Q: "Which class are you taking? Where is this class?"
A: I'm taking Techniques of Fine Cooking I at the Institute of Culinary Education on 23rd St. between Broadway and 6th Ave in Manhattan.
Q: "How much is this class costing you?"
A: The class is $595 which includes food and supplies (and we get to eat what we make at the end of each class!) I'm very fortunate because my Dad generously treated me to the class under the stipulation that I do my "homework" and practice what I've learned each day. (Thanks Dad!)
Q: "Do you have to buy the food and supplies?"
A: Nope. See above...Everything from aprons, to ingredients to kitchen utensils and appliances are provided.
Q: "What does the kitchen look like?"
A: Like this....
(I don't know why... but I'm fascinated by the gargantuan bins of flour, sugar and other baking ingredients that require a shovel to scoop from.)
Q: "How many people are in your class? What are they like?"
A: I haven't actually counted but my guess is around 16 people (4 stations with 4 people at each). The people taking the class range so much in age, occupation, background etc. I'd say there are slightly more females than males. Many people are in between jobs, others took of time from work or school to attend the class.
In my section, there's a brother and sister taking the class together, a few girls who are newly married and wanted to learn how to cook so they can use the kitchen gadgets they got as wedding gifts, a man who owns a wine shop and wants to learn more about cooking, a college student on break, a romance novelist looking for something to do in the hours when she isn't writing her book...people from all walks of life with all different reasons for taking the class!
Q: "Who is the teacher?"
A: Richard Ruben teaches my section of the class. He was trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, traveled and cooked in Australia and Asia; wrote "The Farmer's Market Cookbook," (he loves seasonal cooking) and has appeared on many local news stations. He is also the Recipient of the IACP, 2003, Teacher of the Year Award. So far, I'm impressed...he's been fabulous; upbeat and hysterical, always has answers for even the trickiest cooking questions, and can spot a mistake about to happen from all the way across the kitchen and as a result all the dishes we have made thus far have been flawless. Richard has a blog too, you can check it out here.
Q: "What is the class like? How long is it?"
A: The class is supposed to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (usually we are done a bit earlier). It starts with a lecture, then we move onto cooking (Richard demos some of the techniques as they are needed, for instance, trussing a chicken and then we go back to our stations and repeat), the last hour of class is a 3-course sit-down meal; appetizer, entree and dessert with wine.
Q: "Do you work in groups? Does everyone cook everything?"
A: Everyone cooks most of the items on each lesson's menu. However for a few items, Richard demos it or one person will do and walk through how they did it to the rest of the class.
So for instance, the menu for Lesson 2 was Chicken Soup, Roast Chicken, Stuffed Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic, Rice Pilaf, a Salad, and Clafouti for dessert. Everyone trussed and roasted a chicken, stuffed a tomato, made vinegarette for the salad and had a hand in making the Clafouti. Not everyone put together the chicken soup (although we all had a hand in chopping vegetables for it), roasted the garlic, made the rice or prepared the elements of the salad (bacon and mushrooms). However Richard either explained in lecture how to do these or did a demo in front of the class.
We are in groups of 4 people at 4 stations. For the menu I mentioned above, each group trussed and carved 2 chickens, made a cup of vinegarette, stuffed tomatoes, cut herbs and vegetables and made a Clafouti (each group made a different variety: blueberry, pear, apple and cherry)
I would like to practice each element of the meal but see how it would be logistically impossible in the given time.
Q: "Do you really have to do homework?"
A: No, of course not. It's just a recreational class, for fun. However, while everyone cooks most of the items on each lesson's menu, there are ones you may miss so I believe it's important to practice at home. I also think it sticks in your head better when you repeat the techniques at home.
Q: "Can I eat your homework?"
A: Ha! Sure you can! Better get on the waiting list....
Q: "Do you blog every day after class? How do you have time to blog after cooking all day and then again for dinner?"
A: I've been trying to blog after each lesson but get a bit backed up especially with grocery shopping for my homework and doing my homework each night.
Q: "What are you going to do with this blog after the class is over?"
A: Hmm.. Ask me after the class is over. Maybe I'll write about the meals I make using techniques I learned from the class. Maybe I'll just have to sign up for Techniques of Fine Cooking II...
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