When the newest Il Fornaio opened in November in Santa Clara, it made history in the company when it became the first of its 23 restaurants to debut with a female head chef at the helm.

Chef Leslie Pineda not only made the record books for this 30-year-old restaurant chain, but she sure can cook. You can see — and taste — for yourself when she joins me for a cooking demo at Macy’s Valley Fair in Santa Clara, 6 p.m. Feb. 7.

Pineda formerly cooked at Il Fornaio locations in Walnut Creek and Palo Alto. She also was an executive chef for Francis Ford Coppola in Palo Alto and Napa.

She’ll show you how to make the perfect risotto. The free demo will take place in the culinary kitchen on the main floor of the Men’s & Home store.