Private Culinary Classes

Private Class Details:

Location: Myers Kitchen at the Farm at the Arb
Designed for: Team building, group learning and private gatherings
Class style: Hands-on cooking or demonstration-style instruction
Group size: 12–36 guests
Menu inclusions: Chef’s welcome bite, salad, main course and dessert
Class Time: 90-120 minutes

Menus are seasonal and can be adapted for vegetarian preferences; the Paella Party can also be made gluten-friendly upon request.

Menu Options:

Exploring the Pizza Oven

Bring people together around the fire with this hands-on pizza experience. Guests learn the art of crafting from-scratch pizza using portable outdoor ovens and thoughtfully prepared Kernza® dough. Guided by our expert chef, participants explore essential techniques for shaping, topping and baking — while discovering how heat and timing create the perfect crust.

Inspired by fresh, seasonal ingredients from the garden, this experience blends creativity with skill-building in a relaxed, interactive setting. Each guest enjoys their own freshly baked pizza, served with salad and dessert, and leaves with practical skills and recipes to recreate the experience at home.

Passport to Pasta

Step into the world of fresh pasta with this hands-on, beginner-friendly experience. In this interactive class, guests learn to mix, knead, rest, roll and shape pasta dough from scratch — building a foundation for a wide range of classic dishes. Guided by our expert chef, participants explore the techniques and tools of creating fettuccine while developing an understanding of timing, texture and proper flouring techniques.

Along the way, guests enjoy chef-led demonstrations of versatile sauces and learn how to pair pasta shapes with complementary flavors. Each guest tastes their creations — pasta, sauce, salad and dessert — and leaves with practical skills and recipes to recreate the experience at home.

Paella Party

Gather around the flame for a vibrant paella experience that celebrates cooking at a slower pace. In this engaging class, guests explore the elements of traditional paella, guided by our expert chef  — learning how the dish comes together, from building a rich base and layering ingredients for maximum flavor — to achieving perfectly cooked rice. Along the way, participants discover how heat, timing and technique shape flavor and bring the dish to life.

The experience is complemented by Spanish-inspired accompaniments, including salad and dessert. Optional sangria sampling is available as an add-on—creating a relaxed, communal setting centered on seasonal cooking and gathering at the table.
 

Instructors: 

Chef Beth Fisher is thrilled to bring her experience to a new role as Culinary Manager at The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Known for her years of teaching at various cooking schools and creative culinary work at several popular Twin Cities restaurants, Beth is now focused on enhancing the Arboretum's fast growing culinary offerings and kitchen classroom educational experiences. Join Beth and discover the joy of learning and cooking in the kitchen!  
 

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.