Instructor Profiles
We are proud to partner with local chefs, caterers, bakers, and some wonderful cooks to bring you a wide variety of inspiring classes. Please click on each chef's name to see a list of the classes each is currently teaching.
Blog: "Dishing It Out" at www.journalnow.com
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @mhastingsWSJ
Michael Hastings has been the food editor at the Winston-Salem Journal since 2000. His 30 years of journalism experience includes stints as a copy editor and assistant features editor. Each week, Michael writes a weekly column, feature, and other stories for the Journal’s Wednesday food section. He also writes wine reviews and other food stories for other sections of the paper, maintains a blog on the paper’s website, makes regular media and personal appearances, and is active on Twitter and Facebook. Before entering the newspaper business, Michael made his living as a chef in several Winston-Salem restaurants. He has a B.A. in English from Wake Forest University. He is married with two children, who are both staunch supporters and tough critics of his cooking.
I grew up on a farm in North Carolina and learned to cook from my mother and grandmothers. Much of our food came from the garden and the cows, pigs, and chickens my granddad raised (all free-range, no hormones or antibiotics as far as I remember). Ou food was very local and farm-to-table when it wasn’t chic. The 4-H Club was very active in my rural farming community and I was even the Mecklenburg County Corn Meal Muffin Champ and proud winner of my first hand mixer!
Even after a failed restaurant, a brief career in banking and a move to New York City my culinary interest persisted. I eventually enrolled in the Professional Program at Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School (now the Institute of Culinary Education) and launched A Matter of Taste, a full-service catering company which I successfully operated in the Big Apple for almost 20 years. I also became certified as a Health Coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. When my husband and I returned to NC I began teaching cooking classes at Southern Home & Kitchen, which has been a pleasure. I love good food and have discovered that I enjoy sharing my experience and cooking tips with others. It’s fun and I hope you’ll join me for a class sometime.
Josh McGee hails from the small community of Rocky Hill in Knoxville, TN. His culinary education began just 4 blocks down the street from his family home in his Granny Myra’s kitchen. It was here that Josh learned the art of good food, working alongside his Granny learning family recipes, chocolate pies, pecan brittle and chicken and biscuits. He saw first-handthe joy that her food brought to all who tasted.
Josh went on to study history at UT-Knoxville while working in local restaurants. While in the restaurant industry he became fascinated with the fast-pacedenvironment, the clientele, and more importantly...the food! After graduation, he relocated to Charleston, SC where he continued to hone his skills as a chef as well as learn the proper way to makegrits! Josh has crafted food in kitchens across the South and continues to combine his love of history with his passion for food. He is currently the chief saucemakerand co-owner of Y’allSauce Company based in Winston Salem, NC where he lives with his wife Emily and their three children.
Josh is passionate about Southern cuisine and itsunique ability to cross all lines and bring people together and can’t wait to share his knowledge of Southern fare with the Southern Home & Kitchen family.
George M. Stilphen is a self-taught home cook who was a culinary instructor at Williams-Sonoma for nearly 12 years and has been teaching at Southern Home & Kitchen since August 2017. He also does classes and demonstrations at other venues and private homes. George has taught classes in everything from Latin, Italian and Indian to Turkish and Moroccan dishes. He’s an expert in cooking with fresh produce, herbs, and meats. During the holidays he’ll show you how to cook the perfect turkey and side dishes. He’s also an expert in cast iron cooking, slow cooking, spiralizing, seafood, salt plate cooking and knife skills. Come to SoHo to experience his delicious food!