A Taste of Oaxaca, Mexico ~ with Chef Pilar Cabrera Arroyo
Join us in welcoming Chef Pilar Cabrera Arroyo from Oaxaca, Mexico at Nella Cucina!! Superstar Chef Rick Bayless and his Chefs will be travelling to Oaxaca to learn from Chef Pilar... now you can too!! Chef Pilar is visiting Toronto in September and will be treating guests to An Evening in Oaxaca.
Guests will enjoy a truly authentic Oaxaca dinner as Chef Pilar demonstrates some of her favourite dishes. THIS IS AN EVENING NOT TO BE MISSED!!
For Pilar, sharing the food of Oaxaca with Torontonians is akin to giving them a glimpse into the place and the dishes that satisfy both body and soul. And for the first time in the chef’s illustrious career, she’ll finally have the opportunity to do just that this September.
The sun-drenched valley city of Oaxaca, in the Mexican state of the same name, is considered by many to be the country’s culinary capital. Apart from being the land of seven moles (pron. moh-leh), Oaxaca also boasts an impressive gastronomic repertoire long admired by the rest of Mexico and gastronomes the world over. Working within the state’s rich and proud culinary heritage is one of Oaxaca City’s brightest lights in the food world, Pilar Cabrera Arroyo.
Pilar grew up in Oaxaca City surrounded by the state’s vast food history and ingredients- including chile dusted fried grasshoppers (chapulines) and pre-Hispanic dishes that tell the tales of ancient, native peoples. After completing a food engineering and nutrition degree, she worked in research and development for the food giant Herdez-McMormick before returning to her true passion- cooking. In 1994, she opened her own restaurant, the award-winning “La Olla” (or the Pot), featuring the produce of regional (when possible, organic) farmers who help make her Oaxacan cuisine a living work of art.
Pilar has also found a growing fan-base of intrigued foodies around the globe through her “Casa de los Sabores” (House of Flavour) cooking school where banana leaf wrapped tamales, rose petal sorbet and Oaxacan yellow mole have become oft-requested recipes. Oaxacan cuisine is a labour of love that requires attention, a deft hand, fine-tuned taste buds and old-world knowledge. Pilar learned the basics and the cuisine’s subtleties from her mother and grandmother.
Pilar has taught both novice and renowned chefs from around the globe. Well known American chef and owner of Chicago’s Frontera Grill, Rick Bayless, regularly brings his own staff as well as private groups of food aficionados to Oaxaca, where they dine at Pilar’s restaurant, and attend her classes – at his insistence.
"I would strongly urge anyone with an interest in Mexican food to take advantage of any opportunity to learn from and experience the Oaxacan cuisine of Pilar Cabrera. She is one of the greats!" - Chef Rick Bayless
Menu Includes:
Quesadillas de Champiñones y Quesillo – Cheese & Mushroom Quesadillas
Sopa Tarrasca - Traditional Oaxacan Soup with Beans and Tortillas
Mole Amarillo de Pollo - Yellow Mole with Chicken
Arroz con Hierbabuena - Rice with Mint
Salsa de Chipotle - Smoky Chipotle Salsa
Flan de Coco - Coconut Flan
Reception 6:30pm
Event Begins 7pm
Demo & Hands-On
Please contact joanne@nellacucina.ca for further info or to reserve.
SOLD OUT!
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