» Celebrity Guest Chefs

From time to time we invite local or celebrity chefs to share their expertise. The special celebrity appearances offer you the unique opportunity to learn from experienced chefs, many who have written cookbooks, appeared on national television shows, cooked at world-famous restaurants, or have been trained at renowned culinary institutes. So don’t just buy the cookbook, come to a class and learn from the author!

Domenico Germano
Born in Molise, Italy, Domenico spent most of his youth in and among the vineyards and pastures of Santa Maria. This small village is rich in tradition and renowned as the pasta capital of the world. Over the years Domenico worked in several kitchens including his aunt’s restaurant and for the Specialty Division of Frisch’s Restaurants where he became the Executive Chef. In 1986, with the help of his wife and two sons he opened Germano’s Ristorante in Glendale – now located in Montgomery.

Randall Price
Randall was born and raised in Middletown, Ohio. Exposure to French cooking while in the South led to a passion to learn more. He taught himself to cook from the classic books of Julia Child, Dionne Lucas, and Jacques Pepin. Returning to Cincinnati, he cooked at the Brandywine Inn in Monroe for five years. A prize winning chocolate cake took him to Paris where he met Anne Willan at Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne. After completing the Grande Diplome program he went to Hungary and became the chef for the American Ambassador.

He has worked as recipe tester, researcher, and food stylist for a number of Anne Willan’s books, and he is now Resident Chef at La Varenne’s Chateau du Fey in Burgundy. A frequent contributor to Fine Cooking magazine, he is currently completing work on his first book Randall Price Cooking for Joy, which is a collection of stories and recipes.

Paul Dagenbach
Paul graduated from the Greater Cincinnati Culinary Arts Academy. He was a chef at the Palace in Cincinnati, Sturkey’s Restaurant and Encore Bistro & Bar Restaurant. Paul’s fine cuisine can be sampled at DeSha’s which is part of the Tavern Restaurant Group. He is best known for his innovative cuisine.

What better way to celebrate fall or the holidays than with a dinner party. So rush an invitation to that special someone or a group of your closest friends. Add a bottle ofwine and your favorite music, and you’ll have an evening that will be remembered for a long time to come!

Gina Stipo
Gina’s classes focus on the simplicity and purity of the Tuscan table. Classically trained at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City, Gina interned with Odette Fada at San Domenico restaurant. Ten years ago, she moved to Tuscany to cook and develop a culinary program for an estate, and has been in the Siena area ever since. Gina owns Ecco La Cucina, a cooking school and culinary adventure company located in Siena. Gina has authored three regional cookbooks, two of them for private estates and the most recent entitled “Ecco La Cucina”, a collection of traditional recipes from the Siena area.

Gina has spent many years studying the cuisine of Italy, traveling frequently and visiting different regions, working with chefs and home cooks to learn the regional differences and traditions that make up the world-renowned cuisine of Italy. Truly an international chef, Gina visits the United States each year to teach classes.

Join us in welcoming Chef Gina Stipo to Jungle Jim’s. A few years ago, Gina led a group from our cooking school through the Tuscan countryside, visiting local wineries, restaurants and regional artisan specialty shops – while teaching us classes in Italian cuisine. Enjoy the simple, delicious foods of Tuscany and learn how adaptable they can be to the home kitchen.

Note: Gina’s cookbook, “Ecco la Cucina,” will be available at class at a 10% discount. She will be happy to autograph your copy.

Celebrity Chefs at the Cooking School have included:

Shirley Corriher - Cookbook Author / Class Instructor / Lecturer / Industry Consultant / Television Personality
Pam Anderson - Cookbook Author / Class Instructor
Nick Malgieri - Baking Program Director / Institute of Culinary Education
Jean-Robert de Cavel - Co-Owner-Chef / French Restaurant Group
David Cook - Owner-Chef / Daveed’s
Giuliano Bugialli - Chef / Author / Foods of Italy, Inc.
Judith Fertig - Food Writer / Cookbook Author
Julia della Croce - Restaurant Critic-Cookbook Author
Yajan Upadhyaya - Co-Owner-Chef / Cumin Indian Fusion Cuisine
Sara Foster - Culinary Expert-Owner / Foster's Market
Molly Stevens - Food Writer-Editor / Cooking Teacher
Randall Price - Resident Chef / La Varenne
Paul Dagenbach - Chef / deSha's / Tavern Restaurant Group
Andrew Schloss - President / Culinary Generations, Inc
Justin Dumcum - Executive Chef / The Oceanaire Seafood Room