Food is mystery, source, and sustenance.  Zen Master Tenkei said, “See with your eyes, smell with your nose, taste with your tongue…nothing in the universe is hidden.  What else would you have me say?” Beyond following recipes or simply doing what you’ve been told, is liberation in the kitchen, freely realizing the way to cook by letting the ingredients come forward to awaken and nourish, bringing your own body and mind alive to cook. 

We will be learning to trust ourselves in the kitchen.  No recipe in the kitchen, no recipe for how to be you! “Realizing the mystery,” says the Zen Master Deshan, “is nothing but breaking through to grasp an ordinary person’s life.”

Beginning with a brief class to discuss plans for the day, we’ll have a three hour cooking class (with a break), followed by a tasting meal and clean-up. We’ll cut, chop, clean, taste, and cook, learning to use our hands and hearts to work with ingredients to bring forth food.  Sharp knives will be provided, so we can develop some cutting skills. One or more dishes will be assembled ingredient by ingredient so that you can taste and know for yourself what’s what!