Working with Shelley is big fun AND we learned a lot. Not only did Shelley walk us through two recipes, a salad for our main meal and dessert, but she talked about the ingredients, how to find the freshest and how to handle them. She also offered tips on the flavoring of the ingredients used and the usage of the tools we used. At the end of our session we had a delicious dinner for 4 with dessert! So good. We will be scheduling another Italian focused meal soon!
Chef-Instructor Shelley Handler
In high demand
- 9 hires
- Based in San Francisco, CA
- 47 years in business
- 1 employee
- Background checked
About Chef-Instructor Shelley Handler
As the inaugural chef of the Chez Panisse Café and a cooking instructor with more than 40 years of culinary and teaching experience, I bring the perspective of both a professional chef and a lifelong teacher to every class. My culinary career began as a member of the first graduating class of the California Culinary Academy. After graduation, I traveled to Italy, where I completed a stage (a professional apprenticeship) in Milan with Gualtiero Marchesi, the visionary chef who earned Italy's first three Michelin stars, and cooked in family-run restaurants in both Milan and Venice. Those formative experiences instilled a lifelong respect for seasonal ingredients, regional traditions, and the belief that the finest cooking begins with simplicity. Returning to California, I became the inaugural chef of the Chez Panisse Café, helping establish what would become one of America's most influential restaurants and a defining force in the blossoming of modern American cuisine. I later joined the opening crew of Campton Place Restaurant and helped my friend Franca Orsi Alamanni open the beloved Ristorante Milano on San Francisco's Russian Hill, creating the original menu and training the kitchen staff. After nearly a decade teaching aspiring professional chefs at the California Culinary Academy, I chose to focus on what has become the most rewarding chapter of my career: helping home cooks discover confidence and pleasure in the kitchen. Today, my private classes welcome everyone from complete beginners to experienced cooks looking to deepen their skills. I also write "Local Dish," a monthly column for The New Fillmore, celebrating a seasonal ingredient with an original recipe designed for home cooks. Whether we're preparing a simple weeknight supper or a dinner for friends, my goal is always the same: to help you cook with confidence, curiosity, and the understanding that great food doesn't have to be complicated.
Reviews
My husband and I loved our class! I would highly recommend Shelley to everyone and recommended Shelley to all my friends!
Shelley brought years of experience and fascinating stories from several corners of the world of food to our home for our private cooking lesson. She listened to our (fairly specific) needs and created delicious and inventive menu. She didn't rush things and spent the entire evening cooking with us.
We hired Shelley for a lesson in making pasta and sauces from scratch because of her extensive experience in Italian cuisine. We were not disappointed! She showed us how to make the pasta dough, and how to make noodles and tortellini. She also taught us a yummy goat cheese-ricotta-chive stuffing for the tortellini and two sauces for the tortellini and fettucine! Working with Shelley was a breeze -- after getting her quote and reaching out, we had a quick chat on the phone to explain what we were looking for, and she showed up at my apartment as scheduled later the same week, with everything we needed from ingredients to the pasta machine to even a bottle of wine. We definitely got our money's worth for this 4-hour lesson and would recommend Shelley to anyone looking to learn Italian cuisine!
Shelley was great! Would definitely recommend her!
Shelly and her assistant arrived at my home right around 1 P.M. as we agreed upon. She was teaching me how to cook a variety of dishes step by step. She loves to answer your questions. So, don't be shy ask her any question in relation to cooking. A fun, empowering, and lovely cooking coach. Highly recommend her to anyone who wants to learn something simple as cutting onions into little pieces.
We had a wonderful time receiving cooking lessons from Shelley. She was super knowledgeable, friendly, prepared, responsive, and worked with us to make sure we got the most out of the experience. Thanks Shelley!
Services
Chef-Instructor Shelley Handler★ 5.0
Check availability