Best bet: Kids’ day off
Celebrated Martin Luther King Day by taking the kids to meet Elena Marre for “No School’s Cool for MLK Day” and participate in her two hands-on cooking classes that include vegetarian gumbo and sweet potato pie.
Details: $35; 10:30 a.m. for ages 4-6; 1 p.m. for ages 7-10; Monday, Jan. 17; The Kids’ Table, 2337 W. North Ave.; register, 773-235-2665 or kids-table.com
Spanish classic: Executive chef Tim Cottini hosts a paella cooking class. $30, includes five-course lunch; 10 a.m. Saturday; Cafe-Ba-Ba-Reeba, 2024 N. Halsted St.; reservations, 773-935-5000
Cold weather soups: Instructor Carolyn Maniaci teaches a demonstration class on soups and stews. $40; 10 a.m. Saturday; The Chopping Block, 4747 N. Lincoln Ave.; register, 773-472-6700 or thechoppingblock.net
Catch of the day: A cooking demonstration mixes up wild steelhead salmon with pesto. Free; noon; Saturday; Burhop’s Seafood, 1515 N. Sheridan Road, Wilmette; information, 847-256-6400
Speak and eat Italian: Jackie Dimetrous joins Dede Frank and Roseanne Pileggi for a six-week language and cooking program, Eating and Speaking Your Way Through Italy, One Dish at a Time. $300; 7 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 20, 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24; reservations, cookmezzaluna.com or cookmezzaluna@hotmail.com
French classics: Chef Justin Dumcum teaches classic French favorites including chicken fricassee and upside-down pear cake in a demonstration class. $50; 1 p.m. Jan. 22; Mon Ami Gabi, 2300 Lincoln Park West; reservations, 773-348-8886 or monamigabi.com
Chili cook-off: The Chili Cook-off invites guests to join in rating chili recipes from area restaurants. Partial proceeds to benefit Gigi’s Playhouse of Hoffman Estates. $10 advance, $15 door. 1 p.m. Jan. 29; The Arboretum of South Barrington, 100 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington; tickets, shopthearboretumsb.com or 847-426-6200
E-mail educational events one month in advance of publication to elizabethschiele@sbcglobal.net
— Elizabeth Schiele
