Shelley has been teaching people to cook since she opened The Chopping Block in 1997. She spent 17 years as a professional chef, working in busy restaurants and private homes but realized her calling was to get other people to cook. Shelley’s unique concept of a recreational cooking school, gourmet kitchen store and private event business provides Chicago with over 300 cooking classes and private events each month. Shelley loves to garden and entertain for family and friends in her Lincoln Square home.
Recent Posts
How to Make Sushi at Home
Just because I am a chef doesn’t mean that I am absolutely comfortable preparing every type of food. For instance, I certainly cannot claim to be an expert when it comes to making sushi.
I purchased a house in Michigan last August and have been excited to go morel mushroom hunting like I used to when I was a kid. I have gone out over the years with my brother but haven’t had any ...
You may have read an earlier post of mine “Espe What?" extolling my appreciation, perhaps even infatuation, with espelette pepper. Years later, my infatuation is still as strong. In fact, anyone who ...
I grew up Morel mushroom hunting with my family so my love of exotic mushrooms was formed at an early age. I cherished the experience and time with my family exploring the woods and the healthy ...
Now that we are in the middle of holiday entertaining season, you may be busy planning a party. You'll want to consider decor and presentation, as well as the menu itself. I find platter presentation ...
I’ve been thinking a lot about atmosphere and aesthetics these days and how it affects our experience of food and dining. I know most people care about appearance on some level, the most basic being ...
Espelette. Pronounced es-pa-let, this little pepper from the southern region of France is one of my favorite ingredients and I dare say, a secret weapon in my arsenal of cooking tricks. Although this ...
I grew up homesteading and living off of the vegetables we grew, so having a vegetable garden has always been a way of life. I have never been able to shake the desire to play in the dirt or to ...
The sight of a thick tomato-y chili and a briny batch of oyster stew simmering on the stove are rich in tradition for me; it is my family’s meal the night before Christmas. According to my mom Irene, ...
When I was growing up, I had no affinity for peanut brittle. My father, Leroy, loved the stuff and we always had to have it around. My mother tortured our candy-deprived adolescence with just a ...
