Eat, Drink, Savor: Chef Jamrock, gingerbread houses and a perfect paella

Lea este artículo en español aquí.

In the six months since Chef David Jamrock opened his Culinary Arts Center in Hollister, he has gone from doing regularly scheduled cooking classes—demonstrating how to prepare everything from Beef Bourguignon to Thai Pineapple Fried Rice—to pop-up events at Crave, including an upcoming paring celebrating the 50th anniversary of Calera Wine Company. He’s now offering Christmas-themed classes.

Jamrock has been cooking professionally since he was 15, has worked in high-end restaurants nationwide, and catered private events for clients including the late former Pres. Ronald Reagan and actor Harrison Ford. 

“I just love cooking,” Jamrock said. “I just love food. I still do all-out cooking, like weddings and pig roasts, but what I like about my little spot here is that it’s private. These classes are small, so I only pick up what I need to get so everything’s fresh.”

The cooking classes rotate through a selection of nearly 100 dishes, focusing on Italian, Asian, Regional American and French cuisines, along with desserts from around the world. Attendees are given the raw ingredients they need to prepare the dishes, and work with a state-of-the-art induction stovetop, knives and utensils. Most importantly, Jamrock delivers step-by-step instructions, starting with basics—including the proper way to slice an onion.

“The little tips and tricks seem to be what people like,” he said. “People get scared by the idea of cooking classic dishes, thinking it’s too involved, when it’s really much simpler than it seems. I don’t put anything in these dishes you can’t find in a grocery store.”

And sometimes the tiniest things can make all the difference in the preparation. For his recent class on paella, for example, he stressed using water rather than broth, which would compete with the more delicate flavor of the saffron. And he pointed out that saffron, one of the most expensive ingredients in cooking, can be substituted with safflower, derived from thistle, which is available at a fraction of the price. 

To ensure perfect rice, Jamrock recommends a “dirty little secret” that restaurants use: buy parboiled rice. “The expensive version is Uncle Ben’s up on the top shelf,” he said. “You’ll find the cheaper version on the bottom shelf, sort of kicked into the corner.”

Jamrock started a recent holiday cooking class by having the attendees make tapas from a do-it-yourself tray of ingredients that included large-cap mushrooms, chorizo, precooked potatoes, assorted cheeses and other nibbles that could be assembled as desired. Jamrock offered some examples on his tray, like halved plum tomatoes stuffed with soft cheese, and, after giving enough time for imaginations to run wild, gathered the results to put in the oven while going over the steps for the paella. 

Everyone chopped their veggies and sauteed them, adding the rice and water and carefully placing the seafood on top of the mixture. While the paella was cooking, Jamrock went through the steps to create flan, which he served at the end of the meal. He also made a quick salad to accompany the appetizers that had been baked while the paella was being prepared. And with that, then dinner was on….

(Pro tip: if you have forgotten to bring a bottle of wine to go with your dinner, G&J Liquor Mart, just a few doors down from Jamrock’s kitchen, has a nice selection, including some local choices.)

Alan Amerain, attending the class for the first time, described the food as “better than good—terrific, excellent.” 

“It has been a fantastic experience,” he said. “I learned more tonight than I could possibly remember—I have to make notes when I get home! Different cooking techniques, such as how to handle the stove and knives—it’s much more than just preparing a recipe. I would do it again any time.”

Jamrock varies the themes of his lessons throughout the week, and the kitchen can be rented out for small parties that wish to learn particular dishes. He also offers his Teen Cooking Camps, the next of which is scheduled to start in January.

“For the kids,” he said, “We had different themes for the three days: Italian with ravioli, Asian with sushi rolls, and the last was a pizza party. We made desserts to go along with each day. And the kids got to take home all the recipes. It’s a nice thing to do while the kids are on vacation.”

For the holiday season, Jamrock is also holding special classes on building and decorating gingerbread houses, baking traditional Italian cookies and creating classic Yule Logs and croquembouche towers.

On Dec. 15, Jamrock will collaborate with Crave Wine Co. on a tasting menu that will accompany selections from Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2024.  Crave co-owner Mike Kohne said that he considers Jamrock to be one of the great hidden talents in the county’s food scene. 

“We’ve done a couple of events together,” Kohne said, “and everybody loves his food. We are very lucky to be working with him, and we are happy that we are getting a chance to expose our clientele to what he can do.”

Recipe from Jamrock Culinary Arts: Paella w/ Seafood and Chicken
(PDF version)

For 4 servings

24 medium peeled shrimp
24 little-neck clams
24 black mussels
1 medium onion, small dice
1 green bell pepper, small dice
8 oz chicken, large dice
1 cup diced tomato
1 ½ cups parboiled rice
3 cups water
2 oz. veg oil
Pinch of saffron or safflower flower strands

Sauté onions and peppers until translucent.
Add chicken and lightly sauté till seared on all sides.
Add rice.
Stir in and add water and tomatoes.
Season with salt and pepper.

When it comes to a boil, turn the heat to low.
Add saffron.
Arrange seafood in a circle in the pan.
Cover for about 30 minutes on very low.

Serve from your pan on the table, family style.

Enjoy! 

Chef Dave Jamrock

Jamrock Culinary Arts Center
191 San Felipe Rd, Suite
Hollister, CA 95023
(831)537-3500

Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.

BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.

We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.