I am a self-taught cook, graphic designer, and a retired professor living in Champaign, Illinois. With these upcoming cooking classes, my goal is to share what I know about my favorite ethnic foods and some of my favorite recipes. What you'll learn in these classes is that making great-tasting ethnic dishes is not hard at all.
My classes are small group hands-on cooking sessions where we'll slice, dice, and chop our way to a multi-course dinner. I get to share how I cook at home, and you get to participate in a unique cooking party where we'll eat everything that was prepared that night. I'll also share all the tips and tricks I know on how to get from A to B to Z quickly and efficiently.
— Paul Young
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Fall 2026
(Urbana Park District)
Sept 3, 2026: Midwest Hawaiian Fusion
Oct 8, 2026: French Village Cooking
Nov 12, 2026: Persian Classics
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PAST COOKING CLASSES (2026)
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Summer 2026
(Urbana Park District)
June 18, 2026: Taste of Kazakhstan
July 9, 2026: Chinese Home Cooking
July 30, 2026: Spanish Tapas Feast
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Spring 2026
(Urbana Park District)
February 12, 2026: Vietnamese Lunar New Year Celebration
March 5, 2026: Indian Delights
April 2, 2026: Russian Home Cooking
PAST COOKING CLASSES (2025)
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Fall 2025
(Urbana Park District)
September 11: A Taste of Georgia
October 2: Oaxacan Flavors
October 30: Nuovo Italian
Oktoberfest Cooking Workshop and Feast • October 4, 2025
A German cooking party and banquet in celebration of the largest folk festival in the world
(Urbana Park District)
Homemade soft pretzels with obatzda (beer cheese dip)
Kayla's venison bratwurst with sauerkraut
Spaetzle (egg dumplings with caramelized onions)
Rotkohl (red cabbage with apples)
Bayrischer kartoffelsalat (Bavarian warm potato salad)
Apfelkuchen (apple cake)
Bavarian Coffee
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Summer 2025
(Urbana Park District)
June 5: Thai Night Market
July 10: Taste of Kazakhstan
August 7: Vegan Soul
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Spring 2025
(Urbana Park District)
February 20: French Classics
March 6: Vietnamese Cooking
March 27: A Taste of Palestine
PAST COOKING CLASSES (2024)
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Fall 2024
(Urbana Park District)
September 19: Persian Classics
October 10: German Oktoberfest Feast
November 7: A Taste of Korea
Taste of France • Fall 2024
(Harvest Market Champaign)
September 11: Classic Burgundy Wine Country Cuisine
October 2: Mediterranean Flavors of Provençal Cooking
October 21: The Philosophy of Lyon's Nouvelle Cuisine
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Summer 2024
(Urbana Park District)
June 13: Jamaican Cooking
July 11: Greek Classics
August 1: A Taste of Japan
Taste of Genoa • Wednesday, July 17, 2024
(Harvest Market Champaign)
Minestrone Soup
Caprese Salad
Pizza Pesto Genovese
Taste of Thailand • June 27, 2024
(Harvest Market Champaign)
Tom Yum Soup
Green Papaya Salad
Shrimp Pad Thai
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Spring 2024
(Urbana Park District)
February 15, 2024: Chinese Cooking
March 14, 2024: Mexican Flavors
April 4, 2024: A Taste of Ethiopia
Taste of Russia • Spring 2024
(Common Ground Food Co-op)
February 27: Summer Picnic at the Dasha
March 5: Winter Festival Feast
PAST COOKING CLASSES (2023)
Taste of the Mediterranean • Fall 2023
(Common Ground Food Co-op)
September 26: Pesto! Pesto! Pesto!
October 17: Greek Meze Dinner
November 7: Spanish Tapas Feast
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Fall 2023
(Urbana Park District)
September 21: A Taste of Palestine
October 12: Czechian Classics
November 2: Indonesian Cooking
Taste of France • Summer 2023
(Common Ground Food Co-op)
June 27: A Taste of Basque Country
July 25: The Mediterranean Flavors of Provençal Cooking
August 15: Classic Burgundy Wine Country Cuisine
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Summer 2023
(Urbana Park District)
June 8, 2023: Moroccan Classics
June 29, 2023: A Taste of Hawaii
July 20, 2023: Vietnamese Cooking
Taste of Japan • Spring 2023
(Common Ground Food Co-op)
February 7: Ramen vs Udon vs Soba
March 7: Yakitori vs Kushiyaki vs Shioyaki
April 3: Sushi vs Sashimi vs Chirashi
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Spring 2023
(Urbana Park District)
February 16: French Classics
March 9: Thai Cooking
March 30: A Taste of Russia
PAST COOKING CLASSES (2022)
Taste of China • Fall 2022
(Common Ground Food Co-op)
September 20: Cantonese Cuisine
October 11: Sichuan Cuisine
November 1: Shanghai Cuisine
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Fall 2022
(Urbana Park District)
September 22: Greek Classics
October 13: Indian Delights
November 3: A Taste of Korea
Taste of Asia • Fall 2022
(Common Ground Food Co-op)
August 30, 2022: Pan-Asian Appetizers
Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking • Summer 2022
(Urbana Park District)
June 9, 2022:
Jamaican Cooking
June 30, 2022:
Italian Classics
July 21, 2022:
A Taste of Japan
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