Cooking Up a Storm: A Hands-On Culinary Series at UCI
The aroma of garlic and butter wafted through the air as students gathered around the workstations in the professional-grade kitchen on the second floor of the Anteater Recreation Center (ARC). The Culinary Basics Series, a beginner-friendly cooking class, was in full swing on April 10. Chef Daniel Baquerizo, the creator and instructor of the series, stood at the front, guiding students through the preparation of a mouth-watering meal. Learning the Basics
The Culinary Basics Series is designed to teach students the essential cooking skills needed to prepare simple, delicious recipes. According to UCI Campus Recreation, the class is a “hands-on, beginner-friendly series where you’ll learn essential cooking skills through simple, delicious recipes.” Classes start at $20 for students, $30 for ARC members, and $40 for community members.
Hands-On Experience
On April 10, the students learned how to make garlic butter chicken, roasted vegetables, and chocolate chip cookies. After a detailed safety instruction and demonstration on knife techniques, the students were split into pairs to practice their skills. With the assistance of five ARC staff members, the students cut carrots into asymmetrical shapes, whipped up compound butter to a fluffy consistency, and tenderized chicken breasts.
- Some students shared cooking tips they’ve learned from past experiences, while others silently massaged cooking oil into raw chicken.
- The class was a great opportunity for students to learn new skills and gain confidence in the kitchen.
A Teaching Style Like No Other
Chef Daniel Baquerizo’s teaching style is described as “straightforward and informative.” He structures the class as a mix of cooking skill demonstrations and preparation time where students apply their newly learned abilities. Baquerizo aims to be disarming and not make the class too easy or too hard for any of the students.
“I try to be disarming as well, like not make it overly too hard where anybody’s gonna kind of feel like they’re left out or you know, vice versa if it’s too easy,” Baquerizo said.
Culinary Experiences Beyond the Classroom
Baquerizo regularly hosts culinary experiences for other campus programs, such as the UCI Basic Needs Center and the ARC’s team-building obstacle course, Team Up. He also provides free Budget Bites cooking workshops for budget-friendly meals and culinary techniques at the Basic Needs Center. “I think it’s just like the biggest way to control what’s going in your body is being able to learn how to cook and enjoy what you’re eating,” Baquerizo said.
A Culinary Career
Baquerizo began the Culinary Basics Series in August 2024, two years after the last culinary operations manager left the ARC. The series has evolved over time to meet the students’ needs, and Baquerizo is currently fine-tuning it for the upcoming quarter. Baquerizo began his culinary career organizing classes in the California State University, Fullerton culinary program after he graduated from their culinary school in 2015 and from CulinaryLab Cooking School in 2018. He then worked in various restaurants and catering services before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, Baquerizo pivoted to workforce development work with his family’s business, ProPath, Inc. Returning to Culinary Education
In 2024, Baquerizo felt the culinary field calling him back, but this time, he chose culinary education. He saw the teaching job as a combination of what he loves most – working with food, interacting with people, and teaching others to take control of their health and wellness.
A Student’s Perspective
Fourth-year anthropology student Julisa Liang saw the class as an opportunity to learn new skills in a unique environment. “I was a transfer here, so I felt like I didn’t have a lot of time on campus and even now as I’m about to graduate, I wish I did a lot of things,” Liang said. “So when I saw the signs, I figured, you know, I haven’t done that yet, let’s give it a try.”
The class concluded with 21 plates of the “Weeknight Essentials” meal being carefully plated and packed into to-go containers. Students interested in taking a cooking class with Baquerizo can register at the Culinary Basics Series page on UCI Campus Recreation. Emma Richman, a Features Intern, was on hand to capture the culinary magic. For more information, visit the Culinary Basics Series page on UCI Campus Recreation. Edited by Annia Pallares zur Nieden and Alyssa Villagonzalo.
References
- UCI Campus Recreation. (n.d.). Culinary Basics Series. Retrieved from
- UCI Campus Recreation. Cooking Classes. Retrieved from
End Notes
Chef Daniel Baquerizo is available for interviews at baquerizodaniel@email.com. For more information on the Culinary Basics Series, visit https://campusrec.uci.edu/culinary-basics-series.
news is a contributor at ChewNews. We are committed to providing well-researched, accurate, and valuable content to our readers.
