki is a graduate of L´Academie de Cuisine´s Culinary Arts Program. She has worked as a line cook at French restaurants, taught cooking classes at community centers, and cooked up 80 gallons of soup at a time for Food & Friends, an organization that provides meals and groceries for people with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses. These days Marta is the head cook and bottle washer with Tiny House Chef Personal Chef Service (www.tinyhousechef.com). She and her family live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC.

Sandy Tallant is a long-time Capitol Hill resident, accomplished home cook, cooking instructor, and cookbook reviewer. She is inspired by her Italian heritage and frequent travels through Europe, South Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Near East. Each dish is a reflection of its culture: what is grown, what is grazed; the region, the people, and the cross pollination of cultures. The 2012 series focuses on richly flavored dishes from the Mediterranean. Foods from the village – simple, hearty, and seasoned – are adapted by her and others for the ‘after 5 PM cook’ series. The dishes are designed to be easily and quickly assembled with tastes of faraway lands.
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