About

Events

Travel with SF Spanish

       Immersive Spanish in Argentina 

                        April 2024

Are you interested in expanding your cultural knowledge and language skills through an immersive experience?


Are you open to trying new activities and experiencing new customs?

Are you ready to challenge yourself, both personally and academically, by participating in an immersive program?

Are you ready to make memories and experience personal growth that will last a lifetime?

If you answered YES to any of the above, please take this short form about an immersive program in Argentina.

Complete our short form clicking here!

Traveling to Argentina?

🌟 Unlock Exclusive Discounts for Your Buenos Aires Stay! 🌟 

                     Check it Out!

Planning your visit to Buenos Aires? We've got a special treat for you!

Contact us, and we'll not only recommend the perfect place to stay but also connect you with an exclusive discount for your accommodation. It's our way of making your trip extra special!

Don't miss out on this fantastic offer—get in touch now and enjoy a discounted stay in the heart of Buenos Aires!

Review Us!

Meet the Chef

 

"Cooking is synonymous with Love - It provides a connection to your internal world and brings you back to your childhood..."  -Chef Castillo


Award-winning Chef Castillo has been cooking since he was 7 years old in his home country of El Salvador where he grew up on a farm, helping his Dad grow corn, beans and vegetables. As a result, he is no stranger to organically farmed produce and grass-fed cows and chickens, which were staples in his childhood.

Not customary for men to cook or even even step into the kitchen in El Salvador, it did not occur to Chef Castillo that he could pursue a career in the culinary arts until he moved to Oaxaca, Mexico. There his interest in cooking was further piqued by the wide spectrum of Oaxacan cuisine, and he decided to attend the famous culinary program at La Casa de Los Sabores for two years.

The rest is history as they say. Now many miles from his native home, Chef Castillo has served as chef in many kitchens in the SF Bay Area, most recently as sous chef at Stella Alpina, a rustic Northern Italian restaurant in Burlingame, CA.

Awards and Passions
He also captured first place in the 2006 Honey National Board Competition that required the 16 teams competing to create a multi-course dinner using honey as the key ingredient - He and and his team's  foie gras appetizer made with cactus honey scored big with the judges.

Chef Castillo is passionate about cooking and food, and about learning everything he can about the culinary arts. Currently finishing his B.S. in Hotel Management and Tourism at San Francisco State University, he knows for sure that he will open a Salvadorian fusion restaurant when his studies are completed.

Until that time, we feel fortunate to have him share his extensive knowledge of Latin American foods at our cooking workshops. We stopped by the SF City College campus for a brief interview, and here are a few fun things that we learned about our busy chef:


What is your favorite food?

"Salvadorian (he says with a smile). Especially homemade pupusas with homemade cheese."

 

What is the "strangest" meat that you have ever eaten?

"Black Iguana! it is commonly prepared and eaten back home and tastes BETTER than chicken..."

 

Where did you learn the most about cooking?

"That is a tough one...you learn different things at school than you do on the job. I have also learned a lot from older people who have an almost  ritualistic approach to cooking, styles and tastes carried down from generation to generation.

 

Why should students join SF Spanish Cooking Workshop?

"It is a hands-on opportunity to get back to good cooking habits that promote eating healthy and knowing exactly what you are putting on the table."

 

What makes you a good teacher?

"My goal is to make complicated tasks easy, and when it is easy, students learn best. I impart all the knowledge I have, so that students can cook even better than me - That is when I know that I have done a good job."

 

Who is your culinary icon?

"Jacques Pepin who cooked with Julia Childs - they cooked elaborate meals in an easy way to understand."

 

What is your favorite cooking magazine?

"Bon Appetit - they have great articles about real chefs."

 

What are your favorite films or TV shows about cooking?

"Babette's Feast and TV show Iron Chef."

 

 

Credentials

Certified Chef from the National Restaurant Association

A.S. Culinary Arts, City College of San Francisco

Culinary Institute of America (C.I.A.), Culinary Arts, St. Helena

A.S. Hotel and Restaurant Management, SF State University

A.S. Food Science and Nutrition, SF State University

B.S. Hotel Management and Tourism (current studies)

 

 


 

© 2024   Created by Romina Mancilla.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service