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Her cooking class style differs from the usual demonstration classes because everyone here has a chance to participate and feel a sense of delicious accomplishment.
While some people enjoy cooking and see it as a creative outlet, others see it as a chore to get out of the way. Annette believes in making your cooking experience fun, easy, and efficient as possible. Through professional experience, her techniques and tips make prepping effortless; cooking and entertaining becomes recreational and less of a chore. Her style is a colorful approach to cooking and having fun at the same time.
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 Diana Rivera is the teacher’s assistant at South Bay School of Cooking. She has an associate degree in occupational studies and graduated from the California School of Culinary Arts with a certificate from the Le Cordon Bleu program.
Diana has been cooking since she was 7 years old, frosting cakes her mom would bake from the boxed mixes. As long as she could remember Diana has wanted to cook and create different dishes but they would never turn out because she didn’t know the method and science behind it nor did she ever have any guidance.
Fortunately, Diana didn’t give up.
What really interested Diana about the job at SBSOC is the fact that it was a cooking school and that people were coming to learn the beauty of cooking and how to create something from a few ingredients. Diana plans to pursue a career in education, to teach home economics, and develop a good food program for her high school and community as well.
Chef Annette is a great mentor because she teaches without intimidation. Diana has learned how to make meals from products you can get at any store and not slave away in the kitchen making things from scratch.
Diana’s three favorite things to cook are:
Risotto: Although it takes 40 minutes to cook, she loves the taste of Arborio rice with melted parmesan and a hint of white wine. Starch heaven!
Roasted chicken with rosemary, parsley, and sage: The chicken comes out tender and very aromatic and it’s easy to make.
Banded chocolate mousse cake: Nothing is better than delicious devil’s food cake in brandy simple syrup layered with rich chocolate mousse and wrapped around chocolate. Yum!
Co-marketing
- Sponsors and affiliations include Whole Foods, Le Creuset, Mauviel Cookware, Saveur magazine, and Kitchen Aid
- Gilberto Cetina of Chichen Itza has taken the traditional tamale to new heights and audiences.
Does Chef Annette Ever Sleep?
If you think that just the South Bay School of Cooking keeps Annette busy – think again.
In 2007-2008, Annette wrote a recipe column for the Easy Reader.
Annette wrote the popular Two Forks Up! column for the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce news from 1999 to 2005.
In 2006 the South Bay School of Cooking received the Small Business of the Year Award from the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce.
She also was invited to teach at the University de Oriente in Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico for the first class of the new gastronomy program. A good percentage of the 60 students were indigenous Maya whose first language was Mayan followed by Spanish. Many of the students also spoke English.
From her years in the restaurant industry, Annette was hired as a restaurant consultant by the renowned Yucatan restaurant, Chichen Itza. When they opened a second location, she imparted experienced words of wisdom by decoding recipes for the cooks and streamlining the recipes on paper. She also chose the china, sourced it, and designed plate presentation.
In 2006, there were many requests for corporate team building cooking classes. Since then Time-Warner, Northrup Grumman, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Toyota, and ESPN have all cooked in the spotless retro kitchen.
“The team truly enjoyed the cooking experience. The food was DELICIOUS!” - - Bonnie/Merck
During 2005 Annette taught an honorarium class at the Art Institute of California’s culinary program in Los Angeles. The class taught students how to start your own food-related business including signing a lease, purchasing equipment, and shopping for products. Annette has also been a guest chef on the “Let’s All Cook” Torrance cable network. She’s a member in good standing of Women Chefs & Restaurateurs.
As busy as she is, she takes time to mentor her assistants and support staff. And near the end of 2005, she volunteered to teach a Moroccan cooking and culinary history class to the Redondo Beach Girl Scout troop preparing them for the annual cooking bee.
Annette is a past board member of the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce. She became known far and wide for orchestrating several memorable Manhattan Beach Chamber installation dinners and Women in Business teas.
In 2001, Women in Business gave her the coveted “Woman of the Year” award. Through the Leadership Manhattan Beach program, Annette spearheaded the Flavors of Manhattan Beach Cookbook raising vital funds for the Wellness Community by bringing together residents, businesses, politicians, and students to profit the non-profit organization.
She’s also been known to sing “God Bless America” to thundering applause!
Articles
* Inspirational Person of the Month (October 2006) South Bay Woman
* Savory Trails (June/July 2006) AARP Segunda Juventad (see CrossTown Adventures)
* Daily Breeze - Cooking with Class (Jan. 30, 2006)
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