Taking a peek inside Chef Alyssa’s kitchen

You know those chefs you see on reality TV? The ones who are screaming at line cooks and throwing things? Or the ones who assess the flaws in aspiring chefs by belittling them until they cry? (I hate those guys.)

Anyway, Chef Alyssa Gorelick is basically the complete opposite of those chefs. Sure, she’s ridiculously talented and creative in the kitchen, but she also happens to be warm, kind and patient — traits that come in especially handy when she’s teaching her hands-on cooking classes in South End.

This week I went to check out one of her classes. She holds two classes each week at Atherton Market, and they all have fun themes like Spanish Tapas or Outdoor Grilling. (The one I went to was for Paleo cooking so there were a lot of people much healthier than me taking it.) Here’s a look inside the class:

In addition to the two weekly classes, Chef Alyssa also offers private instruction for groups ranging from corporate classes to girls’ nights out. All the classes max out at 22 people and most of the weekly classes sell out, so you’ll need to reserve your spots early on her website.

Tempted? Here’s what you need to know:

– It’s BYOB so bring a bottle (or two) to enjoy as you cook and eat.

– Oh yeah, you do get to eat everything you cook. So come hungry! (But not too hungry as you’ll be cooking for the first two hours.)

– Almost all of Chef Alyssa’s food is locally sourced so you’re getting the very best and most fresh ingredients.

Find out more about Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen here.

Feature photo by Diedra Laird / Charlotte Observer.

This story was originally published August 13, 2015 at 11:06 PM with the headline "Taking a peek inside Chef Alyssa’s kitchen."