The following article was submitted by Andrew Dunbar, the General Manager and Chef at Ryan’s on York in Manitowoc.
When the library first asked me to do a teen cooking class, I thought I was at the top of the world. Showing teens how to do something that I love would be an easy and fun task.
But then, during the days leading up to the teen event, something that I didn’t expect to happen happened—adults started to ask for a class. Cries of “When is the Adult class?” and “We wanna learn, too!” filled the comments on MPL’s Facebook Event page, as well as Ryan’s on York’s Facebook post about the teen program. That’s when I knew that I needed to host an Adult Night and much to my glee the library once again invited me to come teach a class for them.
The great part of putting this adult class together is the time of year during which it’s taking place. In the Fall, we get such an amazing lineup of flavors. It’s the perfect food time of year! So, looking through some cook books at the library—which they have an amazing selection of—I came across some old pasta recipes under the heading “Pasta and Autumn.” Sounds like a match made in heaven!
But, wait. Doing that means I’d need multiple pasta makers, rolling pins, and lots of table space. “Maybe that’s not going to work after all,” I thought. But, just when it seemed as if all pasta hope was lost, I remembered a classic dish—a personal favorite—that fit perfectly into the space, equipment, and flavor outline I had already begun to formulate.
GNOCCHI!!!! The Perfect Little Pillows of Potato.
And with it being Fall, why not toss some sweet potato into the mix? We could work individually or, better yet, in groups to make some additional dough for each participant. That way, our chefs for the evening will be able to take some home to recreate the dish for their family and still be able to boil off a batch that we make as a team to enjoy together in the Balkansky Room that night. We’ll make the gnocchi even more savory with a Butternut squash and walnut sauce with goat cheese to toss it in.
This dish is everything that somebody wants in fall. It’s

Andrew Dunbar
sure to become a household favorite and the best part is that you’ll get to see it made before you try to make it yourself and end up on a Pinterest or Facebook fail page.
Along with the potato gnocchi, we will be adding-in an herb-heavy sauce. Not only will this help to punch-up the fall flavors using herbs like Sage, Basil, and Parsley, but we’ll talk about the usefulness of herbs in every season. I’ll show you how to make a simple sauce and how by using one or two “seasonal” herbs you can completely change the flavor and theme of a dish. Maybe this info will send your pasta sauce over the top with some fresh herbs or maybe it’ll be just enough to help you to turn a previously problematic meatloaf into an edible adventure! Either way your family will love how you’ve added a new twist to some old stand-bys.
Oh, yeah! I almost forgot to provide you with the details of the program so that you can register for a spot to attend! It’s called “Taste: Autumn Eats with Chef Andrew Dunbar.” It’ll be taking place on Thursday, November 3, at 6 PM at MPL. Just a reminder that this class is for adults ages 18 and older. And registration is required! Don’t dilly-dally because space is limited and spots are sure to fill up fast. Registration opens up on Thursday, October 20, at 9 AM, and you can secure a seat by heading to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/taste.
I’m looking forward to cooking with you all! It’s going to be a great night in the Balkansky!