SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026 | 6:30 PM
with Chefs Seth Barber & Riley Groover
Chef Seth Barber is coming to the HKS Kitchen with new Chef Riley Groover to deliver a Southeast Asian cooking class where you'll learn to create a fresh and flavorful menu from start to finish. The evening, packed with Vietnamese street food fare, begins with an appetizer of Pork Butter Lettuce Cups served with tangy Jeow Som, a bright and zesty dipping sauce that perfectly complements the savory pork. For the main course, you’ll learn to make Chicken Pho, building a fragrant broth layered with aromatic spices and tender chicken. And you'll prepare two essential accompaniments: Nuoc Cham, Vietnam’s classic sweet-sour-savory dipping sauce, and Fresh Spring Rolls filled with crisp vegetables and herbs. From sipping to dipping to rolling, this hands-on class highlights balancing flavors, working with fresh ingredients, and creating authentic dishes that are both satisfying and approachable for home cooks. Recipes will be provided. Tickets are priced per person.
*All class ticket sales are final. No refunds or credit transfers to other classes are available. If you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend, please contact us to check our waitlist.*
MEET THE CHEFS
Chef Seth's classes draw inspiration from NWA's diverse food culture. With an associate degree in culinary arts from Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food and degrees in agricultural sciences as well as liberal arts, he focuses on making cooking enjoyable and accessible.
Seth emphasizes the connection between what we cook and the community around us, cultivating a renewed appreciation for ingredients sourced close to home and the farmers who cultivate them. Join him to discover how to create delicious meals that taste good and encourage a stronger connection to the regional food community.
Beyond his passion for food, Seth is a devoted husband, sharing his life and love with his wife Emma.
Chef Riley is the current manager/cook at Zelli Deli (Zelli Pasta) in Springdale. He has worked at Zelli since 2023, helping develop and run their first location on Emma Avenue and their second location on Main Street in downtown Springdale.
He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2014 with a degree in Business Administration and also a Culinary Arts degree from Brightwater in 2025. His favorite dishes to make are chicken pho, lemongrass pork, and chicken picatta. His favorite cuisines include Vietnamese, Thai, and Mexican. Some of his favorite restaurants in NWA are House 1830 in Rogers, The Grotto in Eureka Springs, and Siam in Fayetteville.
