Cooking Class: Gourmet Italian Cooking Techniques

The authentic tastes and textures of Italy come to life in the kitchen with this insightful hands-on cooking class from Chef Mary Jane. She'll guide you through culinary methods used for generations to create a mouthwatering meal filled with classic dishes. Your lesson begins with an eggplant caponata, featuring a robust blend of zesty tomatoes and aromatic onions. Then, learn the secrets of sizzling up your own balsamic-marinated steak and assemble traditional bruschetta. Prepare a savory polenta flavored with porcini mushrooms and chicken stock, and for dessert, discover the charm of making fresh espresso granita served with homemade butter cookies for a light yet satisfying dessert.


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Eggplant Caponata

With onions, tomatoes, olive oil and garlic


Steak Tagliata and Fresh Bruschetta

With beef, tomatoes, balsamic, lemon, garlic and fresh basil


Parmesan and Porcini Mushroom Polenta

With cornmeal, chicken stock and olive oil


Espresso Granita and Italian Butter Cookies

With mascarpone cream, butter sugar and flour

  • Minimum Guests 2
  • Maximum Guests 8
  • Event Duration 2.5 hours
  • Activity Level
    Activity Level
  • LabelsCouples, Group, Gourmet, Date Night, Italian
  • This is a BYOB venue and alcoholic beverages are not available for sale. You are welcome to bring beer and wine to enjoy during class.

Outside Reviews for Chef Mary Jane

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Mira I.

07 Aug 2023

Chef Mary Jane’s expertise in pasta-making shone through, as she patiently guided us through each step of the process. From mixing and kneading the dough to rolling it out and creating beautiful pasta shapes. I not only learned the art of making fettuccini, ravioli, and tortellini but also discover the magic of the roasted butternut squash filling. After the class I feel more confident in my pasta making skills.

$ 85 Per person

all-inclusive: 2.5-hour class, meal and taxes.


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Event location: Des Moines

Chef’s Place

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Exact location is provided after booking.

Meet your chef

Chef Mary Jane
Chef Mary Jane Verified chef

New chef


Chef Mary Jane's journey into the culinary realm has been nothing short of distinctive. She's traversed various avenues within the food industry – from wielding her pen as a culinary writer and weaving her artistic touch as a food stylist to innovating as a product developer and contributing her expertise to the Iowa Egg Council. Notably, she has even graced the kitchens of James Beard award-winning chefs with her culinary prowess. Through her roles as a food consultant and specialized chef, she has nurtured a truly unparalleled sense of creativity. With a treasure trove of experiences to draw from, Chef Mary Jane finds great joy in mentoring aspiring culinary talents, aiding them in mastering their craft.

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