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By Karen Deutsch
John Tavares
The Luxurianti
Pot au Feu The price ($495) may give you sticker shock, but L’Ecole de Cuisine at Pot au Feu is a culinary tour de force. From the white chef’s coats (embroidered with your name) to the individual cooking stations, this is a class that offers everything: six hours of meticulous planning and cooking, an hour-long wine seminar and a six-course dinner for you and three friends.
The day begins at 11 a.m. for classes that range from eight to ten students. Chef John Richardson outlines the menu over coffee, followed by some preliminary preparations and an in-house lunch of grilled tomato, cheese and mustard sandwiches with a light salad and a glass of French wine. (The restaurant, incidentally, is closed on Sundays and belongs entirely to you.) At this point, the work begins. Traditional French menus serve not only to expand one’s repertoire (why serve chicken when you can become comfortable roasting a breast of duck?) but also as a vehicle for French technique. As owner Bob Burke says, “You have seven nights a week to enjoy a homemade dinner. These are opportunities to experiment and to enjoy!”
After making an herb- and garlic-infused butter for escargots, reducing a wine, demi-glace and fresh grape sauce for the seared foie gras, preparing two dozen duck legs for confit, and topping off a luxurious French onion soup with cheese and herbs, it was time to make dessert. Never is the camaraderie of students more evident than during a crepe-making session. Eight sizzling cooktops gave way to simultaneous flipping, resulting in gorgeous plates of caramel-laced apples wrapped in crepes and piped with fresh cream. When Chef Richardson shouted, “Butter…nectar of the gods!” I knew I had found the right class for me.
Almost as important as the food itself is the hour-long wine seminar that Burke conducts. Students learn the basics of identifying subtle characteristics of the various grapes, the proper way to open a wine bottle and the best ways to really enjoy good wine. After sampling half a dozen bottles, the class decides which wines will be served with their meal, and then it’s off to the kitchen once more to plate dinner for the arriving guests. (Be prepared: Burke and Chef Richardson are not above facetiously demanding that the food be brought out to theater-going customers immediately lest terrible consequences ensue.)
The day ends with a gorgeous banquet-style table, weighed down with the delicious fruits of your labor. Guests must give their seal of approval before diplomas are handed out, but the gratification comes before the paperwork and lasts long after.
LEVEL OF SKILL REQUIRED: This is a hands-on class, and lessons are taught with such skill and enthusiasm that you’ll marvel at your own culinary expertise.
HELPFUL HINT: Got a group of close friends who love to cook and eat? You can build your own class with six to ten people and choose your menu as well.
PRICE: $495 covers the cost of one student chef as well as three additional diners for a six-course meal paired with wine.
CONTACT: 273-8953; www.potaufeuri.com.
The Trendsetteri
Rhode Island School of Design Leave it to our resident art school to offer the most fashionable and in-demand classes with some of the most well-known names in town including Bruce Tillinghast of New Rivers, Olga Bravo of Olga’s Cup and Saucer, and Bernadette Cicione of Ocean State Chocolates, as well as walking tours of Federal Hill, Boston’s North End and Chinatown, and the lesser-known but equally appetizing Armenian sections of Massachusetts. Off-site locations can’t be beat for authenticity, which, I am happy to say, include a day of sushi making with Chef Haruki Kibe.
There was something serenely enjoyable about watching the purposeful way Chef Kibe sliced a fresh filet of salmon while hot bowls of vinegar-scented sushi rice were placed before our eager eyes. Before I had time to devour the mound of sweet and sticky starch, the class was in full swing, and I was happily rolling up my lunch of maki, nigiri and te-maki. Kibe’s mild manner and playful sense of humor came through as he surveyed our work and called out, “too big, too small, too round, too square….” Soon we’d learned some of the ancient secrets to rice manipulation, palming balls of rice as if it were second nature. I could see twelve others writing “buy rice cooker” on their napkins as we savored a lunch of warm green tea and fresh sushi, a mountain of it.
On-site classes are just as enthralling. RISD’s Metcalf Refectory houses not only their dining room but several classrooms equipped with kitchens, demo mirrors and enough space for observation and dining. I was lucky enough to sit in on one of RISD’s most popular classes, a demonstration led by Chef Brian Kingsford of Al Forno. If you’d like to bypass the restaurant’s unavoidable line, this is a dream come true. Kingsford and his sous chefs filled up the room with stories, recipes and a camaraderie rarely found outside a professional kitchen.
Forty-five minutes into class a parade of ricotta- and spinach- stuffed crespelle topped with fresh herbs, tomato sauce and parmesan came marching out of the kitchen only to be devoured in as many seconds. Half an hour later, we were gifted with dishes of wine-soaked short ribs laced with jalapenos and mashed red bliss potatoes, thick with French butter and heavy cream. Drowsy with food and giddy with wine, we hung on Kingsford’s words as he spoke of his entrance into the professional food world at the tender age of twelve. At the end of the tale (and after more cooking), we were presented with warm crepes stuffed with chocolate creme patissiere and topped with hand-whipped cream. Life, my friends, doesn’t get any better than this.
LEVEL OF SKILL REQUIRED: Moderate for hands-on classes. Most classes expect that you have some basic knowledge of cooking, which can then be used to master specialty skills such as rolling maki, sauteing fish or tempering chocolate.
HELPFUL HINT: RISD specializes in big-name chefs, and subsequently the classes often have waitlists that run twice as large as the class size itself; register as early as possible.
PRICE: $45–$195 per person.
CONTACT: 454-6201; cemail@risd.edu; www.risd.edu/ce_ culinary.cfm.
The Epicureani
Sakonnet Vineyards A leisurely drive through Tiverton on a Sunday morning was almost too good to be topped until I ended up in Little Compton at beautiful Sakonnet Vineyards. Sakonnet offers a master chef class once a month led by renowned local chefs. Matt Gennuso, chef and owner of Providence’s Chez Pascal, was at the helm the day I visited and proved himself not only an inspirational chef but also a master storyteller. This is your opportunity to hear details of a chef’s professional life that only he can offer and get a first-hand feel for the passion that keeps him on top of his game.
Mornings are spent discussing and prepping for both lunch and dinner, which are served in the building’s cozy dining room. Because there’s one center island and up to a dozen people per class, you needn’t concern yourself with working incessantly; this is a day for enjoying the company of others, picking the brains of some of your favorite chefs and savoring a great deal of fine food and wine. Our hearty lunch of crusty bread, dried cured beef, melted raclette cheese and a warm cabbage salad was followed by a tour of the vineyard and then back to the kitchen to finish the evening’s feast.
Each participant has the option of inviting an additional guest to dinner, which, in our case, consisted of pumpkin bisque with seared sea scallops topped with a pickled celery root and apple chutney, a modern twist on choucroute garni with brine-roasted pork loin, and a warm pumpkin financier with apple-and-maple-syrup compote for dessert. Sakonnet wines are paired with each course and available to purchase when you find your favorite.
LEVEL OF SKILL REQUIRED: A passion for fine food and wine trumps technique in this class. Chefs usually do enough prep work to ensure that there won’t be any crises in the kitchen, and students can choose between chopping and cooking or sitting by the fireplace and chatting. Recipes are printed, but plan on taking notes if you’re a stickler for details.
HELPFUL HINT: This is an all-day affair lasting from 10 a.m. until nearly the same hour at night. You won’t go wrong attending with a friend who can keep you company and recount sights and smells with you later.
PRICE: $125 per person for master classes, which includes dinner ($50 for dinner guests).
CONTACT: 635-8486, ext. 112; www.sakonnetwine.com.
The Vegetariani
The Natural Choice When Chris Brown’s husband was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma years ago, he was given five to seven years to live. Through support groups and medical advice, Brown decided to assist in his recovery by creating a healthy diet to boost his immune system. Fourteen years later, the couple is still enjoying life together and sharing the benefits of a diet free of meat, fish, dairy and refined sugar.
Don’t be deceived by Brown’s appearance: she’s diminutive in size but enormous in purpose. Her home is filled with stacks of literature on the benefits of vegetarian living, and she’s dedicated to promoting the medicinal power of food. Natural Choice classes are not simply about better eating, but about better living. These demo-style classes offer you an understanding of the therapeutic qualities inherent in natural foods and lessons in how to avoid the technologically altered and nutritionally stripped versions of those products. Delivered in a warm environment completely devoid of condescension, these classes are geared toward vegetarians, vegans and anyone looking to improve their diet and health.
A class on whole grains featured examples of nearly two dozen grains, including amaranth, millet and quinoa, considered a supergrain because it is a complete protein. We devoured a molded dome of polenta and butternut squash laced with caramelized onions and fragrant with herbs that took barely an hour to prepare and was worthy of a festive dinner. Eastern-inspired basmati rice with coconut and cashews was both sweet and spicy, reminiscent of Indian cooking and a perfect foundation for grilled vegetables. But what really made this mainstream eater swoon with delight? A brilliant kasha salad with dried cranberries, sliced celery, scallions and toasted nuts all dressed up in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and agave syrup (just as good as maple syrup but better for the blood sugar). My arteries feel better already.
LEVEL OF SKILL REQUIRED: You won’t actually be asked to cook in the Natural Choice classes, but the recipes chosen are all user-friendly. Bring an open mind and a desire to learn more about healthy cooking, and you will be heartily rewarded.
HELPFUL HINT: If you don’t know where to begin your quest for healthier cooking, Brown offers private consultations based on your individual needs and interests. Consultations are $50 per hour (averaging three hours) and will propel you forward with the tools to treat your body like a temple.
PRICE: $40–$45 per person.
CONTACT: 245-8443.
The King of the Hilli
Chef Walter’s Cooking School Convinced you know everything there is to know about Chef Walter Potenza from watching him on TV? Think again. Potenza is not only a dedicated and experienced chef; he’s also a bastion of knowledge when it comes to Italian culture and culinary traditions.
If you plan on coming to class with a preference for French food, be prepared to take on Potenza and his claim that Italian aristocratic cuisine is the mother of all European (and, subsequently, American) cooking.
In addition to Potenza’s skill and enthusiasm, the draw of Chef Walter’s Cooking School is the opportunity to cook in a professional kitchen. There are commercial sinks, refrigerators and a fourteen-burner range at your disposal, as well as a dishwasher who’s quick to whisk away dirty materials. The goal for the evening is to create a complete meal with dessert in time to enjoy it with a glass of wine and several new friends.
The night I attended class, our menu seemed ambitious with five savory dishes as well as buccellato della Lunigiana, a lacy-textured lemon flavored cake. Our group was split into pairs to tackle separate projects, and within thirty minutes pans began to sizzle, and the air grew thick with the smell of sautéed onions, browned meat and fresh herbs. Chef Walter supervises at a frenetic pace, with his saint-like sidekick, Carmela, following his footsteps to make sure everyone is comfortable. Though Potenza may be accused of being slightly cantankerous, he’s also thoroughly charming and quintessentially Italian as he leads the class at an enjoyably break-neck speed. It’s a small dose of restaurant reality without the judgmental customers, and it’s not to be missed.
In less than three hours our meal was finished: chicken tenderloins rolled with pancetta and bean purée, sautéed in olive oil and drizzled with a red wine and tarragon sauce; a ragout of sausage and tomato, encased in rice and baked in the oven until lightly browned and easy to slice; pan-seared pork tenderloin, sliced and draped over gorgonzola-rich polenta; tortelli di patata, Italy’s answer to Polish pierogis with mashed potatoes enrobed in homemade pasta dough and sprinkled with parmesan; and ribollita, a traditional Tuscan bean soup, smells of which wafted past our noses causing near delirium. Even if you were a fan of Federal Hill before, you’ll gain a whole new level of appreciation for Italy and its food.
LEVEL OF SKILL REQUIRED: Moderate. Chef Walter supervises and is available to answer all of your questions, but you are making the meal and should be comfortable following a recipe.
HELPFUL HINT: Potenza is in the midst of renovating a 5,000-square-foot space in Pawtucket into a full-time cooking school, complete with certification. Other non-credit courses will be offered along with nutritional basics and tastings. Look for the project to be complete in early 2007.
PRICE: $75 per person for hands-on classes; $60 for demo classes.
CONTACT: 273-8664, 273-2652; www. chefwalter.com.
The Europeani
Chez Nicole If you can detect the smell of sweet French butter down in South County, it’s probably coming from the home of Nicole Spaulding. A transplant from the southwest of France (and married to an engineering professor at URI), Spaulding brings the best of her homeland to home cooks from around the state. In the vein of French Women Don’t Get Fat, Spaulding’s approach to cooking takes in both food and the entire art of eating. Everything from preparation to a beautifully set table and lively conversation is as important as the meal (which, incidentally, should never be wolfed down but savored). Although she offers theme-based classes for large groups (such as soups or stews), classes featuring several multi-course meals are nearest to her heart.
In an intimate class for three, we set about creating three full meals (appetizer, entree and dessert) in less than three hours. Recipes are all user-friendly, simple yet truly flavorful and equally utilitarian for a weekday evening or a special event. Although you’ll be given ideas for varying the ingredients and changing a standard dish to a sublime one (butter! cream! wine!), all of Spaulding’s offerings are kind to the palate and the waistline. This is a woman who’s concerned with enjoyment and well-being.
In two-and-a-half hours (and with lots of lively conversation), we were ready to sample an amazing array of dishes, every one of which was worth making again. Mesclun salad with buttery avocado was topped with an almond-coated, baked goat cheese; grated carrots and raisins were lightly glazed with ginger and vinaigrette; and a simple potato-leek soup was served in porcelain cups. My stomach told me to stop right there, but, as Spaulding insisted (and I believed!), small bites of everything are much better than a whole lot of one thing. After a trio of tantalizing protein dishes (including salmon, pork loin and a light curried chicken), we were ready for dessert. Fresh pineapple sprinkled with brown sugar in a homemade yogurt cream was easy and divine (perfect for a summer get-together), pear clafouti was mildly sweet and deliciously light (Sunday brunch is set), and a deceptively simple chocolate cake with a liquid center will be my standard dessert for years to come. Fait accompli!
LEVEL OF SKILL REQUIRED: Basic to moderate. Spaulding will lead you through everything while still allowing you to be the chef. The rewards are inversely proportional to the effort, though: these meals are keepers.
HELPFUL HINT: Spaulding will be in France from mid-May until mid-July, so no classes during this time.
PRICE: Classes are $70 per person. A 10 percent discount will be given to any student taking three or more classes.
CONTACT: 782-1768; www.cheznicole cookingclasses.com.
The Passage to Indiai
Bindu Mallick Talk about a culinary anomaly! Imagine exploring the foods of a land more than 7,000 miles from Rhode Island without ever leaving your home. Bindu Mallick, originally from India and now living in Attleboro, Massachusetts, will bring the glory of Indian cooking right to your kitchen. Classes are offered for groups of three to eight and will leave you not only with an arsenal of delicious recipes and a superlative dinner with friends but also an understanding of the medicinal and culinary purposes of Indian ingredients.
Three friends joined me for a truly fantastic meal. We cooked under the watchful eye and extreme patience of Mallick, who encouraged each of us to smell and touch ingredients that we were unaccustomed to working with so that we would begin to add them into our daily repertoire.
Vegetarians and carnivores alike will rejoice in a class that offers such diversity and rich culinary depth and opens one’s eyes to a fascinating world of food. Have you ever smelled a fresh curry leaf? Made a paste out of ginger and garlic that will keep for weeks and flavor every meat and vegetable you can conjure? Ever realized why certain spices are served at the beginning or end of your meal? Because Mallick comes from southern India, she offers recipes that are distinctly Indian but very different from the northern Indian fare found in most restaurants. Dishes are much lighter and have less dairy, and emphasis is placed on herbs such as ginger and fennel, which help in digesting problematic foods such as cabbage and legumes.
After a delightful evening in the kitchen (and several bottles of Kingfisher, an Indian beer) we sat down to our feast: chickpeas with potato and onion in a tamarind-date sauce with homemade papadum; puff pastry stuffed with hard-boiled eggs and a tangy fennel-coriander paste; cinnamon-and-clove-scented basmati rice; chicken with tomato and curry leaves; and, my favorite of the evening, a saute of cabbage, coconut and peas with mustard seeds. I have never eaten leftovers with such gusto.
LEVEL OF SKILL REQUIRED: Moderate. Mallick will guide you through every procedure but will expect that you can wash, slice and sauté without much assistance. Recipes are easy to follow and require no prior knowledge of Indian cooking.
HELPFUL HINT: With enough notice, you can make arrangements to visit your local Indian market (there are actually quite a few) with Mallick to familiarize yourself with the ingredients and make subsequent trips easier. Recipes are chosen from Mallick’s cache depending on your preferences. Although Mallick herself is a vegetarian, you can opt to add poultry, beef or seafood to any of the dishes.
PRICE: $200 for a group of three to six cooks, excluding food. Ingredients for a vegetarian meal for eight will run approximately $50, slightly higher for a meat-based meal.
CONTACT: 508-809-9904.
The Grandaddyi
Johnson and Wales There’s a reason we’re taught to respect out elders: they’ve been around a good long time and have a wealth of information. With several student assistants in each class and enough ranges, sinks, stockpots and utensils to make an aficionado drool, Johnson and Wales has the resources to teach something about food preparation to everyone.
Though passion may be its cornerstone, professional cooking’s foundation is technique. J and W’s focus is on bringing the world of professional cooking into your home, albeit without the stress and long hours. Of course, along with using the resources of a technical cooking school comes the requisite lessons in hygiene, knife skills and a hairnet unless your ’do is above your ears.
One of J and W’s greatest skills is their ability to tailor a class to the intended audience. Italian classes are among the most popular with classes geared toward thirteen to sixteen-year-olds and adults. Sullen teens come to life in the kitchen when treated with respect and good humor. Whether they are considering a career in the culinary arts or just want to show off their skills at home, they’ll gain an invaluable lesson in independence as they rifle through the equipment shelves, run fresh dough through a pasta machine or plate their fettuccini all’Amatriciana. In response to a query about the correct way to measure a block of butter, Chef Eric Goellner responded, “Just guess!” After eyeing the empty measuring spoons, a young student lopped off his butter freehand with a small but significant amount of self-confidence. Who knows what may lie ahead….
Adult classes go slightly further. Pastas mix with spinach and beet powders for dramatic presentation, and students in the of-legal-age class freely pour liquor into their pasta alla bettolapenne vodka. Lobster tails are tossed into cream sauces, and platters of precooked chicken breasts are brought in for some last-minute improvisation. As we shaped, cut and dried our pasta, Chef Goellner continued to encourage independence and experimentation with suggestions like fruit-stuffed ravioli tossed in a sweet butter sauce and chocolate-based pasta dough. Two-and-a-half hours later, with five varieties of homemade pasta and sauces under our belts, lunch was served. Pass the parmesan!
LEVEL OF SKILL REQUIRED: Moderate. Unless you’re enrolled in a basics class, instructors expect knowledge of boiling, kneading and mixing, and the ability to locate a mixing bowl or measuring cup from the supply shelf.
HELPFUL HINT: Classes for kids have given way to the hugely popular cooking camp for teens (thirteen to sixteen) and ’tweens (eight to twelve) during the summer, which sold out last year. Camps have three one-week options and meet from 9 a.m. to noon covering topics basic (“Making My Own Breakfast”) and more esoteric (“Tantalizing Thai”).
PRICE: Classes run from $80 to $100 per person.
CONTACT: 598-2336, 800-342-5598; culinary.jwu.edu/education/enthusiasts_ events.php/id/165.
The Family Affairi
When Lydia Walshin decided to leave the hustle and bustle of Boston, the quiescence of Glocester was only one of the draws. True, her cozy log cabin on three acres of land, complete with a renovated kitchen and a rock-lined fire pit, is positively charming but it also has something more: “It’s got great energy and great spirit,” says Walshin. So, too, do the classes that she offers to both her original group of eight friends (herein lies the etymology of “Nine Cooks”) and her new students. Although the original group of nine still meets monthly, a variety of alternative classes are open to cooks of all ages. Tasting classes hold up to ten people ages ten and up (children require an adult chaperone and participant) and focus on discerning both the subtle and overt differences between various vinegars, oils and chocolates. Hands-on cooking classes are open to six students for strictly adults or for families in which each adult is accompanied by a youngster (eleven to fourteen).
Nine Cooks’ classes teem with good humor, camaraderie and an overriding sense of productivity. A three-hour class on eggs yielded five dozen cooked eggs for a class of six people. Slow-scrambled eggs, breakfast burritos, a “red” frittata (made with red onions, peppers and potatoes) and a spinach quiche gave way to a plethora of hard-cooked, deviled eggs. Both adults and children were given license to rummage through refrigerator and pantry to create the egg that would best represent their culinary style: avocado, bacon, red pepper and parsley, and a good old-fashioned mustard- laced yolk all made its way into our stomachs, each a home-style masterpiece.
Walshin’s classes are vastly different from more commercial classes, not only in topic (try finding another class where you can compare a stove-top version of risotto to one cooked over an open fire) but in mood. Familiarity is of the utmost importance, not only between cooks and their ingredients but between students as well. One of the first things Walshin demonstrates is how to measure ingredients in the palm of your hand, to identify capacity by feel, by smell and by taste. Cooking, after all, should be done by people and not by books. In fact, well-known chefs from restaurants, catering companies and local schools choose to make the trip out to Glocester to lead Nine Cooks classes because the enthusiasm simply can’t be matched.
LEVEL OF SKILL REQUIRED: A dedication to food and to the class is expected, as is a great deal of laughter. Lydia, a professional food writer for more than a decade, dishes out what she asks for, so plan on leaving with a broad grin and an overwhelming desire to stay longer.
HELPFUL HINT: Classes are only offered in the fall and spring, although some tasting and family classes are given in winter.
PRICE: $10–$20 per person for tasting classes; $8 for family classes; $45 for chef-taught classes.
CONTACT: 567-4460; www.ninecooks.com.
The Everyday Gourmeti
Learning Connection If you want to become more comfortable in the kitchen but are intimidated by high prices and complex menus, this is the venue for you. The Learning Connection’s been offering classes in Rhode Island for twenty-five years, and during that time has learned to tailor offerings to what locals really want to learn. You may not find classes on making your own puff pastry, but you will find opportunities to learn about pasta, pizza, wine, sushi and basic knife skills.
Donna Vispo, one of LC’s most popular instructors, led ten of us through an evening of soup recipes that could easily be completed after a day at the office. Our group consisted of several friends spending an evening together, some singles looking for more proficiency in the kitchen and a couple of gentlemen whose wives had sent them off to class together. Though Vispo’s not a professional chef, she knows exactly what the home cook needs without the fancy terminology and techniques. Recipes are pulled from favorite cookbooks, magazines and Internet sites, the very same you’d choose if you had a week’s worth of free time. We made our roasted vegetable soup with parsnips, carrots, onions and squash, but Vispo is quick to encourage the use of leftovers, garden ingredients or the sale items at your local supermarket. Everyday favorites like chicken soup can be made special with the addition of escarole or miniature meatballs, and Vispo’s rendition of broccoli and cheese soup was filled with the alluring bite of pearl pasta. Though you’d never find a box of Velveeta in a four-star restaurant, there’s a reason it was invented, and your kids will be more likely to eat a cheese soup that won’t curdle. This is no surprise to Vispo who has kids of her own and always offers alternatives for picky eaters. She’ll also make sure you’ve made enough to eat and walk out the door with containers filled with lunch for tomorrow.
LEVEL OF SKILL REQUIRED: You’ll feel at home here even if you’re usually a guest in your own kitchen. Recipes are all user-friendly and rely more on ease and taste than technique.
HELPFUL HINT: Costs are kept down by utilizing the kitchens of local churches and community centers, so don’t expect a lot of frills. Bring your own apron.
PRICE: $25–$50 per class plus a nominal materials fee. Learning Connection memberships ($39–$59) entitle you to a $10 discount.
CONTACT: 274-9330; www.learnconnect. com.
