DUE TO CHANGES IN OUR PERSONAL VENUE, WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING CLIENTS. PLEASE LOOK FOR US IN THE FUTURE AS WE REVISIT A NEW BUSINESS CONCEPT.
MEANWHILE, WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED COOKING WITH US! THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND PAST SUPPORT.
Who We Are
Established on October 2010, The Cooking Apprentice LLC spices up SF Bay Area’s historic Brentwood, named one of the Best Communities for Young People, with an array of interactive cooking workshops and private cooking events for children, individuals and families alike.
Our Mission Statement
Enriching the joy of food and camaraderie in the kitchen
Our Goal
Our notion is that you don’t have to be a great cook in order to cook great food; rather we focus on basics that can be replicated across a wide array of dishes together with an innovative, interactive and fun experience that teaches important life skills through the art, math and science of cooking.
ACF Certified Culinary Educator * NRFS (Safe Food Handlers) Certified * Fully Insured
Xavier Clerc
“I consider the discovery of a dish which sustains our appetite and prolongs our pleasures as a far more interesting event than the discovery of a star.” -Henrion de Pensey
A former store and district manager for both small and large scale retailers, this self-made chef’s passion with food arose as a young man while watching his grandfather prepare classical dishes, which aroused his pallet and emotions. By joint effort with his wife Grace, the vision of The Cooking Apprentice where others can experience similar joy, brought forth their entrepreneurial adventure and compassion for food.
Xavier holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a minor in International Relations from Golden Gate University, San Francisco. Professionally, he has over 10 years combined experience in retail management, human resources, sales, training and development, safety, and mediation. ACF Certified Culinary Educator.
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Grace Clerc
“When you are good at something it creates a confidence. When you are insecure about something it creates an arrogance.” -Gordon Ramsay
A former Human Resource Administrator in the field of Recruitment, Grace’s true passion and ability to work with people inspired her to become an owner of a wedding & social event planning business. Alongside her career and ‘mommy time’, Grace’s aspiration for cooking derived from her eldest son’s knack for baking. Together with her husband Xavier, their entrepreneurial spirit took flight and the idea of The Cooking Apprentice was created.
Grace holds a Masters degree in Human Resource Management and a bachelors degree in Human Relations, with a minor in Human Resources from Golden Gate University, San Francisco. She has over 25 years combined experience in Retail, Banking, and Human Resource Management. Certified Wedding and Social Event Coordinator. NRFS (Safe Food Handlers) Certified.
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Brendan Cross
“It’s RAW!…Shut it down!”–Gordon Ramsay [Hell's Kitchen]
This photo of Brendan reflects the humble beginning of his career as an avid baker. Soon to enter The Arts Institute, SF Culinary Arts Program in October Brendan currently brings to us his self-taught knowledge through the number of pastries (and dishes) we have enjoyed to date. Unbeknownst only as a ‘science project’ in high school, he hopes to bring this continuous knowledge into the many hearts of children and families alike whose passion lies parallel to his.
Brendan graduated from Heritage High School, Brentwood in 2011 with a Principal’s Honor Roll and a Merit Award for his four years dedication to the Heritage High School Band–Symphonic and Drum Line.
Check out Brendan’s Portfolio on Facebook!