Amanda Saab of "MasterChef" brings Arabic cooking class to Denver

She became first Muslim cook in hijab on prime TV in America.

Amanda Saar, who was on Fox's "MasterChef," will be teaching a cooking class at Meet the Middle East, the Denver nonprofit that shares Middle Eastern culture with Americans.Classes are March 30 and 31 at 6 p.m. at The Posner Center for International Development, 1031 33rd St. (Provided by Fox Broadcasting)

Amanda Saab made a name for herself when she competed on season six of Fox's "MasterChef" — Saab became the first Muslim woman to compete in a hijab on an American cooking show on primetime television.

Now she's bringing her skills to Denver, for a cooking class at Meet the Middle East, the Denver nonprofit that shares Middle Eastern culture ^[1] with Americans.

Aside from mac and cheese and fried chicken, her favorite foods include kibbeh neeyah (raw beef with bulgur wheat and spices) and she's crazy for olive oil ^[2] — she even uses it in baking, like with her citrus olive oil cake.

In Denver, she'll teach a variety of techniques common to making Middle Eastern food, from fattoush salad (Levantine bread salad with mixed greens) to hummus, dolmas and baba ganoush.

Classes are March 30 and 31 at 6 p.m. at The Posner Center for International Development, 1031 33rd St.

Tickets are $75, and $50 for young professionals and nonprofit workers. To register, go to meetthemiddleeast.org/upcoming-classes-and-events/^[3]or call 720-608-1882.

Colleen O'Connor: 303-954-1083, coconnor@denverpost.com or @coconnordp