Wednesday, May 17, 2023

5:30-7:30 PM

Apples to Zucchini Cooking School, 2300 Garden Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

*Ticket price includes local Sunstone wines, cheese, and a cooking class.

Class Cost: $95.00

This event is sold out! Join our waitlist.

Take your tastebuds to Spain in this interactive paella cooking class!

Join Loquita’s Executive Chef Sergei Simonov to learn the tricks of the trade for making Pollo & Chorizo Paella. Historically a seasonal peasant dish made from arborio rice, fresh vegetables chicken, and chorizo (cured pork), paella was intended to be eaten communally with friends and neighbors. This class is the perfect introduction and will teach you all the steps of making exceptional paella to share with family and friends. End the evening with a communal paella feast together as a class in the kitchen. You will leave this class inspired and prepared with a take home a recipe so you can test your newfound skills in your own kitchen.

Each class will include local Santa Barbara wines and cheese for guests to enjoy during the lesson.

A portion of the proceeds from the Taste of Santa Barbara will benefit the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience in partnership with The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts.

Sergei Simonov

Chef Sergei Simonov brings ten years of kitchen experience, a passion for food, and a diverse culinary background to Loquita. Sergei began his cooking career working under Chef Jason Paluska of The Lark in Santa Barbara, helping to solidify it as a top culinary destination on the central coast. Sergei later went on to join Chef Brian Malarkey in San Diego at his flagship restaurant Herb and Wood. Under his guidance, Sergei learned to harness the bold, bright flavors that have come to define his cooking style. Returning to his hometown of Santa Barbara for his first role as Executive Chef, Sergei’s menu at Loquita is centered around the wood-fired grill showcasing seasonal California ingredients with a focus on authentic Spanish cuisine.

Loquita showcases authentic Spanish food including hot and cold tapas, wood-fired grilled seafood and meats, and seasonal paella. The Mediterranean climate and terroir of Santa Barbara County mirror that of Spain, making the translation of locally sourced produce, meats and seafood an ideal match. The wine list is comprised almost entirely of Spanish wines with exceptional local wines that pair well with the cuisine.Loquita’s cocktail list showcases Spanish vermouths, farmers’ market Sangria, hand-crafted cocktails and a rotating selection of Spain’s king of cocktails, the Gin Tonic.

Apples to Zucchini Cooking School brings people together over shared meals by teaching children, teens, and adults how to prepare delicious, nutritious, affordable meals made from seasonal and local ingredients. Our adult classes are about the techniques, flavors, creativity, and fun of good cooking.