Ask him the difference between Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Olive Oil- he’ll know the answer. Ask him any questions related to seasoning and good eats, and he’ll demonstrate his wealth of culinary knowledge.

But his expertise came unexpectedly. It took Earth Fare’s popular Chef Michael Perkins’ travelling to another continent and staying for four years longer than intended to become a culinary specialist.

While in college, Perkins decided to head to Germany for a semester abroad. However, he did not return to the States for more than four years. Instead, he decided to follow his interest in culinary arts and received an apprenticeship, mastering Italian, French, German, Chinese and other cuisines.

In 2005, Perkins returned to the States to finish his degree at the University and graduated in 2006. During his return stint as a student, Perkins worked at Earth Fare as its culinary specialist. At the same time, he was pursuing a telecommunication career with an internship at CNN.

Then, four weeks before graduation, the marketing coordinator position at Earth Fare became vacant, and Perkins took the job.

Almost from the very beginning, Perkins decided to host cooking classes at the organic supermarket once a month to answer questions he received from customers on a daily basis.

“Four elderly ladies came to the first cooking class,” Perkins said. “Then they brought their friends, and their friends brought friends, and within three or four weeks, the classes immediately got popular.”

Three years after the first class, Perkins’ classes are so popular they are held bi-weekly. The classes are sponsored by Earth Fare and free to the public. Ingredients are printed for guests as they watch Perkins cook with a large mirror above him. Afterward, the guests are invited to taste the food they’ve watched the chef prepare.

“Michael is not like the chefs on television,” said Terry Utz, a regular at Perkins’ classes. “My wife and I have been going to his classes for over a year and a half now. We learn a lot about cooking – the proper way to cut onions and all the other little things that make cooking enjoyable.”

Today, Perkins’ individual cooking classes have evolved into a series of cooking classes, encompassing different themes for different classes, such as “college cooking,” wine and cheese tasting, different nationalities, techniques and niches.