Review-Journal launches online cooking series

The Review-Journal will serve up its first Food & Cocktail Virtual Series event on March 18. The quarterly series, which takes place online, allows guests to prepare a meal and cocktails alongside La Bonita Supermarkets spokeswoman Celeste Perez, known professionally as “Chef La Che.”

Before each lesson, participating home cooks will purchase and pick up a specially prepared box of ingredients from a local La Bonita location. It will contain everything needed to make the planned meal and cocktails for four people. On the day of the lesson, the chef will lead a virtual, step-by-step cooking lesson with a live chat for questions and conversation.

“We’re trying to make it as easy as possible for you to actually enjoy the art of cooking, and not have to worry or stress about it,” Perez said. “We have everything ready for you. All you’ve got to do is turn on that camera, that Zoom call, (and) take the things out of the boxes. Because I will show you, step by step, how to do the rest — from prepping, to the cooking, to the ending.”

The first session will teach viewers how to prepare traditional Spanish paella, with strawberries and cream for dessert and mojitos for toasting each other’s progress. It’s a meal the chef said is very special to her:

“I used to work as a server in a Spanish restaurant, and that’s when I fell in love with paella. I think it’s such an amazing plate that has so much flavor and history to it. And not only that. It’s such a big plate that it really does bring people together. Like, you will need three or four friends to share that dish with you.”

The ingredient boxes for the event cost $65 and must be reserved by Sunday. Pickups can be scheduled between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. next Wednesday or Thursday at the 6000 W. Cheyenne Ave. La Bonita location or the one at 2851 N. Green Valley Parkway in Henderson.

There are three additional lessons scheduled this year. On May 13, Chef La Che will lead viewers in making Cinco De Mayo chicken mole with homemade tortillas and traditional margaritas. That will be followed by shrimp ceviche, homemade guacamole, Argentine grilling and sangria on Aug. 12. On Nov. 11, the chef will lead people through holiday tamales, rice pudding and spiked Mexican hot chocolate.

You can find more information, and make a reservation, at reviewjournal.com/cooking.

Contact Al Mancini at amancini@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlManciniVegas on Twitter.