Eleanor Hoh's Wok Cooking Class Still Popular After Two Decades

After nearly 20 years, Eleanor Hoh's Wok Star series remains strong. If you've never been, think of it as a masterclass in Asian stir-fry, where you'll learn one-dish cooking techniques while sipping prosecco and contemplating whether you should buy a wok to take home.

Hoh, a onetime owner of a cooking school in Key West, preaches an approach to cooking that's creative without the need to follow recipes, hunt down ingredients, or measure seasonings.

In the past two decades, she's remained relevant and built a growing tribe of "wok stars" by trekking across Miami-Dade with a ready-to-use cast-iron wok, chopped vegetables, and a passion for teaching how to make simple and fast meals. Classes are typically held inside high-end kitchen design stores, such as ItalKraft in Aventura or Boffi in the Design District.

The three-hour experience centers on four seasonings — tamari, sherry, pepper, and cornstarch — which Hoh demonstrates can be used to prepare everything from shrimp and tilapia to chicken and ground turkey. Hoh concentrates on technique rather than recipes, allowing students to adapt her method into other dishes they'd prefer to cook at home, such as paella or shredded chicken with Mexican diced tomatoes and cilantro.

After class, she sends attendees home with flyers full of reliable brands and local sources, as well as a flow chart with helpful tips for those who want to whip out a wok on their own.

"The best reward is hearing people say my cooking techniques transformed their entire approach to cooking and eating," she says.

Hoh spends part of the class discussing her Wok Star bundle, which contains everything needed to cook similar dishes at home. The $216 set includes a cast-iron wok, a portable gas stove, seasonings, and access to her online classes.

Keep an eye out for future class dates on Hoh's Eventbrite page.

For more information, visit eleanorhoh.com.