San Francisco Cooking School Opens With Local Restaurant Stars (PHOTOS)

"Being a chef is about teaching," said Delfina founder Craig Stoll to a group of journalists in the immaculate kitchen of the new San Francisco Cooking School (SFCS).

Stoll is a dean at the new culinary school, which opened its doors for novice workshops last month and will launch its professional program in January.

According to Stoll, whose restaurant group has become a household name in San Francisco, the problem with many culinary programs is not that students don't learn to cook, but that they don’t learn how to work at a restaurant.

"You can be the best cook in the world, but if you can't communicate to your staff you will never make it," said Stoll. "SFCS will give students a thorough understanding of what it takes to succeed in the business."

The program at SFCS is thus focused both on kitchen skills and on professional development with a sharp focus on externships, networking and specialty coursework including food media and catering.

And Stoll is just one of several local stars shining at the new kitchen. His fellow deans are Daniel Patterson of Coi and Bill Corbett of Absinthe, and teaching chefs include Brandon Jew (Bar Agricole), Stuart Brioza (State Bird Provisions) and Matthew Accarrino (SPQR). Externships for the professional program have been secured at Nopa, Locanda, Francer, Aziza and others.

"We don't want to just pump out grads because they paid a price," said Corbett to The Huffington Post. "We want to build chefs from the ground up."

The school is accepting applications for the intimate professional program this January. But for now, home cooks can get in on the action at SFCS workshops on macaroons, cocktails, brunch and something called Tasting Workshop. Obviously we're on board.

Check out photos of the new space in the slideshow below, and stay tuned for more on the San Francisco Cooking School: