Courtesy of Miranda Guettlein
“The Great British Bake Off” has been a fan favorite among cooking enthusiasts for years, and in honor of season 16 releasing September 2025, local restaurant Ginger and Baker hosted a cooking class inspired by the show Sept. 18, highlighting well-known recipes from celebrity chef and judge on the show, Paul Hollywood. The class was offered from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m Sept. 18.
The class focused on three dishes: a dark chocolate raspberry cake with chocolate fudge frosting and fresh raspberry on top; a pear tarte tatin, a classic French pastry made with homemade caramel; and lastly, a cheese and chive scone with parmesan and green onions.
The teaching kitchen is set up with four tables, each seating up to four people who work together to create their dish. Each table is equipped with its own set of cooking tools and ingredients prepped and ready to go before participants walk through the door.
Ingredients for the class are locally sourced, either from Ginger and Baker’s own farm or from the chefs’ personal stashes. Miranda Guettlein, the teaching kitchen coordinator with 15 years of experience in bakeries and kitchens, curates the majority of the recipes for each class, and she also occasionally provides ingredients from her garden.
“I have a garden (and) our executive chef has a garden and a bunch of fruit trees, so we sort of all contribute to the magic,” Guettlein said.
The pears for the tarte tatin were sourced from the Executive Chef Chris Perrine’s own garden.
Class types vary from cooking, baking and mixology, with new themes for each class and six to eight classes offered each week. Some classes even teach how to make the very dishes served at Ginger and Baker’s restaurant.
“We try to change things out seasonally, too,” Guettlein said. “We use a lot of fresh, local produce, so (we are) making sure that, as the seasons change, the menus change to reflect that.”
As participants filled the room, all types of people shared tables with the common goal to bake. A mother and her 12-year-old son sat with a married couple on a date night; on the other side of the room, a Colorado State University graduate student sat with their partner with another couple; and across from them, a couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.
The class itself isn’t all work and no play; throughout the class, anyone can order food and drinks from the kitchen and bar to enjoy while cooking.
Guettlein said no experience is necessary.
“(We have) people who have never cooked a meal for themselves before, and then we have people who do cook all the time but want to learn new recipes and techniques,” Guettlein said.
Some participants in the class took previous classes at Ginger and Baker, but for others, it was their first time. Regardless, as the class proceeded, all skill levels were taken into consideration by the instructor.
Before starting, the chef instructor for the night, Zach Heller, gave a brief overview of his background, the recipe and what they would be making, as well as kitchen safety.
Heller has been at Ginger and Baker for just over seven months. From New York City to London, he has found himself working in restaurants across the globe since he graduated high school. His experience ranges from working at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park to helping open several restaurants, as well as private chef work. Now he’s at Ginger and Baker as a teaching chef, among other positions at the restaurants and bars in the building.
Throughout the class, Heller offered insights on the recipes, alternatives participants can use in the future and tips and tricks they can use in their own kitchen. He shared his knowledge and experience, ready to answer any question.
Once hands were washed and instructions were given on where and how to begin, the participants were off. A hesitant start slowly shifted into a lively environment of collaboration, as each table worked together to create their dish, Heller moving about the tables to help out wherever needed. The class held balance between guidance and instruction and individually driven work.
Once the class started, there were few breaks, as recipes overlapped to get them all done, but dishes were moved aside to ease the clean up process. Traditionally, classes spend the first two hours cooking, with the last hour set aside to enjoy the food they have made, almost always with leftovers to take home.
“When everyone gets to eat their food, … I like the satisfaction of seeing people be impressed by themselves,” Heller said when asked about his favorite part.
The teaching kitchen is a unique experience offered by the restaurant, and it is organized by the team with that in mind.
As put by the owner herself, Ginger Graham: “Miranda and Zach make miracles happen in here.”
The teaching kitchen’s schedule of future classes can be found on its website.
Reach Annamarie Burford at life@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.