OT: Cooking School/Learning to Cook

[Conndog]

Hi,

My wife and I are getting a new range that has multiple burners and ovens, I do most of the cooking and I'm a basic cook- spaghetti, baked chicken, nothing gourmet. Are there cooking schools that someone can go to & learn the basics of good cooking? I'd like to go for a week and really get trained in cooking techniques, trimming meats, how to handle fish in different ways, making sauces for vegetables, baking tips, & probably other things that I don't even know but are what really good cooks do routinely.
Has anyone ever gone to cooking school or know of any? Thanks!

 

[Beemer]

Maybe YouTube would have something?

the only cooking schools I know of are part of colleges that offer culinary arts majors or schools to train professional chefs.

 

[Argonaut]

Are you close to a Whole Foods? I know that mine does loads of different one night cooking classes that are really fun.

I also know that Johnson and Wales University‘s campus here in Charlotte does cooking classes through their culinary arts department that aren’t part of a degree program. If you’re in CT, maybe the Providence campus has something similar?

 

[CL82]

Hi,

My wife and I are getting a new range that has multiple burners and ovens, I do most of the cooking and I'm a basic cook- spaghetti, baked chicken, nothing gourmet. Are there cooking schools that someone can go to & learn the basics of good cooking? I'd like to go for a week and really get trained in cooking techniques, trimming meats, how to handle fish in different ways, making sauces for vegetables, baking tips, & probably other things that I don't even know but are what really good cooks do routinely.
Has anyone ever gone to cooking school or know of any? Thanks!

After a his wife passed an acquaintance of mine joined one of those meal in a box deals. Initially he figured it was easier than grocery shopping. Each box has all the ingredients for a meal and a recipe. After a while though, he developed a variety of cooking skills from the recipes. Fast forward to today, he's dropped the plan and does his own shopping but he's got a pretty good skill set. His dinner parties are pretty popular and he serves a variety of interesting and good meals.

Might be worth thinking about.

 

[Sifaka]

Before investing in a cooking school course, you may wish to be an auto-didact, with the help of a couple of wonderful, old style (non-gourmet) basic cookbooks.

Many used book shops, such as the one where I volunteer, are good places to look for both of these:

The Fannie Farmer Cookbook
The Settlement Cookbook

I prefer the latter, but both are excellent, plain English texts that explain the basics, using ingredients you can find at ordinary grocery stores. If you can't find used copies—usually four to ten bucks–I believe they are still in print and can be found online or in new book stores.

Another great source is Cook's Ilustrated, published by America's Test Kitchen, both the periodical and the annual compilations.
Easy to understand text, simple, logical step-by-step instructions, and lots of comparisons among alternative recipes, ingredients, and procedures.

 

[Sargassoc]

Don't know where you are, but Sur La Table (the only one in CT is in Canton) always offers cooking classes. Here's the link to the current classes. Also, the Chef's Emporium (I think the only one left in the state is in Orange) also offers classes. Here are their current listings (though most are for kids in the summer season).

 

[Pre-3]

Hi,

My wife and I are getting a new range that has multiple burners and ovens, I do most of the cooking and I'm a basic cook- spaghetti, baked chicken, nothing gourmet. Are there cooking schools that someone can go to & learn the basics of good cooking? I'd like to go for a week and really get trained in cooking techniques, trimming meats, how to handle fish in different ways, making sauces for vegetables, baking tips, & probably other things that I don't even know but are what really good cooks do routinely.
Has anyone ever gone to cooking school or know of any? Thanks!

 

[Pre-3]

You tube..."foodie by glam"..."Osara Recepies" any of the CIA you tube sites. Actually. If you get started on you tube it is a bottomless pit of culinary technique and general information.

 

[Lynx23]

Maybe Kia, Bria, and Tina can provide some pointers (NY Liberty helping out at a NYC food kitchen).

 

[Bigboote]

Before investing in a cooking school course, you may wish to be an auto-didact, with the help of a couple of wonderful, old style (non-gourmet) basic cookbooks.

Many used book shops, such as the one where I volunteer, are good places to look for both of these:

The Fannie Farmer Cookbook
The Settlement Cookbook

I was going to suggest Fannie Farmer, too. It's an amazing resource with detailed instructions on how to do basic, representative tasks (kneading bread, for example) to how to select meats and produce. I learned a lot from Fannie, and although I own a couple of dozen cookbooks now (most of which I married in to), Fannie is still what I consult the most.

Fannie is pretty much basic American. I've also picked up quite a bit from some regional cookbooks (Indian, Chinese, Thai, etc.) There are really very few operations you need to know, and from there you can pick anything up quickly.

The Washington Post has a neat site called Voraciously that also teaches skills:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/

 

[Bama fan]

I was going to suggest Fannie Farmer, too. It's an amazing resource with detailed instructions on how to do basic, representative tasks (kneading bread, for example) to how to select meats and produce. I learned a lot from Fannie, and although I own a couple of dozen cookbooks now (most of which I married in to), Fannie is still what I consult the most.

Fannie is pretty much basic American. I've also picked up quite a bit from some regional cookbooks (Indian, Chinese, Thai, etc.) There are really very few operations you need to know, and from there you can pick anything up quickly.

The Washington Post has a neat site called Voraciously that also teaches skills:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/

Agree all around. Lots of resources out there. BTW, I find it interesting to observe that while some men marry for looks, others marry for books! That speaks to your unique approach to life .

 

[veryolddog]

Did you ever think about Adult Education Classes in your community? Sometimes you get restarurant owners teaching their line of cooking. My wife and I once went to a Chinese Cooking class, and when the feeling strikes us we collect the ingredients and cook up some of own food. Also if you want professional what about that school in Poughkeepsie, NY called the Culinary Institute? I do not know if they still exist.

 

[Puppy Love]

No thoughts on cooking classes, but here are my ideas. For Cookbooks, I’d suggest Baking with Julia and The Williams Sonoma Simple Classics Cookbook. Those are my all time favorites. You could also binge watch The Barefoot Contessa. I’m super jealous of anyone who gets an amazing range. I’ve always dreamed of a Aga. I’ve got a six burner gas cooktop but my wall oven is fairly basic.

 

[Bigboote]

Agree all around. Lots of resources out there. BTW, I find it interesting to observe that while some men marry for looks, others marry for books! That speaks to your unique approach to life .

LOL! We knew we were serious when she moved the Britannica into my place.

 

[Bigboote]

I’m super jealous of anyone who gets an amazing range. I’ve always dreamed of a Aga. I’ve got a six burner gas cooktop but my wall oven is fairly basic.

Oh, yes, Conndog, can you fill us in on your new range?

 

[mbr33ct]

Hi,

My wife and I are getting a new range that has multiple burners and ovens, I do most of the cooking and I'm a basic cook- spaghetti, baked chicken, nothing gourmet. Are there cooking schools that someone can go to & learn the basics of good cooking? I'd like to go for a week and really get trained in cooking techniques, trimming meats, how to handle fish in different ways, making sauces for vegetables, baking tips, & probably other things that I don't even know but are what really good cooks do routinely.
Has anyone ever gone to cooking school or know of any? Thanks!

You got some great input by the posters. I believe @veryolddog gave you a good one in checking with your local Adult Education Classes. They always have cooking classes. Some local (to your area) restaurants may also hold cooking classes/seminars. I also find YouTube to be a great source of information on this subject. Example, if you want to find out how to trim meats and fish...just search it in YouTube you'll be surprised what you will find.

If there's one word every cook needs to know it's Mirepoix...basic cooking 101 (you're probably doing it but you would never know it by that word)



...by the way gourmet is overrated ( I have learned when a menu item says "gourmet" it usually means $3-5 is tacked on to actual price of dish and portions small). You can produce "gourmet" dishes, take your baked chicken or whatever else you do like to cook, add 3 mini carrots with partial greens still on them sauteed in butter with 1 or 2 oven roasted "fingerling" potatoes. To make it really gourmet, just add a sprig of curly parsley.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Maybe YouTube would have something?

the only cooking schools I know of are part of colleges that offer culinary arts majors or schools to train professional chefs.

first thing that popped into my head... youtube is the teacher of all