Chef Liron Regev

Liron was the Sous Pastry Chef for the grand opening of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem and worked there until she relocated to the US in 2015. Most recently, Liron worked at the Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland. Liron looks forward to continuing the rich Jewish and culinary family traditions here at the Merage JCC.

Read More About Chef Liron

From a young age Liron would help her mother in the kitchen, creating the menus and preparing the food for the many guests who crowded their table. After serving in the Israel Defense Forces, Liron attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, where she studied baking and pastry arts, and completed her degree with high honors. Returning to Israel, Liron studied Hotel, Food and Tourism Management at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Upon her graduation, Liron was the Sous Pastry Chef for the grand opening of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem and worked there until she relocated to the US in 2015. Most recently, Liron worked at the Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland. Liron looks forward to continuing the rich Jewish and culinary family traditions she learned in her parent’s home with her son Eitan who is currently a preschooler at the Aronoff Preschool at the Merage JCC. She can make a mean salted caramel macaron and many more drool-worthy treats, savory and sweet.)

Chef Eli Meyer

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Eli brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from his time in Napa, California. Raised in a Jewish household in Southern California, Eli developed a deep-rooted connection to traditional Ashkenazi cuisine, which continues to inspire his teaching and culinary approach to this day,

Read More About Chef Eli

From a young age, chef Eli Meyer was drawn to the kitchen, learning to cook alongside his grandmother during family celebrations like Chanukah and Passover. Those early experiences sparked a lifelong passion for food—not just for the flavors, but for the joy of bringing people together around the table. At 18, Eli began his culinary career working as a dishwasher at Carmine’s on Penn in Denver C.O. Determined to turn his love of cooking into a craft, he attended the Culinary Institute of America at the Greystone campus in Napa Valley, where he immersed himself in classical techniques and discovered a deep interest in the world of wine pairing. While in school, Eli began working at B Cellars Winery, honing his understanding of how food and wine can elevate each other. After graduating, Eli joined Theorem Vineyards in Calistoga, California. There, he deepened his expertise in wine pairing, butchery, farm-to-table cuisine, and gourmet preparation—eventually rising from assistant to Sous Chef of the winery’s food program. Now, Eli passes on his love for cooking by teaching and inspiring others, all while keeping alive the traditions and values that sparked his journey.

Private Parties

Treat your friends and family to a private cooking class. Perfect for birthdays, holidays, milestone events, and just having fun! Celebrate in the most delicious way with a hands-on, private cooking class in the NEW Blaze Bernstein School of Culinary Arts. Chef Liron will work with you to customize a menu of your choice.

This booking is great for kids too. Budding chefs will go home with full bellies and delicious memories. No mess, prep or clean-up for families to worry about! We offer 2-hour class for up to 10 adults or children, ages 5 and up.

Stern Family Teaching Kitchen

Our newly constructed kitchen is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and offers both dairy and meat cooking classes. The space is configured for instructive and interactive cooking classes, as well as holiday cooking workshops and guest chef seminars. It is a place where people come together to cook, eat, laugh, learn, and to build community.

Blaze Bernstein School of Culinary Arts

Blaze had a passion for cooking. The seed was planted at a very young age, when Blaze would cook for Shabbat and other meals with his mom. He was adept at chemistry and loved great food. His family wanted the culinary school to carry Blaze’s name to inspire children and adults of all ages to pursue their passion and find happiness in something that was close to their son’s heart. #BlazeItForward 

Kashrut Policy

The Jewish dietary laws of kashrut are observed in our teaching kitchen where there is a strict separation of meat and dairy foods. It is a Kosher kitchen without official Rabbinical supervision or a “mashgiach,” that maintains separate supplies and equipment, and only certified kosher ingredients are used.

Allergens

Food items used in the teaching kitchen may contain or come into contact with wheat, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, milk and fish.

Class Sizes

This kitchen is a place where people come together to cook, eat, laugh, learn and to build community. Classes are limited in size to allow for safety precautions and hands-on instruction. All skill levels welcome.