Class Schedule April – August 2025

NEW! Plants, Cuisine and Culture: Memi’s Egyptian Kitchen | June 26 | IN-PERSON at Memi’s Restaurant

Join Memi, the heart and soul behind Memi’s Egyptian Kitchen, for a cooking demo celebrating the vibrant flavors and rich history of Egyptian cuisine. Discover how plants and herbs have been central to Egyptian cooking for centuries, from fresh vegetables to aromatic spices. Memi will guide you through traditional dishes, showing how ancient food practices connect with modern plant-based eating and sustainability. Through this demo, you’ll learn not only new recipes but also the cultural significance of food in Egypt, leaving with a deeper appreciation for how plants nourish both the body and spirit.

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NEW! Edible History: Spotlight on Spices | July 9 | IN-PERSON

Join spice expert Mark Ragland as you learn how the desire and quest for spices played a huge role in the history of mankind. What was so special about these seeds and bark? Learn where favorite and exotic spices come from and how they were used both historically and in today’s kitchen. Discover how to increase the flavor of your food using spices as you enjoy a delectable buffet lunch showcasing flavorful dishes featuring some of the spices discussed. It’s never too late to spice up your life!

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Tropical Food Plants: Coconut | August 9 | IN-PERSON 

Join horticulturist and Sri Lankan native Menaka Dewasinghe for an exploration of all things coconut! This tropical fruit (which is actually a drupe, not a nut) is an important food source, substitute ingredient in a variety of recipes, and cash crop in the tropics as well as having anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial properties in different forms. Learn more about how to incorporate more of this delicious, high-fiber fruit in your diet through live cooking demonstrations that showcase a variety of methods. Sample an assortment of dishes that incorporate coconut including curry, side dishes, and desserts using shredded coconut, coconut oil, coconut water, and coconut milk. With over 1,300 different types of coconut in the world, Menaka will provide tips on the best places to source coconuts and coconut products in the Richmond region.

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Fall in the Kitchen Garden | August 9 | IN-PERSON 

With grocery prices continuing to increase, interest in kitchen gardens and self-sufficiency is also on the rise. Kitchen gardens are made for intensive cultivation, so they are usually smaller than traditional vegetable plots, can easily be fenced to deter deer and other critters and they can look lovely! In this class, Mark Ragland helps you maintain your kitchen garden through harvest time, planting for fall cool weather crops and cleaning your garden out for winter. Tips on planning your garden for next year are included.

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Tea Culture at the Queen’s Library | August 21 | IN-PERSON 

From its humble beginnings as a medicinal beverage over 5,000 years ago, tea slowly spread across the borders of China into Asia and eventually all across the globe. As tea was introduced each country and culture created their own methods and traditions for enjoying this delicious beverage. Join us to discover the many variations of the rituals and ceremonies that have instilled themselves into our world’s heritage. This experience will showcase exceptional teas from around the world, offering an exquisite tasting journey with carefully curated selections. Guests will enjoy unique food pairings designed to enhance and complement the distinct notes of each tea, creating a refined and immersive experience. Going beyond the traditional English tea, this event will deeply explore global tea culture, offering a richer and more interactive appreciation of tea traditions.

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Garden to Glass Cocktail Series

Join local mixologist Beth Dixon as she demonstrates three original, delicious craft cocktails. Sip samples of each cocktail as you enjoy expertly paired small plates. Fees include demonstration, cocktail samples and food pairings.

NEW! Pollinator Power Cocktails | June 10 | IN-PERSON

Inspired by the power of pollinators, local mixologist Beth Dixon highlights the products pollination produces in three delicious craft cocktails. Join Beth as she brings the garden to your glass in The Pollinator with gin and honey lavender, a Hummingbird highlighting pear nectar and elderflower liquor, and a Blue Bee with tequila, blueberry, blue pea flower and orange blossom water. During the demo, sip samples of each cocktail as you enjoy expertly paired small plates. Fee includes demonstration, cocktail samples and food pairings.

NEW! Garden Fresh Cocktails | August 26 | IN-PERSON

Join local mixologist Beth Dixon, owner of Salt and Acid Beverage Consulting, as she demonstrates how to create three light, refreshing, and delicious craft cocktails perfect for a hot summer’s day. She’ll showcase how to utilize fresh from the garden summer produce and highlight seasonal flavors in an Irish Maid with whiskey, cucumber, lemon and elderflower, a Farmer’s Daughter with vodka, aperol, watermelon, and tomato water, and a Machado de Fresa – a Strawberry tequila smash with Tajin rim. During the demo, sip samples of each cocktail as you enjoy expertly paired small plates. Fee includes demonstration, cocktail samples and food pairings.

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Vine to Glass Series

NEW! Ciao Italia, Arrivederci Tesauro | April 22 | IN-PERSON

Our Vine to Glass seminar series will continue, but we bid buon viaggio to our moderator and sommelier, Jason Tesauro, as he embarks on a move to Verona, Italia.

We’ll enjoy six wines, including a sparkling, two whites, two reds, and something sweet, spanning some of Tesauro’s Old World favorites. Chef Jared Serr will pair small plates inspired by the regions from whence the vino originated.