Eat and greet
Night school gets a shot of conviviality at San Francisco’s after-dark culinary classes.Discovering new cheeses while grazing on samples at Whole Foods or Bi-Rite is pleasant enough—especially when some nearby eye candy is sniffing out the 12-year-old parmigiano reggiano. Now, some of the Bay Area’s top culinary professionals have found an unexpected way to merge the thrill of the mingle with the city’s affection for food and drink. In congenial nighttime classes, they’ve been schooling people on wine, tea, booze—even the intricacies of cheese.
At Sara Vivenzio’s Cheese School of San Francisco, weekly sessions (most lasting two hours) happen in a classroomlike setting, though it smells like brie, instead of the banana in someone’s bag lunch. The instructors are authors, well-known cheese educators, and dairy professionals. Students gather over wine beforehand in a homey space outfitted like a salon (think Danish modern furnishings and vintage tchotchkes). Warning: The basic classes sell out early. And singles should keep in mind that the school’s casual monthly drop-in nights are reportedly a swell place to meet fellow parties of one.
Cheese school of San Francisco
7:40 p.m.
THE ATTENDEES
A mom-and-daughter duo and pairs of BFFs, along with cheese-curious couples, some on double dates.
THE FROMAGE
Twelve in all, including a semisoft Franklin’s teleme and the crowd-pleasing triple-cream Brillat-Savarin.
THE JUICE
Easygoing, cheese-friendly French wines.
THE SOUNDTRACK
Chick music and well-chosen global artists, like Colombia’s Andrea Echeverri.
EAVESDROPPING
“I’m a big fan of the cheddar family, yessiree.”
2155 POWELL ST. S.F., 415-346-7530, CHEESESCHOOLSF.COM
ELSEWHERE
Fifth Floor’s wine director, Emily Wines, hosts the popular Wines on Wine series. Bonus: All courses are complimentary when you attend them prior to having dinner in the restaurant. WED. 6–7 P.M., AROUND $35, 12 4TH ST., S.F., 415-348-1555, FIFTHFLOORRESTAURANT.COM
Modern Tea in Hayes Valley has monthly teatasting events when the café is closed. Attendees compare brews using professional tasting cups. MON. OR TUES., $35, 602 HAYES ST., S.F., 415-626-5406, MODERNTEA.COM
Bourbon and Branch
recently launched the Beverage Academy, a series of interactive tutorials about such spirits as gin, tequila, and whiskey. Limited to 16 participants, each lesson lasts about two hours. $100, 415-931-7292, BEVERAGEACADEMY.COM
At Sara Vivenzio’s Cheese School of San Francisco, weekly sessions (most lasting two hours) happen in a classroomlike setting, though it smells like brie, instead of the banana in someone’s bag lunch. The instructors are authors, well-known cheese educators, and dairy professionals. Students gather over wine beforehand in a homey space outfitted like a salon (think Danish modern furnishings and vintage tchotchkes). Warning: The basic classes sell out early. And singles should keep in mind that the school’s casual monthly drop-in nights are reportedly a swell place to meet fellow parties of one.
Cheese school of San Francisco
7:40 p.m.
THE ATTENDEES
A mom-and-daughter duo and pairs of BFFs, along with cheese-curious couples, some on double dates.
THE FROMAGE
Twelve in all, including a semisoft Franklin’s teleme and the crowd-pleasing triple-cream Brillat-Savarin.
THE JUICE
Easygoing, cheese-friendly French wines.
THE SOUNDTRACK
Chick music and well-chosen global artists, like Colombia’s Andrea Echeverri.
EAVESDROPPING
“I’m a big fan of the cheddar family, yessiree.”
2155 POWELL ST. S.F., 415-346-7530, CHEESESCHOOLSF.COM
ELSEWHERE
Fifth Floor’s wine director, Emily Wines, hosts the popular Wines on Wine series. Bonus: All courses are complimentary when you attend them prior to having dinner in the restaurant. WED. 6–7 P.M., AROUND $35, 12 4TH ST., S.F., 415-348-1555, FIFTHFLOORRESTAURANT.COM
Modern Tea in Hayes Valley has monthly teatasting events when the café is closed. Attendees compare brews using professional tasting cups. MON. OR TUES., $35, 602 HAYES ST., S.F., 415-626-5406, MODERNTEA.COM
Bourbon and Branch
recently launched the Beverage Academy, a series of interactive tutorials about such spirits as gin, tequila, and whiskey. Limited to 16 participants, each lesson lasts about two hours. $100, 415-931-7292, BEVERAGEACADEMY.COM
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