There’s a Lesson Here

This being the cooking and giving season, consider taking a cooking class or giving them as gifts to others who like to cook and eat. Here are a few upcoming ones:

At Woodside (11604 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood), chef Dean Max will be demonstrating holiday hors d’oeuvres and desserts on Dec. 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. After the class (which runs $60), you can snarf down what he made along with appropriate wines. With pastry chef Wendy Jacobs, he’s also teaching a cookie-making class for youngsters between 6 and 12 ($25). The kids get hands-on experience and take home what they’ve made. Call (310) 571-3800 to reserve class spaces.

John Connolly, chef-owner of Connolly’s (11510 W. Pico Blvd., L.A.), shares his catering secrets in a holiday-entertaining class from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 7. He’ll discuss planning the perfect cocktail party and demonstrate a full range of buffet hors d’oeuvres; $60. Call (310) 479-2133 to reserve a space.

Now, on to the news.

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Chef Shuffles: The Beverly Hills I Fornaio has swiped the senior sous chef from the Santa Monica Il Fornaio. David Giani of Florence, Italy, is now executive chef and partner at the Beverly Hills location. . . . Over on Sunset Boulevard in L.A., Mirabelle also has a (relatively) new toque in the kitchen. San Franciscan Mark Gonzales has moved the menu in a lighter, healthier direction, but the cuisine still combines classic American food and Mediterranean influences.

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Menu Ditherings: Connolly’s recently has gotten a wine license and now has a wine list that pays homage to small producers. “The wine list, like our restaurant, is slightly esoteric,” Connolly says. Not to worry, though; the list includes descriptions of the unfamiliar selections. . . . Le Chardonnay, on Melrose Avenue in L.A., expands its lunch service from Friday only to Tuesday through Friday, noon to 2 p.m. In addition to classic French lunch dishes like filet steak sandwich Cafe de Paris with French fries ($14.75), it has a daily-changing three-course lunch menu at $15. . . . Patina, on Melrose, is now serving its annual game menu. The restaurant flies in wild game from Scotland (e.g., partridge, grouse, pigeon, venison), does masterful things with it in the kitchen and serves it to you for around $35 an entree. Call (323) 467-1108 for reservations.

Jennifer Naylor throws her annual white truffle dinner at Granita in Malibu on Dec. 3. There’ll be truffles in every course: the palate tickler, the antipasto, the pasta, the fish, the meat, the salad and cheese and even the dessert. The tab is $98 (food only; a special wine pairing for the dinner is available at additional cost). Reservations are being taken from 6 to 9 p.m.

* Granita, 23725 W. Malibu Road, Malibu; (310) 456-0488.

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A Foray Into Swedish Culture: Gustaf Anders, the Swedish restaurant across the street from South Coast Plaza, will roll out its smorgasbord for lunch and dinner during most of the month of December (Dec. 1-27). Technically, “smorgasbord” means sandwich table, but this spread is set with cold and warm seafood dishes like smoked trout, salmon mousse, caviar, four kinds of flavored herring and the classic lye-cured codfish dish lutefisk. There are also cold and warm meats, such as smoked reindeer, ham, lamb, sausages, meatballs and stew. By the way, it is proper to visit the smorgasbord table in multiple trips, rather than piling your plate to heaping just once. On the first trip you pick up some flavored herring and potatoes, then you go back for cold fish and seafood dishes. Trip No. 3, you hit the warm dishes. By the fourth expedition you’re onto the cold meats. And trip No. 5, if you make it that far, gains you access to the warm meat dishes. The price is $39 at lunch and $49 at dinner. On Dec. 13, a Santa Lucia procession will make its way through the restaurant at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. This is a blond girl with candles in her hair singing Swedish Christmas carols with other blond girls. * Gustaf Anders, 1651 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana; (714) 668-1737.

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Winemaker Dinner. On Tuesday, Alto Palato in West Hollywood will be hosting a winemaker dinner. Guest of honor: John Alban of Alban Vineyards, a specialist in Rhone varietals. For the event, Alto Palato’s new chef, Paolo Monti, has created a five-course menu to accompany Alban’s Viognier, Roussane, Syrah, and Grenache. The cost is $60 per person. Call (310) 657-9271 for reservations.

For a list of places to go for Thanksgiving dinner tonight, visit the Restaurants & Cafes page of the Calendar Live Website at www.calendarlive.com.

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