The fourth annual Jewish Chef series kicks off Jan. 23 at Temple Israel in Alameda with an Oakland city council member turned chocolatier.
Four years ago, at age 60, Nancy Nadel found a passion for chocolate that led her to open the Oakland Chocolate Company. Nadel, who is serving her fourth term as an Oakland city council member, will be joined in her presentation (10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.) by Avital Ungar, a guide with the Gourmet Walks Company, which visits seven artisan chocolate shops in San Francisco.
Other speakers in the series: Jan. 30, Jonathan Wornick, co-owner of Oakland kosher vegetarian restaurant Amba; Feb. 6, Amelia Prapher-Nahman and Evan Bloom, who each operate food carts; and Feb. 13, Michael Rose, co-owner of Semifreddi’s bakery.
The popular Jewish Chef series, a fundraiser for the temple’s religious school, includes presentations and tastings, as opposed to the traditional cooking class structure. The cost is $25 per event or $80 for the series. For more information, visit www.templeisraelalameda.org, call (510) 522-9355 or e-mail [email protected].