California Rolls & Onigiri! A Sushi-Making & Rice Ball Adventure!

Think you’re not a sushi person? California Rolls just might change your mind! Unlike traditional sushi featuring raw fish, these approachable rolls are filled with veggies, imitation crab, or other cooked ingredient combinations, making them a favorite even among sushi skeptics.

In this fun, hands-on cook-along, you’ll learn to prepare perfectly seasoned sushi rice, flavorful spicy mayo, and how to roll and shape a variety of California rolls with tasty fillings, including a delicious crab salad. Get creative with vegetarian or seafood fillings, spicy or mild flavors, and rolls made with or without seaweed.

You’ll also discover the fun of making Japanese Onigiri—seasoned Japanese rice ball creations that can be shaped and filled in a variety of simple ways. No fancy equipment is needed! Tess will share simple plating tips for beautiful presentations so your creations look as wonderful as they taste.

Whether you’re making sushi for yourself, preparing a special Mother’s Day gathering, or simply looking for a fun new culinary skill, you’ll leave ready to roll, shape, and create!

Supplies: Sushi rice, nori/seaweed sheets, toasted sesame oil, (Japanese) rice vinegar. A bamboo sushi-rolling mat is very helpful, but not necessary. Additional ingredients will be listed in the information packet that will be received 3-5 days before the class.

Several days before class, you will receive an email with an ingredient and supply list, prep packet, and Zoom video conferencing link. A few days after the class, you will receive an additional email with the recipes used.

The registration fee covers immediate family members living in the same household only. If children are participating, adult supervision is required.

Tess Georgakopoulos

Instructor

View Tess Georgakopoulos's Other Courses

Tess Georgakopoulos, creator of Dish it up Good also known as “Chef Tess—Culinary Artist”, brings over four decades of cooking and baking experience to her work as a culinary educator and Community Education instructor.

Raised in a Greek Family where food was a central expression of love and connection, Tess developed her passion for cooking at a young age alongside her father, a trained chef. Those early experiences continue to shape her approach today—blending tradition, creativity, and deep appreciation for the role food plays in bringing people together.

As an accomplished cook, baker, and recipe developer, Tess is continually expanding her culinary repertoire through ongoing experimentation in her test kitchen. She is known for creating thoughtfully designed “gold standard” culinary experiences that combine technique, creativity, and approachability.

She currently partners with over 60 public school districts across Minnesota, and additional programs in Wisconsin, Missouri, New York and Oklahoma, and has taught over 5,000 participants. Through her teaching, Tess empowers home cooks of all skill levels to build confidence, expand their abilities, and experience the joy of creating meaningful meals in their own kitchens

Her guiding philosophy is simple: to make cooking approachable, enjoyable, and rewarding—helping others “make dishing simple and delicious”.

Tess is currently working on her first cookbook, with a food blog in development. Her work can be found on Facebook at Dish it up Good, and on Instagram.