Our Instructors

Ann Schar ~ Ann is no stranger to the Eugene area, being a fifth generation resident. No only does she have a local heritage, but Ann has a culinary legacy as well. She hails from generations of “good cooks.” She began pursuing her desire to be in the kitchen at a young age, often joining her Grandmother. Soon, she became the family bread baker. Ann takes much delight in treating her guests to not only wonderful foods, but also extra special touches in the way things are prepared and presented. When asked to describe herself, she says she is a “passionate cook.”

Amy Van Dyke ~ "My grandma, Carolyn, gave me my first cookbook when I was 8 years old." Amy still remembers the excitement of looking though the pages of simple recipes and being so excited about making her own creation! Her first attempt was popovers. She didn't even know what a popover was, but couldn't wait to give them a try. Amy still recalls the joy of watching her family eat them. Having grown up in a family that loves to cook, her first real job was flipping burgers at her family's resort on the Oregon Coast. Currently Amy is teaching a culinary arts program for Lane County Department of Youth Services. She says, "Nothing brings me more joy than to see them grown and change..."

Bill McCallum ~ Bill is no stranger to the world of food. His tutelage began at the Shilo Ranch House. Soon, Bill found himself as the head chef at the Tree House Restaurant in the early 80’s, an establishment known for elegant evenings. Bill is passionate about wonderful, rich foods and the developing of new recipes to tempt the palate. He is currently owner of Mac’s at the Vet Club, and also runs a catering business. When speaking of cooking, his wife, Nancy, says, “He would choose to do nothing else.”

Carlene Karp ~ Carlene says very easily that Sourdough Cookery is now one of her hobbies. During years she lived in Alaska, sourdough often saved the day. Living 600 miles from the end of the road, supplies normally arrived by air, including inventories for the local grocery stores. A gallon of milk was $5.00 plus, and a loaf of bread, around $4.00. In the mid-seventies Carlene was given a sourdough start by an Eskimo friend, who had kept it going for decades. Carlene’s sister-in-law adapted many of the recipes to use dry milk, which was more convenient and less expensive. For the last 35 years Carlene has been whipping up delicious, fresh baked bread products with her cherished starter.

Connie Kulick ~ What’s a critical care nurse with 30 years experience in the emergency room doing teaching a cooking class? Well … there’s more to this lady than meets the eye. Connie has entered the Times Picayune cooking contest and been a finalist twice; and did a stint as a baker at the Le Mistrial French Restaurant in New Orleans. Just this last year she was a mentor-chef for the young chefs at Willamette High School, helping to lead them to a nation-wide culinary competition. Connie brings many extremely creative ideas to her meal preparation.

DeeAnn Hall ~ DeeAnn is one of Pepperberries’ original teachers. She has been a chef on the Eugene food scene for many years, most recently as Executive Chef at The Restaurant at King Estate. Currently considering her next project, DeeAnn is pleased to find the time again to teach a few classes at her alma mater.

Diane Johnson ~ A lifelong interest in all aspects of food preparation, from research, to availability, to cooking and serving is what has always motivated Diane. This is her avocation practiced on a daily basis over many years, yet her enthusiasm and love for food, well prepared, is still contagious and she loves to teach. A good combination for us.

Gayle Jolley ~ Gayle is as passionate about great food as a painter is of color. For over 20 years, she has artfully presented classes on Italian, French, Spanish, Mexican, Thai and Indian cuisine. She is the founder of “In Good Taste,” has owned and managed her own catering service and served as catering director for the Heathman Hotel, The Kimpton Group’s Vintage Plaza and Pazzo Ristorante. Gayle teaches with flourish!

Jardin Kazaar ~ Jardin plays with his food. Though, not like a baby exploring a bowl of green Jell-O, but more like a blues guitarist fingering the frets of a sweet sounding instrument. His style is sometimes whimsical and bold, but always with an ethnic flare. Somewhere between the age of 8 and the present, Jardin discovered food as a passion and creative indulgence.
Traveling to 37 cities in 13 countries as part of his culinary training, he savors the flavors of many cooking styles. He and his wife, Kristin, operate Black Market Gourmet. Cooking and eating with friends is Chef Jardin’s idea of a good time.

Jincy Roberson ~ Jincy grew up in Eugene and graduated from Sheldon High School, so she’s a local girl. She went to Cal State, Northridge for four years, graduating in 1999 with a BA in child development. However, her enthusiasm for cooking, gleaned from her mom, Ann, and grandmother then led her to attend the Western Culinary Institute where she could hone her skills. Jincy has proven herself very popular with the young people. They have a great time, while learning a love for cooking.

John Bridgens ~ When asked, “What are some of your hobbies?” One of John’s responses was “Trying new foods – eating, cooking.” This began early for him. At the age of 10 John began cooking family meals with his mother. He spent ten seasons in Alaska feeding hungry men on a fishing boat, and now is involved in a thriving catering business. He brings a wealth of knowledge to us in the assorted sushi and Korean cooking classes that he presents in our school.

Judd VanGorder & Michael Cummings ~ This father and son duo are sure to delight and entertain you with their meal preparation, as well as satisfy your appetite for good, down-home cooked food. They have learned from the school of “trial and error,” but having sampled their dishes, there are very few errors. Their menus often feature the foods of New Orleans, featuring Cajun dishes such as dirty rice or a savory gumbo. Judd runs a bed and breakfast as well as a catering business.

Karen Reid ~ Karen has had a passionate love of cooking and good food since her childhood, where she got a solid grounding in cooking techniques from her mother. As an adult, raising a family, her repertoire expanded to include many cuisines and hundreds of recipes, including Asian, Mexican, French and American comfort foods, all of which she has taught at Pepperberries. Her philosophy is “Life is too short to eat processed food.” She loves to pass on to her students her many technique tips to show how cooking healthy, delicious meals at home can be easy and enjoyable. A special treat in some of Karen’s classes is the assistance of her husband, Tom, who acts as “breadmaster”, “grillmaster” and “steammaster”, depending on the class. Tom adds his own special knowledge of these techniques to the fun and information of Karen’s classes.

Kim Davaz ~ Kim has been teaching for Pepperberries since it was Cookin’ on Broadway. She loves to eat all kinds of foodstuff, though some cuisines she’d rather have someone else cook (intensive-chopping Chinese comes to mind). There are real challenges in cooking for today. Kim regularly feeds a family that includes two vegetarians, some hard-core carnivores and two small children. Coming up with a dinner that pleases everyone can be difficult. Her favorite classes to teach are baking and menus for meals that are delicious but not fussy, the kinds of dinners that are good enough for company but easy enough for every day. In her spare time, she reviews cookbooks for the Register-Guard.

Lynn Alvarez~Lynn has been a chef for over 15 years cooking mostly at high-end restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2004 she moved to Eugene looking for a “lifestyle change” so she could have more time to spend with her growing children. She currently is the Chef at Sweet Cheeks Winery in Eugene, as well as owner of Fox Hollow Confections. Her eclectic culinary career includes cooking hot and spicy dishes at Fourth Street Grill in Berkely, California; making truffles at Cocolat, also in Berkeley; running the kitchen at San Ramon Regional Medical Center and trying to change the image of “hospital food”; and 8 years at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, California, cooking seasonal, locally grown foods. She has three children and loves living in Eugene.

Lynn Bonner ~ Lynn has had a life-long passion for cooking. This interest began with cookie baking when she was small, entering pies at the county fair and gradually developed into a wider range of cooking interests, including the baking of wonderful artisan breads. Her mother left her to “experiment” in the kitchen. The only rule was, “clean up your mess.” Over the years, cooking has become a therapy of sorts after a long day in front of a computer.

Lynn Yapuncich ~ As we endeavor to educate and inspire you, we are excited to offer the expertise of an extraordinary floral designer. Lynn has been designing wonderful, unique floral creations for 20 years. She has owned her own business, taught classes in a variety of venues, and her credentials go on. What you will most appreciate is the beauty she creates from even the simplest blooms.

Mary Diehl ~ Did you know that Mary ran her husband's pediatric office, as well as two different delicatessens, the most infamous being teaching at Pepperberries for over a decade. She presents a broad array of food types, specializing in well-made, wonderful tasting food that is easy to prepare, because "Life is just too busy!"

“Q” from The Sweet Life Patisserie ~ Q has had a love of food and art ever since she can remember. Early childhood memories include school baking contests and bake sales. She studied graphic design and fine arts in college. Having worked for over 20 years in the restaurant industry, Q has always been especially interested in the aesthetic aspect of the food arts, such as garnishing, decorating and presentation. Q currently works at Sweet Life Patisserie, known for its award-winning cakes and incredible wedding cakes. She can be found giddily decorating wedding and special event cakes, as well as fancy shortbread cookies or chocolate wedding favors, throughout the wee hours of the night.

Terrie Chrones ~ Terrie is an experienced chef (IACP Member and extensive training at the Culinary Institute of America) and teacher (Lane Community College and Creswell High School.) She enjoys traveling and learning of the foods of the areas she visits. She has had opportunities to cook with the likes of Madhur Jaffrey, Jacques Pepin and Julia Child, to mention just a few. Terrie is adept at transforming ordinary foods into an extraordinary meal. Recently, she has been developing wheat-free and vegetarian recipes that are flavorful and enjoyable to the palate. Her classes will include some of these options. Please feel free to ask about vegetarian options when you register for one of her classes.

Vickie Hamory ~ Vickie loves to play around with her food and would rather make up recipes consisting of what is in the pantry than spend one more minute at the grocery store. Her new cookbook “A Forty Year Collection” is missing one thing: anything starting with the word “congealed.” Vickie has been teaching at Pepperberries for the past 10 years. Her extensive culinary training in Italy and Japan make her catering and cooking school (Savorys) in Albuquerque, New Mexico a local favorite. When asked if she has any hobbies, she says “You bet!” (hand painting one of a kind canvas rugs, mosaic stained glass and mowing the lawn.) “I cook a lot of things in my head while mowing the lawn.” Her words of wisdom are “Teach your kids to cook!”