THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Spend a concentrated morning or afternoon at Berkeley Kitchen learning Pain au Levain and buttery brioche from award-winning baker Michael Kalanty. Leave with recipes, technique, and a sample of his 27-year-old starter, Lucky Lady #99.
Spend a concentrated morning or afternoon at Berkeley Kitchen learning Pain au Levain and buttery brioche from award-winning baker Michael Kalanty. Leave with recipes, technique, and a sample of his 27-year-old starter, Lucky Lady #99.
Book with Kitchen on Fire
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Operated by Kitchen on Fire · Berkeley, CA
Berkeley Kitchen sits on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, California, a short walk from the university and BART, and inside its stainless-steel workstations you'll find the smell of warm crust and butter. At Kitchen on Fire’s hands-on workshops, chef Michael Kalanty, author and multiple international bread award winner, teaches the techniques behind classic French loaves and rich holiday brioche. Classes run as a concentrated 3–3½ hour Pain au Levain session or a four-hour brioche intensive, and every class balances a sharp technical primer with plenty of hands-in-dough practice.
Key features of the experience include step-by-step instruction for Pain au Levain using Kalanty’s living starter "Lucky Lady #99", demonstration recipes for Apple Walnut Farmhouse and Rosemary Raisin breads, and a full brioche module covering Pearl Sugar Breakfast Buns, Alsatian Currant Spirals (Schneck), and a Holiday Fruit Brioche. Lucky Lady #99 is a literal classroom artifact: a 27-year-old organic sourdough starter that the chef donated to the World Sourdough Museum in St. Vith, Belgium, and portions of it are shared with students to take home and steward.
The classes mirror professional rhythm, a short lecture, division into small teams, hands-on mixing, folding, shaping, and timed fermentations, then communal tasting. You’ll learn practical skills, how to build and maintain a starter, how to schedule long fermentations around your life, how to judge dough by touch, and how to shape enriched dough so it bakes with an open, tender crumb. The format favors replication at home, recipes and care instructions are provided, and the chef highlights common pitfalls so novices can avoid overproofing and dense loaves.
This program feels rooted in Berkeley’s culture of pragmatic experimentation, academic curiosity applied to food craft. Kalanty’s teaching style is precise and generous, which makes complex techniques approachable for adults 18 and older. Practical policies are clear: closed-toe shoes, hair tied back, and no food to-go due to zoning. Masks are optional; alcohol is allowed for personal consumption but not served.
Why book it? If you want to move past recipes and actually understand why dough behaves the way it does, this is the kind of class that rewires your baking. For visiting cooks and locals alike, a few hours at Berkeley Kitchen with Michael Kalanty turns French regional tradition into reproducible home practice, and you leave with not just bread, but the skills and a bit of starter to bake again.
Bring a favorite apron or knife if you wish, though the kitchen supplies tools and hair ties. Wear close-toed shoes and be prepared to stand and move between stations; classes are for ages 18 and up. If you have allergies or dietary concerns, contact [email protected] ahead of time to confirm ingredients and accommodations before booking the class.
Yes, students receive a sample portion of Chef Kalanty’s Lucky Lady #99 starter along with care and feeding instructions when the class format supplies it.
Classes are for adults 18 and older; proof of age may be required for classes permitting alcohol for personal consumption.
Yes, participants 21+ may bring personal wine or beer, but Kitchen on Fire staff cannot open or serve alcohol due to regulations.
Masks are optional; COVID protocols may be updated to reflect local and state mandates, so check current guidelines before attending.
Closed-toe shoes are mandatory and long hair must be tied back; bring an apron if you prefer, though aprons are provided.
Unfortunately zoning permits generally prevent students from taking finished food home, but you will eat what you make during class.
Kitchen on Fire is a hands-on cooking school and event producer that offers a broad calendar of culinary workshops, multi-week series, camps, and virtual classes. The school presents technique-driven, chef-led experiences ranging from single-session workshops to 12-week fundamentals courses. Classes focus on regional cuisines, baking, pastry, vegetarian and seasonal cooking — examples include Italian pasta and breads, Indian and Burmese dishes, Middle Eastern street food, Mexican and Latin specialties, and classic bistro techniques. Chef-led offerings feature named instructors and visiting chefs, with programs such as multi-week Basics of Cooking series, themed nights like A Night in Florence and A Night in Rome, specialized workshops including ricotta and doughnuts, and seasonal pie and baking classes. Kitchen on Fire also runs teen camps, school-break day camps, and virtual workshops to reach learners at different levels and schedules. Instruction emphasizes hands-on practice, practical skills like knife work and recipe fundamentals, and communal dining of the dishes created during class. Many classes run three hours or longer; multi-week series provide progressive skill development. In addition to in-person workshops, the organization publishes virtual classes and instructional series led by its roster of chefs. Kitchen on Fire’s program diversity — from single-session craft workshops to immersive multi-week courses and teen camps — reflects a commitment to accessible, skill-focused culinary education. The school’s transparent class descriptions, named instructors, and recurring series offer prospective students clear expectations and opportunities to build lasting cooking skills. Class sizes vary to prioritize engagement, hands-on practice, and personalized instructor feedback for students.
Book with Kitchen on Fire