This month, I am doing something I have wanted to do for a long time.

My days are long, but also too short! The time in class flies by, and I am having so much fun. Fundamentally, we are learning techniques, recipes and all about how to turn real whole foods into vibrant dishes. On another level, we are having great conversations about benefits, ethics, and the impact of food.

The class is small, and made up of people as excited about food as I am. We begin each day by prepping the ingredients we will be using that day, then we break for a snack. While enjoying our snack we review the day before, and go through the exam.

We are in teams of two, and each team is assigned a recipe. We cook and learn and present our recipes to the rest of the class, and we all sit down to eat again! Then back in the kitchen for more recipes, followed by another meal time. We are well fed here.

We all sit together, chef included, talking and enjoying so much amazing food. We help with the cleanup and break for the day around 8:30 pm, where I stumble out with the biggest goofy grin on my face.

I have been following Mark Reinfeld for years, the founding chef of Blossoming Lotus Restaurant (first location in Hawaii, second location in Portland) and have wanted to take his classes for some time. I am giddy happy to now have this opportunity – incredibly lucky, really, and feeling a whole lot of gratitude.

These (phone) photos are from the last couple days of class – I will share more soon!