Delish 101

Different ways to sharpen your culinary skills in Telluride and Mountain Village

BY EMILY SHOFF

Looking for an engaging break from hiking and biking this summer?

Try one of these local culinary classes — fun and instructive lessons that come in a variety of formats, from wine pairings to farm-to-table cooking classes to learnat-home demonstrations.

Ah Haa School for the Arts

Last summer, the Ah Haa School’s director of culinary arts, Jess Newens, started a Wednesday lunch program, Locals’ Lunches, with a simple goal: to build community. “I wanted to get people into Ah Haa and to get them talking. Food seemed like a good way to do it.” The program, which features highly regarded chefs from around the region, was wildly popular, so Newens decided to add a dinner option called Seasonal Suppers. The environment is intentionally casual. Chefs cook a favorite dish while explaining ingredients and techniques. Then teacher and students share the resulting meal together, with the option to purchase wine as an accompaniment.

That emphasis on community is reflected in the fact that the program receives funding from the Town of Telluride Commission for Community Assistance, Arts and Special Events, Newens notes.

The menus are diverse and include creative salads that draw ingredients from the local farmers’ markets, as well as Tibetan momos, grilled elk, Indian dosas and Navajo-inspired dishes. This summer, Ah Haa plans to add mezcal and whiskey tastings and mocktail classes, as well as Chef’s Table, a program specifically for groups of up to 10. Participants watch as a local chef prepares a special three-course meal while sharing techniques and stories.

221 South Oak

Twenty years ago, 221 South Oak’s owner/chef Eliza Gavin was asked to teach a cooking class, and from there things took off.

Gavin adds that the menu changes frequently, but always incorporates dishes that are easy to replicate at home. The meal ends with a bang with four desserts. She says, “It’s really rewarding teaching people tricks of the trade. I’m always amazed how many men and women come — people who are just starting out in the kitchen and those who have been lifelong cooks.”

Gavin also emphasizes that teaching helps keep her recipes and techniques fresh. “I’m always brainstorming with my staff about how we can do something better. One of my books focuses on just vegetarian dishes, for example. Teaching reminds me of this, that there are always ways to mix it up.”

The Amend Collective

For those looking to move the party in-house, Tracie Amend of The Amend Collective, an in-demand catering, design and event planning company, has the perfect plan. Working with talented chef Nicola Peccedi, a longtime local who has presided over the kitchens at Alpino Vino and Rustico, Amend brings Italian-inspired cooking classes into people’s homes. “We’ve done a bit of everything, from multiage family groups to birthday parties,” Amend explains. “We recently did a Gal-entine’s party.” Typically, guests cook every dish together, with larger groups preparing different elements or courses. “We’ve made lots of different dishes: homemade pastas, ravioli stuffed with specialty items like crab, and gluten-free and regular pasta. Sometimes folks want a Colorado surf-and-turf themed menu like trout and bison. We do it all.” Amend adds that The Amend Collective’s path to success hasn’t been easy. The company opened in March 2020 and immediately had to pivot to a delivery service. Now, says Amend, “It’s great to be back this past year or so, cooking with people, doing what we intended to do: to bring a fun, immersive experience to people’s homes.”

Communion Wine Bar

With its wine and food pairing nights, Communion Wine Bar, which opened in Mountain Village last year, strives to be a celebration of community. “The name says it all — we are a common union, a

gathering place for friends and family,” explains Dustin Clements, one member of the Communion team that also includes Winston and Cameron Kelly, and Oulli Durham.

The bar offers pairing demonstrations that feature food from local chefs in a four- to six-course dinner. “With each dish, we explain why we make the food, how we decide to pair the wine with the food, what we look for,” Clements says. “We have wines from all over, but our focus is on lesser-known brands, and organic wines from smaller, family-run vineyards.”

Likewise, according to Clements, the menus used for the demos run the gamut, with offerings that have included sushi, elk tenderloin, Mediterranean-style and vegan-focused dishes. In line with the emphasis on community, during the summer the Wednesday menu ties in with regional produce from Mountain Village’s farmers’ market.

“It’s all about fun,” he adds. “Fun and community. We want people walking away, knowing a little more about wine and a little more about this place we get to call home.”