As summer slows the calendar, a Wednesday afternoon spent rolling out a tapas menu becomes a little reset, a Saturday evening rolling fresh fettuccini turns into an awaited date night and any night rolling with the culinary punches of a chef duo promises a handful of new recipes and friends. —S. E. Miano
VistaCucina
To learn Italian cooking the right way, look no further than Chef Riccardo Renna of VistaCucina. Born and raised in Italy, he spent years cooking in various states—including a stretch in Denver, where he co-founded a monthly gourmet dinner club for couples gathering to try his menus. Renna now teaches Sarasotans the dishes he calls his own. Fresh pasta, pizza and gnocchi get equal parts technique and storytelling. Summer brings Make & Taste: fettuccine with classic Bolognese or white sauce (August 22) and Bake & Taste: sourdough pizza and focaccia, from the starter to the toppings (August 29). Events are BYOB for now with wine pairings debúting in the fall. Each experience brings “excellent food, convivial company,and an authentic taste of Italy,” says Renna, who completes the meal with his own appetizers and dessert. 3800 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, 720-285-8485, www.vistacucina.com
Two Chefs Market & Bistro
At the recently opened Two Chefs Market & Bistro, chefs Frank Imbarlina and Melissa Louty make everything from scratch—from the kitchen to the deli case and prepared foods cooler—while their cooking classes put a utensil in your hand from the jump. Students prep and cook five to eight recipes per session, alongside the chefs, then sit down and tuck in together, a complimentary Prosecco in hand. Each guest leaves with a printed recipe book to take home. Sessions run Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 pm, with Summer Party Hors d’Oeuvres, savory and sweet (June 12), Parents & Teens team cooking (July 17) and Back-to-School dinners tackling make-ahead, easy meals (August 27). “People tend to eat and linger,” the chefs say—a no-brainer when the food and company are this good. 4141 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, 941-924-6277, twochefssrq.com
Taste of Spain
Chef Fatima Soriano opened her gourmet market, Taste of Spain, in the small European corner of Gulf Gate—neighboured by an Italian gelateria and a Mediterranean bistro—to give Sarasota a genuine corner of her native country. Marketside, you can grab house-prepared Spanish paella, Rioja and Verdejo wines, premium imported cheese and olives, canned fish and all things paprika. Cooking lessons take place in her small, efficient kitchen, transporting students across the Atlantic. Classes are, in her words, “a way to explore Spanish culture through food,” with a dose of history and Spanish vocabulary. This summer’s special offering extends to teens (ages 14-18, with a parent), running Wednesdays at 4:30 pm starting in June. Pairs will create classic tapas from authentic ingredients and enjoy them as they go. Drinks, including wine for the adults, are included. Everyone cooks, everyone learns, everyone laughs. 2667 Mall Drive, Sarasota, 941-580-8663, tasteofspainsrq.com
