Bills grew up in a family that loved desserts , and he began teaching himself Portuguese baking in college to deepen his connection to his heritage . Following his time on the competition series “ The Great American Baking Show ,” he developed a niche as a Portuguese baking instructor .
When he switched to Zoom , suddenly anyone who wanted to learn the art of Portuguese baking could participate from anywhere with internet access . His students have included well-known bakers like Helen Goh and Brian Hart Hoffman .
Through The Portuguese Baking School , as he has recently rebranded the online program , he offers classes from $ 18 to $ 38 per session and provides a list of ingredients and equipment .
Early on , he instructed a virtual class on pastéis de nata , custard tarts popular in Portugal and its former colonies . Made with just a few ingredients — butter , egg , flour , cinnamon , lemon and sugar — crafting the dessert is largely about technique .
“ I love to tell the students , ‘ Before we begin , look at your ingredients . It ’ s so few ingredients and we ’ re going to make magic out of that ,’” Bills says . “ I love passing on that technique because I ’ ve had a lot of failures in getting that right .”
The night before a photoshoot for “ The Great American Baking Show ,” where Bills made it to the semifinals , the tarts failed in the oven and were not photo-ready . He was upset at the time , but remembers the moment with levity because it was a learning opportunity . When his students slip up , he reminds them to be forgiving of themselves , and that the stakes are low .
“ If we fail , who cares ? It ’ s just some flour and eggs and whatever ,” he says . “ It ’ s fun to see people doing things out of their comfort zone .”
School ’ s in session
Yap and Lombardi were ready for a new venture in 2020 . They ’ d been friends since high school and both chefs wanted to partner in a business . Yap was a sushi chef who helped open both iterations of Kru in Sacramento ; Lombardi was owner and chef of the Burger Saloon in Woodland . They had just launched a catering business when the pandemic hit , putting a halt to parties and private events . They rethought their
“ Once we sign into class and we see all the boxes on Zoom and everyone is smiling , it ’ s like , OK , this is why we do this .”
Ricky Yap , cofounder , Homeskool ’ d
business and came up with Homeskool ’ d , interactive cooking classes on Zoom .
They taught their own tried-and-truerecipes , starting with Lombardi ’ s beef short ribs . Yap focused largely on his specialty : Japanese cuisine , like sushi .
“ We really tapped into what it felt like for us if we went back to high school ,” Yap says . They had what they called “ homeroom ” — 30 minutes before class when students could greet each other , ask questions and troubleshoot tech issues . They teach students how the professionals cook — focusing on prep , efficiency and sanitation .
“ In the restaurant , we do things a certain way ,” Lombardi says . “ We figured it out in almost 20 years of running the kitchen . ... We want to share it with you .” The chefs agree that the classes foster
Jeremiah Duarte Bills , a past competitor on “ The Great American Baking Show ,” now runs The Portuguese Baking School . He hopes to expand his online classes to include an online library of recipes and instructional videos .
cooking confidence and , in the height of the pandemic , made space for mental peace .
Each class is an hour and a half of no news , no politics . Just food and connection .
“ Once we sign into class and we see all the boxes on Zoom and everyone is smiling , it ’ s like , OK , this is why we do this ,” Yap says .
Skills for a lifetime
Shankari Arcot loves seeing students ’ faces beam with pride in their kitchen accomplishments — especially children . As a girl growing up in India , she watched her mother cook meals every day using fresh , seasonal ingredients . Her love for teaching blossomed in the Bay Area , where she gave informal cooking lessons to her friends . After moving to Folsom , she taught in-store and private cooking classes until the pandemic . With a nudge
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