Get ready to savor Spain with chef Melanie Burkett of Inner Temple Foods in our Spanish-themed Paella and Tapas cooking class at the Sonoma Family Meal Kitchen! The hands-on, collaborative class will last 2.5 hours, with time to enjoy your meal together at the end. This class will also include Spanish wines to pair, donated by our local partner Wilibees Wine & Spirits!

Whether you’re a seasoned cook or just starting out, this class will offer a fun, engaging learning environment, while raising funds for Sonoma Family Meal’s free culinary job training and food-security programs.

If you haven’t been to the SFM Kitchen yet, this class is also the perfect chance to visit and experience where the magic takes place and how the work gets done.

WHEN: Thursday June 26th, 2025, 5-7:30pm
WHERE: SFM community kitchen, 1370A Redwood Way, Petaluma

THE MENU:

• Pan con Tomate (v, df)

• Patatas Bravas (vg, gf, df) with Romesco Aioli

• Chorizo-Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon (gf, df)

• Seasonal Veggie Paella (v, gf, df)

• Meat Paella (gf, df) - chicken thighs and Spanish chorizo

• Beverages: NA Sangria and Spanish wines to pair!

ABOUT THE CHEF:

Chef Melanie was born and raised in Johannesburg South Africa before moving to California at the age of 8. She embraced the California lifestyle and cuisine, learning to cook for her family at that young age. As a teenager she went on to work at cafes, restaurants, and catering companies before finding a calling as an organic school lunch chef serving several private schools in the Bay Area for almost 15 years.

At the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, Melanie started Inner Temple Foods, a meal delivery service that utilized local ingredients supporting farms, artisans, and producers of the land, and connecting them to the community in which she lives in Sonoma county. She has since then expanded into small events catering, private dinner parties, themed parties, cooking classes, and private chef jobs including working on yachts and farms to have a diverse perspective on food and life.

Currently, Melanie is an active musician playing in bands, a champion for food justice, an avid forager, and dedicates her free time to volunteering at several food justice non profits in Sonoma county, including mentorship roles for teens learning how to cook. For her, food isn’t just what she eats, but a way of connecting, learning, and teaching in an ever-changing world.