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John Sedlar’s garden class; baking with Zoe Nathan and Sherry Yard; new menu at Valentino

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Rivera chef John Sedlar planted a garden called Cielo Verde atop what used to be Playa, the more casual restaurant he ran on Beverly Boulevard. He’s no longer associated with that space -- it’s now Walter Manzke’s Petty Cash taco joint -- but he still keeps up the garden.

And you can learn about how Cielo Verde inspires him in a cooking class at Rivera on Sept. 21. Sedlar will teach you how to make tamales with the lipstick peppers he grows there. You’ll also get a directed wine tasting and a class on making cocktails with fall fruits from Rivera sommelier Mark Mendoza.

It’s all $75 before tax and tip and you can reserve a spot by emailing Rivera.

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BAKE WITH THE PROS

Swear this is the year you’re finally going to learn to bake? Here’s a great place to start. Two of Southern California’s best pastry chefs will be teaching cooking classes at legendary teacher Anne Willan’s home in Santa Monica.

Willan, who ran the landmark La Varenne cooking school in Burgundy for many years, is hosting Zoe Nathan (Rustic Canyon, Huckleberry, Milo and Olive, Sweet Rose Creamery) as well as former Spago and future Helms Bakery pastry chef Sherry Yard.

Nathan will be teaching Oct. 5; Yard will be teaching Nov. 2. Classes are $250 and limited to 15 students. For more information call (310) 396-7464 or email La Varenne.

WHAT’S ON VALENTINO’S NEW MENU?

Piero Selvaggio promised a revamped menu focused on Southern Italy when he pulled Valentino restaurant off the market a couple of weeks ago. And now he and chef Nicco Chessa have delivered.

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The new Cucina del Sud menu features dishes such as cuttlefish with artichokes and bottarga, veal brain fritters with cipole all’agrodolce, swordfish carpaccio, spaghetti with sea urchin (or more bottarga), and salt-baked branzino. Among the desserts are watermelon-jasmine jelly, prickly pear sorbet and chocolate-covered candied orange.

Appetizers run about $15 and main courses are about $30. A four-course prix-fixe menu costs $70.

Valentino, 3115 Pico Blvd Santa Monica, (310) 829-4313.

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