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Essential Knife Skills for Teens

Tuesday, April 22 from 4:30 PM 6:30 PM

Age

12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17

Class Details

Schedule

Tuesday, April 22, 2025
4:30 – 6:30 PM

Instructor

Anthony Fontaine

Location

276 East Napa Street
Sonoma, CA 95476 United States

Ages

12 – 17

Skill Levels

Not sure which level is right for you? Click here.

Registration Cost

$50 registration fee

About the class

The class will begin with a lecture and demo from the chef about certain cuts and knife techniques. After the demo, each student will join a work station and have the opportunity to practice these skills. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive support and feedback from the chef during the hands-on part of the class.

Hands-on:
Students will be provided with different types of vegetables to practice their grip and knife skills on various textures and sizes.
More specific techniques, such as dicing onions—and minimizing tears—will be explained.
Part of this technique can also be applied to fish or meat, which will be discussed.
The students will use the vegetables to prepare a soup.
We will discuss broths, stocks, and their preparation throughout the process.

What to wear / bring to class

  • Close-toed shoes are mandatory. High heels, open-toed shoes, sandals, flip flops are NOT allowed in the kitchen.
  • Shoulder-length hair or longer needs to be worn back and away from your face; we have plenty of hair ties in the kitchen for you to use and keep.
  • Feel free to bring a favorite apron or a knife you want to practice with, but know that we will supply aprons and all the tools you need for use during class.

A snack will be provided for this class by the chef.
At the end of the class, the chef will present 3 menus to choose from to spark interest for the next class!

About the instructor

Anthony Fontaine

Instructor / Chef

Born in the picturesque region of Normandy, near Mont St. Michel, Anthony grew up immersed in the natural beauty of the coast and countryside. His early years were a true “surf and turf” experience, instilling in him a deep appreciation for fresh, local ingredients.

Anthony’s culinary journey began at a young age with five years of rigorous training in France, where he honed his skills in hotels and restaurants across the country, as well as in Spain and Corsica. His international experience expanded to Florida and New York City before he ultimately settled in the San Francisco Bay Area where he continues his culinary adventures while cultivating meaningful community. 

Passionate about sharing his knowledge, Anthony discovered his love for teaching while volunteering at his children’s school, where he introduced programs on beekeeping and environmental stewardship.

For the past three years, Anthony has been an instructor at Kitchen on Fire, a renowned cooking school in Berkeley. His teaching philosophy is simple: “I empower students to feel confident in the kitchen, focusing on the idea that simplicity is the most essential ingredient in any recipe. Whether working with adults or teens, my goal is to make cooking fun and accessible for everyone.”

Class FAQ

All Memberships(Excluding the $50/year tier) receive 10% off any purchase above $40. You should have received your discount code in your membership confirmation email.

If you have any questions regarding the use of your code, you can contact Sean Baskin at sean@sonomacommunitycenter.org or call the office at (707)938-4626.

Not a member? View more information about our monthly and yearly plans here.

The Sonoma Community Center is committed to creating an accessible learning environment. If you require any special considerations(medical, physical, learning) please share them with Sean Baskin, Program Associate, by emailing him at sean@sonomacommunitycenter.org so that he can forward them to the relevant Program Director and Instructor.

  • All Levels
  • Welcomes participants from beginning through advanced. Instructor provides a balanced and flexible curriculum suitable for participants with any level of experience.
  • Beginning
  • Participant has little to no experience with this medium and needs or expects guidance at every step during the class. Participant wants to learn about materials, techniques, and vocabulary of the medium.
  • Intermediate
  • Participant is comfortable with the medium and expects both guidance and time to work alone with the medium.
  • Advanced
  • Participant is very confident with all aspects of the medium. Participant is self-motivated; ready to experiment and develop their artistic voice.

We ask that you notify us at least 10 business days in advance of a class if you need to cancel your registration. You may cancel by phone or email and we will gladly offer you a refund or credit toward a future class. If you cancel with less than 10 business days notice, we will not be able to provide a full refund. A flat cancellation fee of $15 will be charged to cover the transaction fee.

Sometimes, the Sonoma Community Center has to cancel a class due to low enrollment or unforeseen circumstances, such as a natural disaster or health emergency. If this happens and we do not offer a reschedule date, you will be refunded 100% of your registration fee, or credit towards a future class. If we are able to offer a reschedule date but you are unable to make the new date, we will gladly offer credit towards a future class.

Late additions to any program, class, or workshop that has already begun will be allowed on a per-case basis depending upon the Program Director & instructors approval. Late additions will have to pay the full registration cost of the class, along with any materials fees, and will not be prorated for the time missed. You may reach out to the program directors directly, or the Program Associate Sean Baskin at sean@sonomacommunitycenter.org to request a late addition.

We are always looking for new instructors. You can find more information about the process here, or fill out the form directly here.

You can view our full class policies and guidelines here.

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