Chef School Review is a guide to chef schools offering education, diplomas, and degree programs (including Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Programs) in cooking and culinary arts.

How to Cook: Nothing To It!

by Judi Sandall
Chef School Review Columnist

Recently, a friend and I took a winemaker’s cooking class at a local culinary center called ‘Nothing To It!’. Since 1995, the school motto: “good ingredients + good culinary techniques = good food,” has perfectly captured the essence of how to cook, whether you’re a weekend chef in your own kitchen, or a chef at a five star restaurant.

Classy Cooking Classes

Many people who don’t aspire to be professional chefs are nevertheless searching for their inner chef. Culinary centers like Nothing To It! fill this need. With over 500 students per month taking classes, the Nothing To It! owners and instructors have an opportunity to share their love of cooking with both demonstrations and hands-on classes. A tasting menu of classes includes:

• The Wine Has to Match the Food—luscious and rich ruby Barberas and Zinfandels paired with the perfect meal and served with wine commentary by award-winning winemaker Scott Harvey
• Grilling—different classes cover fish and seafood grilling, grilling for family, grilling for two, Asian and Mediterranean grilling, and fire cooking with Chef Jamie Purviance
• Summer Chocolate Desserts & Wine—perfect for a delicious girls’ night out
• Hip Sips & Appetizers—unique cocktails paired with bite-sized pieces of heaven

Whether you’re hands-on slicing and dicing, dropping the kids off for a kids & teens cooking camp, or studying basic or advanced cooking techniques yourself, Nothing To It! brings a comprehensive and fun ‘how to cook’ experience to the public. According to their head instructor, “Once people are taught the basics, it gives them a new enthusiasm for cooking and how food fits into their lives.”

Classy Careers

Whether you’re interested in taking a cooking class or teaching one, culinary centers like Nothing To It! can help bring a new enjoyment to preparing food with family and friends. Perhaps your niche in the culinary world is teaching others how to cook—whether in a culinary school or a culinary center like Nothing To It!.

About the Author

Judi Sandall is a technical writer and a regular Chef School Review columnist. She is a graduate of the State University of New York, with a BA in English Literature. She writes articles for the Internet on a variety of subjects.

Source(s)

Nothing To It!

Posted on October 2, 2007 at 4:53 PM

Holy Mole: Chocolate Sauce, But Not Really

by Judi Sandall
Chef School Review Columnist

Mole is often described as a ‘chocolate sauce, but not really.’ Mole is actually a spicy Mexican sauce, a national culinary treasure, commonly served with poultry.

Mole (mO-lay) is a combination of onions, dried chiles, garlic, many different spices, a variety of ground seeds and nuts—and, incidentally—Mexican unsweetened chocolate. When you hear the phrase unsweetened, the description ‘chocolate sauce, but not really’ begins to make a little more sense.

The History of Mole

Mole comes from the Aztec word ‘molli,’ which means ‘sauce.’ There are several colorful stories about the origins of mole. The consensus among historians seems to be that mole appeared on the Mexican culinary scene in the 1600s. However, long before the Spaniards landed in the New World, chefs were preparing mole poblano for Aztec royalty from recipes passed down from the Mayans.

Celebrating Mole

Top mole chefs, or moleros, and amateur mole aficionados bring their secret recipes to San Pedro Atocpan (in the southern suburbs of Mexico City) in October each year for the National Mole Fair. There are those who say that once you’ve had mole, you’ll never go back to standard gravy.

The Future of Mole

Saucier—a chef who specializes in making sauces—is an extremely important and often prestigious position in the culinary world. Sauces are the foundation for many foods, such as French haute cuisine. Among sauces, mole is the upscale brown gravy equivalent for Mexican dishes. Some mole recipes are time-consuming to prepare—they can take up to three days—but many culinary experts say it’s worth it. There’s nothing quite as tasty as a good mole poblano de quajolote (turkey) for Thanksgiving dinner.

With a solid culinary education, you can learn the intricacies of preparing the sauces that are critical to the success of any great kitchen—including classic mole poblano.

About the Author

Judi Sandall is a technical writer and a regular Chef School Review columnist. She is a graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton, with a degree in English Literature.

Source(s)

Chile Recipes
The Prosperous Chef

Posted on September 18, 2007 at 3:59 PM

Three Classic Comfort Foods Go Upscale

by Judi Sandall
Chef School Review Columnist

Ask chefs around the world, “What is your favorite comfort food?” and you’ll get as many answers as the number of chefs you ask. America’s classic comfort foods have become a staple on upscale menus across the nation.

For the purposes of this article, let’s look at the following classic, culinary, comfort favorites and see exactly how upscale they’ve gone:

• Mac and Cheese
• Mashed Potatoes
• Grilled Cheese

Mac & Cheese

Introduced by Kraft in 1937 in its ‘instant dinner’ version, Mac and Cheese actually traces its roots back hundreds of years—whether to the ancient Romans, Etruscans, Chinese, or Koreans is still controversial in some culinary circles.

Plain Mac & Cheese step aside; S’MAC (Sarita’s Macaroni & Cheese) is in town—in the heart of Manhattan’s East Village. Rubbing elbows with S’MAC’s classic American and Cheddar cheeses and macaroni is creamy Brie, whole-wheat pasta, roasted shitake mushrooms, and figs accented with rosemary. Mac & Cheese may no longer be that simple childhood culinary favorite you remember so fondly—but it seems to have grown into a rather stylish and sophisticated adult.

Mashed Potatoes

Basic mashed potatoes—just add butter, milk, salt, and pepper—can be tarted up with a variety of culinary goodies—toasted garlic, artichokes, rosemary, dill, parsley, cheese, sour cream, roasted shallots, caramelized leeks, wasabi mustard, horseradish, or buttermilk and chives. Or kick it up a notch with bourbon mashed sweet potatoes a la Chef Emeril. With an eye toward upscale, this plain Jane comfort food has come a long way, baby.

Grilled Cheese

Plastic wrapper American cheese slices and Wonder bread slathered with butter—smashed together and oozing melted cheese—the grilled cheese sandwich is a classic comfort food, particularly when served with a hot, steaming bowl of tomato soup. Almost every chef has a grilled cheese twist. Chef Chiarello brings us Teleme or Brie on ciabatta bread with Dijon mustard, red onions, and roasted red peppers. Chef De Laurentis prepares panini with Fontina, red onion, prosciutto, and olive oil. And Chef Paula Deen offers a grilled apple, bacon, and cheddar with roasted red onion mayo version. No matter how you slice it, chefs know that a good grilled cheese sandwich can bring a smile to any face—young or not so young, upscale or down home.

About the Author

Judi Sandall is a technical writer and a regular Chef School Review columnist. She is a graduate of the State University of New York, with a BA in English Literature.

Source(s)

Food Network

Posted on September 11, 2007 at 12:18 PM

Culinary Potpourri

by Judi Sandall
Chef School Review Columnist

How many pots and pans does a chef really need? What is the best brand to buy? Will the success of your culinary career depend on making the right choices? Here are some pointers you should consider when you’re ready to make this all important investment in your future.

The three most important criteria to help you make wiser choices are:

• Cost
• Size, shape, & type
• Construction

Cost

Most chefs and culinary experts agree that you should buy the best pans you can afford—a good set can last for a long time. You may find some cost savings when you buy them in a set but you risk not getting exactly what you want or need. Consider purchasing one pan at a time as you can afford it, beginning with the basics. Prices generally start at $100 for a small pan (2-quart size) and go up depending on pan size and how it is constructed. Quality, however, is going to cost you.

Size, Shape, & Type

The following essential pans should be part of your culinary ‘starter kit’:

• Sauce pan with a round base and tall sides
• Sauté pan with a wide flat bottom and lower sides
• Stock pot with a round base and steep sides

Generally, pans should have tight fitting lids, straight sides, heavy bottoms, and well-constructed, long handles. Carefully consider the sizes of your starter pans—you may be able to temporarily use one pan for a number of different purposes. As you can afford it, complete your must-have collection and add other specialty pots and pans.

Construction

Copper is the best heat conductor and allows for even cooking, but it’s also very expensive and can react with certain foods. Cheaper aluminum is a decent heat conductor but is a soft metal that also reacts with certain foods. Stainless steel, easy to care for and nearly indestructible, is in the mid-range for both heat conductivity and price. Combining copper or aluminum with stainless steel is a good compromise. Stainless steel lined with copper is another option. According to a number of chefs and culinary writers, however, aluminum and/or copper sandwiched between layers of heavy gauge stainless steel, for both the bottom and sides of the pan, is the best option.

Research is Key

The most important ingredient in the selection process is research. Carefully determine which brand name pans are constructed from materials that meet your culinary needs, which different type and size pans you need, and how much you are willing to spend. Once you have made these decisions, you can find some great deals on the Internet.

The right tool for the job is essential in the culinary world and the pans you select can make your job harder or easier, depending on your choices. Pots and pans are a substantial investment in your future—make informed and wise choices.

About the Author

Judi Sandall is a technical writer and a regular Chef School Review columnist. She is a graduate of the State University of New York, with a BA in English Literature.

Source(s)

Epicurious.com
The Reluctant Gourmet

Posted on September 4, 2007 at 11:17 AM

Chef Spotlight: Suzanne Goin

by Judi Sandall
Chef School Review Columnist

Goin Her Way: Chef Suzanne Goin

Chef Suzanne Goin is the west coast queen of the culinary arts. If you’re looking for someone who really knows how to cook, she’s an excellent candidate—other chefs routinely praise her ‘Mediterranean-influenced California cuisine.’ She has already won a number of prestigious culinary awards—and she’s just hitting her stride at age 39(ish).

Culinary Accolades Abound

Named one of the top ten best new chefs by Food and Wine Magazine in 1999, Chef Goin also received a nod from Condé Nast Traveler and Gourmet Magazines. She made the Forbes.com Tastemaker Chefs in 2005, and was nominated for a James Beard Foundation award for three years running before finally receiving two ‘gold’ medals in 2006—one for ‘Best Chef: California,’ the other for a cookbook she co-authored with Teri Gelber, Sunday Suppers at Lucques.

Then and Now

Chef Goin has worked with some famous chefs who definitely know how to cook—French legend Alain Passard at L’Arpege, Todd English of Boston’s own Olives, and Alice Waters of Chez Panisse fame, to name only a few. Observes Chef Waters, “We all knew one day that she would have a restaurant of her own, and that other cooks would be coming to her for kitchen wisdom and a warm welcome.”

That time is now. Currently partner/owner of three flourishing LA restaurants—Lucques, A.O.C., and Hungry Cat—Chef Goin insists that food ingredients for her kitchens come from sustainable aquaculture and agriculture, with an emphasis on both organic and locally-grown products.

Recipe for a Great Chef

A Forbes.com poll found that the recipe for a great chef begins with someone who ‘knows how to cook,’ but also includes pinches of artist, entrepreneur, showman, businessman, and a dash of huckster to add panache. Substituting ‘woman’ for ‘man,’ Chef Goin certainly qualifies as a great chef by these criteria.

Goin’s commitment to tasty food and to educating her customers is paramount. Stories about food are a major selling point, she says. “People want to know where things come from, if there is a story behind it, people love a story.” With menu items like Australian King Island cheese and Petuna Ocean Trout from Tasmania, Chef Goin certainly tells a palate-pleasing and masterful story. Aspiring chefs would be wise to take lessons from her success to weave their own culinary tale.

About the Author

Judi Sandall is a technical writer and a regular Chef School Review columnist. She is a graduate of the State University of New York, with a BA in English Literature.

Source(s) Food and Wine Magazine
Forbes.com
Global Food and Wine Magazine

Posted on August 27, 2007 at 11:12 AM

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