Hank Danger has worked at the Co-op for almost five years. In September, we invited Danger to teach a cooking class in our classroom. What started as three people in attendance has blossomed into an average of twelve eager class goers hungry for Danger’s next meal. We asked Danger a few questions and his passion is contagious.

How long have you worked in the world of food? I have been cooking professionally for a bit over a decade now. I started in pizza, and have since run the gauntlet of restaurant options. Everything from burgers and fries to home-made Pan-Latin cuisine. From fast food to fine dining, I’ve worked at least a little bit of almost everything. Personally speaking, I was raised in a house by a single mother (usually holding down at least one job) with a younger sister who didn’t cook, and an older sister who couldn’t. Many nights a week I spent getting really creative with a can of tuna, some tortillas, and a box or two of mac and cheese.

What’s your favorite thing about cooking? Long answer: The opportunity to learn something, practice something, and then (hopefully) enjoy the end result. The challenge of constantly trying something new. When you think about it, the average person lives for a little more than 27,000 days. That’s over 80,000 meals in your life! That’s a lot of bowls of cereal! Unless you can understand the fundamentals of cooking, which aren’t nearly as complex as some may think. Finally, the freedom to make a recipe my own, and the confidence to stand behind what I have created. Short answer: The sound and smell of cold onions and garlic hitting a hot pan! DE-lightful!

What do you tell people who are afraid of experimenting in the kitchen? KNOCK IT OFF! A meal is a few different elements of food, prepared and mixed together in one way or another, and sometimes heated up. That’s it! It can be much more than that, but it doesn’t have to be. A kitchen is merely a room in which one prepares and sometimes heats up a meal. Don’t let yourself be intimidated by your food or any experimentation with it, or it will be much easier to become disappointed in what you’ve made or discourage yourself from trying something else. Think about it this way, if no one had ever grilled a peach, we wouldn’t know that grilled peaches are freakin’ delicious!!

What’s your favorite dish from the deli? Perhaps the toughest question of them all. I have a hard time deciding between three, so I will be listing them all. My favorites are the Asian Noodle (it’s light, salty and sweet, with just a little tang and a touch of spicy crunch from the onions), the Garlic Lover’s Pasta Salad (a little heavier, but creamy, garlic-y, and delicious), and the Chipotle Chicken Salad (just . . . it’s just so . . . good). I’m also very proud of our sandwich menu. Get the Hewitt with pesto and bacon. You will NOT be disappointed!

Why do you teach at the Co-op? I want the general public to know that what we do here is humble, simple, delicious, but most of all, affordable! I want people to want to cook for themselves and make informed choices about the things they eat and where they get them. . . It helps that I like to talk about food!