Everything but the Turkey

Class Overview:

Let's celebrate the true stars of the holiday table: the side dishes and desserts that bring color, texture and balance to a festive meal. Join Chef Cheo Smith in this demonstration class and discover how to look beyond heavy holiday casseroles toward vibrant, memorable scratch-made alternatives. We will discuss the flavor profiles of regional ingredients like wild rice, squash and brassicas, learning how proper selection and preparation can preserve their natural integrity under the weight of a rich holiday menu.

In class, we will break down the foundation of successful holiday entertaining, focusing heavily on timing, prep-ahead strategies and flavor mapping. You will learn the art of layering savory and sweet elements — with deeply caramelized onions pairing with earthy Gruyère and high-acid pomegranates balancing nutty wild rice. This workshop provides the practical skills needed to streamline your holiday prep days and confidently execute a memorable feast.

In this demonstration class you will learn:

• How to prepare hearty greens like kale and shaved Brussels sprouts so they remain crisp, flavorful and tender.
• Techniques for building bright, balanced flavors in homemade chutney, including how natural fruit pectins, sugars and acids help thicken and stabilize.
• The art and physics of whipping and folding to achieve a light, airy dessert mousse.
• Practical strategies for oven timing, advance prep and temperature control when cooking for a crowd.

On the menu:

• Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Gruyère Tart: A flaky pastry crust layered with roasted autumn squash, deeply caramelized onions and rich, melted Gruyère cheese.
• Harvest Wild Rice and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad: A textured salad combining nutty wild rice with shaved Brussels sprouts and massaged kale, tart pomegranate arils and roasted pecans.
• Savory Buttery Biscuit Pull-Apart Stuffing: An herb-forward, pull-apart twist on traditional holiday dressing using scratch-made biscuit dough.
• Spiced Cranberry Chutney: A bright, aromatic condiment infused with warm winter spices to cut through the richness of the meal.
• Velvety Pumpkin Mousse: A light, airy and elegantly spiced alternative to classic holiday pie.

Taste and sample as the chef demonstrates recipes and kitchen skills that will increase your confidence in preparing a holiday meal in new ways. 

Please Note: We are unable to accommodate individualized changes to the menu.

Instructor:

Chef Cheo Smith brings his experience in kitchens of all sizes — from the home oven to producing hundreds of school lunches a day, and now, to the Farm at the Arb. A Minnesota native, Cheo is a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and descendant of the White Earth Nation. He seeks to bridge the gaps in access and knowledge that prevent many people from getting farm fresh ingredients to their dinner table. His mission is to make preparing great tasting and healthy foods accessible to the home cook.