Shelley has been teaching people to cook since she opened The Chopping Block in 1997. She spent 17 years as a professional chef, working in busy restaurants and private homes but realized her calling was to get other people to cook. Shelley’s unique concept of a recreational cooking school, gourmet kitchen store and private event business provides Chicago with over 300 cooking classes and private events each month. Shelley loves to garden and entertain for family and friends in her Lincoln Square home.
Recent Posts
Celebrate with Cider Cocktails
We are at the height of apple season, and The Chopping Block celebrates apple season in a big way, namely at the annual Lincoln Square Apple Fest. We serve our famous Apple Pie by the slice at this ...
Cocktails are back in popularity and here to stay. Our cocktail classes and wine classes are proof of that - people love to drink but not just because of the effect of the alcohol. Our students love ...
Strawberries must be one of the most popular fruits. It is a rare occasion when we have a student who says they don’t like strawberries. If we put a strawberry-focused recipe or class on our class ...
Zucchini season is just around the corner and with that comes the inevitable mass quantities of it. If you are a gardener, you know exactly what I am talking about. Us gardeners are coupled with the ...
Asparagus Every Which Way but Steamed, Roasted or Grilled
It is that time of year again: asparagus season! Perhaps this time of year has lost some of its luster, some of its connection with the long-awaited Spring in the Midwest, since we can get asparagus ...
Every once in a while, I get a call for help from my dear friend Carol Himmel and when she calls, I jump. Carol is always helping others, donating her time, energy, resources and attention so when ...
A pear perfectly poached in red wine is one of the most elegant desserts I can think of. Top it off with a little Crème Anglaise and you have elevated the lowly pear into something almost regal. I’m ...
Ten or Maybe Even More Things You Don’t Know about Meatballs
There are a million meatball recipes available online. I’m sure most of them are pretty yummy, but I’m not here to tout the best meatball recipe. I’m here to tell you what you probably don’t know ...
How to clean mushrooms is a common question we get in our cooking classes, and it's one which over the course of my career has become a more complicated one to answer. When I opened The Chopping ...
Like so many people, I have family, friends and colleagues spread all around the country. During the holidays, I make it my personal mission to connect in some way with as many of them as I can. ...
