Celebrate winter root vegetables with a local cooking class featuring Chef Ann Swanson. Ann has created a warming winter menu that is both nutritious and comforting.
The menu includes:
- Roasted Turnip Soup - with white soy, truffle oil, microgreens, and crusty Central Illinois Bakehouse bread
- Braised Beef - with root vegetables, local potatoes, and red wine jus
- Sweet Carrot Cake - with hand whipped Kilgus Farmstead cream
Registration is $65 and includes a cooking kit. Co-op Owners can use promo code: OWNER for $5 off their registration.
The meal kit includes preportioned ingredients and recipe cards. Students will be guided through the cooking process of each recipe while cooking along from your own kitchen. By the end of class, you will enjoy several delicious dishes.
Register using the form below and preorder your class meal kit to pick up on Friday, February 27th from 4-6 pm in the Common Ground Flatlander Classroom. Tune in for the live virtual Zoom class on Saturday, February 28th from 12-2 pm. Participants will receive email reminders about the upcoming meal kit pickup date with a link to attend the Zoom class.
About Instructor: Chef Ann Swanson
Ann Swanson is a seasoned food systems expert with over a decade of experience in sustainable agriculture and culinary innovation. After earning her degree in Management in the Southeast, Ann immersed herself in the study of Southern farm-to-table cuisine and molecular gastronomy, gaining a deep understanding of both traditional and avant-garde food practices.
Upon returning to Central Illinois, she directed her efforts toward transforming institutional food systems. She spearheaded the development and management of a ten-acre teaching farm for a major dining services corporation, integrating hands-on agricultural education with institutional dining operations.
In the wake of COVID-19, Ann shifted her focus to educational and community-based food initiatives. She has worked extensively with local nonprofits and schools in the Champaign-Urbana area to develop food systems that serve at-risk populations, emphasizing food equity and access.
Ann continues to consult on restaurant and farm projects, and is currently leading the development of an educational campus in downtown Champaign aimed at fostering food literacy, workforce development, and community engagement.