Tired of eating the same dishes year after year during the holidays? Why not put a gourmet spin on your Christmas menu and give your taste buds something to be jolly about?

Blue Restaurant & Bar, known for a menu featuring a flavor profile reflective of various international culinary traditions, is offering a peek into the inner workings of its kitchen. Executive Chef Gene Briggs, the creator of the restaurant's multi-cultural menu, will host a cooking class designed to dazzle.

Chef Briggs abides by a “farm to table” cooking philosophy, with fresh ingredients being the blank canvass necessary to begin preparing every meal. On the first Saturday of each month his “Cooking with Chef Gene” class instructs participants on the simple steps that his recipes require. This month's “Mediterranean Christmas Classics” edition features the following menu items:

Mulligatawny Soup

Sweet Potato Pie
With amaretto whipped cream

Each dish is served and paired with fine wines available for purchase at a discount price. The class will be held Saturday, Dec. 3, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Call 704-927-2583 for more information.