Chef Matt Jennings Credit: Courtesy of Matt Jennings

Acclaimed chef Matt Jennings teams up with the Essex Culinary Resort & Spa for a two-part cooking demonstration and supper. During the chef’s afternoon workshop, Jennings — a four-time James Beard Award nominee and New England Culinary Institute grad — will walk students through recipes from his recent book, Homegrown: Cooking From My New England Roots. He’ll also share tips for coaxing flavor from healthy, everyday foods. At the sit-down dinner that evening, he’ll put his words to work on several plated courses crafted from regional ingredients in the Essex’s restaurant.

Cooking Demonstration & Dinner with Matthew Jennings: Saturday, January 26, demonstration, 1-3 p.m., $50; dinner, 6:30-10 p.m., $98, the Essex Culinary Resort & Spa. Info, 878-1100, essexresort.com.

More food events

Hot Chocolate Bar: Chocolate factory visitors warm up with free cups of sipping chocolate. Feeling boozy? Add a shot of Mad River Distillers whiskey for $5. Friday, January 25, 5-7 p.m., Lake Champlain Chocolates, Pine St., Burlington. Free. Info, lakechamplainchocolates.com.

We Are Open AF Tuxedo Gala: The makers behind ZAFA Wines and Shacksbury ciders don “interpretative” tuxedos for a grand-opening bash pairing paella with local beverages and tunes from DJ Disco Phantom. Saturday, January 26, 5-10 p.m., CO Cellars, Burlington. Cost of food and drink. Info, cocellarsvt.com.

Ice Carving Competition & Ice Bar: Stowe Winter Carnival’s pro ice sculptors show off their skills in a live carving competition; hopheads gather for fresh brews and snacks to boot. Saturday, January 26, noon-7 p.m., the Alchemist Brewery & Visitor Center, Stowe. Cost of food and drink. Info, 882-8165, stowewintercarnival.com.

Hannah Palmer Egan was a Seven Days food writer from 2014-2019. She was a 2017 James Beard Journalism Award finalist for her coverage of Vermont's food and agriculture industries, and received food writing awards from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia. She lives in northeast Pennsylvania with her family, where she works in the outdoor lifestyle and adventure tourism industry.