I am REALLY excited about this new 9 week cooking program at the Culinary Center of Kansas City in Overland Park. This NEW class explodes with different bold flavors and focuses on creating layers of flavors. Each week will focus on something new from each section of a dinner. From Small plates to "One Pot Meals" and desserts.
Great class for home cooking or home entertaining. Here is a great snap of the class series and each class.
NEW 9-Week “Hands-On” Series: MORE Cooking Fundamentals for The Serious Cook
We’re rolling out our latest, greatest curriculum … a NEW 9-week series designed to enhance your culinary skills and provide you with more in-depth, hands-on kitchen expertise. This new series is open to anyone … you do not need to take any prerequisite courses to enroll! Designed and taught by Culinary Institute of America graduate and professional Chef Richard McPeake, this course will help you build MORE essential culinary skills and teach you the proper way to prepare a dazzling menu in each course. After this 9-week experience, your cooking acumen and culinary confidence will soar to new levels. If you’re serious about learning to cook… and you think you might look pretty darn good in a white chef’s jacket, then join us. Your registration fee of $995 includes a personalized chef’s jacket and chef’s toque.
Wednesdays 6:30-9:30 pm; Instructor: Chef Richard McPeake
Class Dates: 1/12, 1/19, 1/26, 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23, 3/2 and 3/9
Pro Series B – Class 1: The Art of Small Plates & Appetizers
Learn the art of creating smaller, highly flavorful dishes that prepare the appetite for the remainder of the dining experience. Discover the importance of layering flavors, essentials of proper portions and the secrets to “bursting” flavors as we explore such techniques as caramelizing, sauteing, preserving, marinating and emulsifying. We’ll learn how to make Prawns with Garlic Chips & Preserved Lemons, Hanger Steak with Chimichurri, Scallops with Lychee Gazpacho, Marinated Fig & Goat Cheese with Basil Wheat Crostini. The tried-and-true recipes we’ll learn tonight are a compilation of the best from the many restaurant menus Chef Richard has developed nationwide.
Pro Series B – Class 2: SALADS
There is so much more to making a good salad than cutting up some lettuce and drizzling on some dressing. We’ll learn about the variety of lettuce options – what’s best to use for each type of salad … and the seasonality of each. We’ll explore the proper ways to handle, clean, cut, prepare and store salad ingredients. Seasoning is of the utmost importance when making salads so we’ll need to learn about the different kinds of salt, how to use fresh herbs and spices and the impact a bit of pepper can make. Can’t explore salads without learning about dressings and marinades now, can we? We’ll learn some of Chef Richard’s FAVORITE dressings as we discover emulsifications (quick and long-term) and how to use special kitchen tools including immersion blenders.
Pro Series B – Class 3: PASTA
Both handmade pasta and the sauces that pair with them are culinary gems steeped in tradition. Tonight we’ll learn how to make both, under the expert guidance of Chef Richard. By hand … from scratch … we’ll create dough. And we will learn to fashion that dough into various shapes, some of which will be made by hand and some of which will utilize a pasta machine. We’ll explore braising techniques for cooking pasta and learn the important differences in the flours used to make pasta. Tonight’s menu includes Classic Alfredo Sauce, Fettuccini, Parmesan Orzo Pilaf, Stuffed Cannolloni and Chef’s 300-year-old homemade Quick Italian Red Sauce recipe. Can’t beat that lineup!
Pro Series B – Class 4: SIDE DISHES (including Grains, Rice and Beans)
This evening we’ll explore the fundamentals of preparing and cooking grains, rice and beans as we learn to make fabulous side dishes alongside Chef Richard. He’ll teach us proper Risotto techniques and how to make a perfect Pilaf. We’ll learn how to select, soak, cook, prepare and season beans as we prepare some hearty bean dishes. And we’ll learn to make Chef’s favorite “Southern Salad” as we grill and “de-cob” corn!
Pro Series B – Class 5: POULTRY
Class is going “to the birds” tonight as we learn everything there is to know about poultry – what to look for when purchasing poultry; how to handle it safely; plus washing, seasoning and prepping poultry. Chef Richard shares his secrets to the best poultry cooking methods including pan searing, dry roasting, and braising. We’ll learn as we make Roasted Cornish Hen, Duck Breast, and Braised Chicken Cacciatore. We’ll also learn how to roast poultry on a vertical roaster.
Pro Series B – Class 6: SOUPS & STOCKS
Tonight we’ll take on the challenge of classic soup and stock techniques as we learn the essentials of how to make various type of stock … and why we should. We’ll learn how to create and use thickeners and the cooking methods of braising and stewing as we work together to make Chef’s “Poor Man's” Cassoulet, Classic French Beef Bourguignon, Soup with Homemade Dumplings and a Classic Cream Soup.
Pro Series B – Class 7: BREADS and ROLLS
It’s BAKING time with Chef Richard tonight as we learn how to knead, proof, rest, shape, bake and cut breads and rolls. We’ll learn more about flour and yeast and the “science” of baking as we work to create Basic Yeast Rolls, Focaccia, Buttermilk Biscuits and Cornbread. You’ll be well-rounded and armed with the confidence to be a bread baker for years to come.
Pro Series B – Class 8: DESSERTS
Speaking of well-rounded (ahem!), a meal isn’t complete without dessert. Nothing to be afraid of here – Chef Richard says if he can do it, so can WE! He’ll take us step-by-step through the proper techniques to create the Classic Souffle (learn “fail-proof” guarded secrets and how to temper eggs correctly). We’ll learn how to temper chocolate as we make French Sabayon: Cooked Egg Dessert Sauce. We’ll also learn classic Homemade Fudge Sauce (a versatile sauce we’ll use again and again!) to go with the Homemade Profitteroles made "right" in class! Plus Chef Richard's 1,2,3 Mixed BerryCobbler with Sweet Biscuit Topping!
Pro Series B – Class 9: FINAL DINNER COMPETITION
It’s the grand finale! Tonight we’ll practice what we’ve learned throughout the 8 weeks we’ve cooked together. The class will be divided into groups with each team challenged to create a dish that uses what we’ve learned. Not to worry, Chef Richard will be walking the room to give advice and assist. When we’ve placed our dish on the Grand Buffet we’ll have an opportunity to explain our cooking processes and get feedback from our colleagues and from the teacher himself. What a rewarding experience! Professional Culinary Arts Program Diplomas will be awarded. (You never know…the friends you make in these classes could be the start of a monthly dinner club!) (Dinner)