Kitchen Participation Class
Photo by Lily Smith
Select a session:
Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, 5-7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
$95 member/$115 non-member, includes Arboretum admission plus all supplies and ingredients.
REGISTER - Sept. 3 - 1 spot left
REGISTER - Oct. 17
Program location: Farm at the Arb - Kitchen Classroom (Myers Education Center)
Adult 18+
Class Overview:
Few foods bring people together quite like pizza — especially when it’s cooked outdoors and shared fresh from the oven. In this hands-on pizza-making class, you’ll explore the fundamentals of crafting great pizza from the ground up, using the Arboretum’s own Kernza® flour pizza dough recipe and portable pizza ovens. Designed for beginners and confident home cooks alike, this class focuses on technique, balance and the simple joy of cooking and eating together.
Chef Cheo Smith will guide you through the process of mixing and shaping dough, building well-balanced pizzas, and understanding how heat, timing and ingredients work together in a pizza oven. You’ll create a pizza to bake and enjoy during class, prepare dough to take home and experiment with classic and seasonal topping combinations. Along the way, you’ll gain practical tips that translate easily to home kitchens — whether you’re cooking outdoors or adapting techniques to a standard oven.
In this class, you will learn:
- How to make and work with Kernza® flour pizza dough using the Arboretum's own recipe
- Techniques for stretching and shaping dough for consistent, well-textured crusts
- How to prepare a simple, flavorful tomato sauce suited for high-heat cooking
- Fundamentals of cooking with an outdoor pizza oven, including temperature control and timing
On the Menu:
- Neapolitan Style Pizza with house-made Kernza® flour dough
- A Quick Classic Tomato Sauce
- Toppings Including Roasted Veggies, Pepperoni, Mozzarella and more
Please note: We are unable to accommodate individualized changes to the menu.
Instructors:
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.
We recommend that you enter the Arboretum via the back gate on 82nd St, not the main entrance on Hwy 5. This is the most direct route to access the Farm at the Arb, and avoids potential delays when driving through the Arboretum.
Directions: Farm at the Arb Entrance
If you do wish to enter through the main Arboretum gate on Hwy 5, you can take 3-Mile Drive through the Arboretum and turn right on Peter Moe Drive to get to the Myers Education Center (this route may take an additional 15-20 minutes, so please plan accordingly).
Main Entry instructions:
You will receive a bar-code ticket for entry to the Arboretum in your email purchase confirmation. Your ticket is valid for entry on the day of your class. Present your ticket to the gate attendant as you enter the Arboretum. You may stay at the Arboretum after class as long as you want during our operating hours.