JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.-- It takes a little more motivation and a little more planning, but the number of people cooking at home rather than eating out is on the rise. The sour economy, it seems, has sweetened the desire to save money by dining in. So cooking classes are more popular than ever, and there are plenty of places in Missouri for aspiring chefs to hone their culinary craft.
The Alpenhorn Gasthaus in Hermann, www.alpenhorngasthaus.com, offers weekends of gourmet cooking classes or three-hour luncheons during the week.
“Both options are popular, depending on how much time people have,” said Kate Schandl, who, along with husband Adrian Sigrist, teaches the classes. The couple also owns the old-style bed and breakfast in Missouri wine country where the classes are held. “We focus on local ingredients and fresh herbs from our garden.”
Cooking instructor and cookbook author Judith Fertig teaches a class how to make steak salad at "A thyme for Everything" in Lee's Summit, MO.
Schandl stresses presentation, believing that we eat with our eyes first. It’s not uncommon for her to serve ceviche in a frosted martini glass, or plop rich chocolate mousse into a similar glass that has been dusted with cocoa powder. “I’m a simple cook who doesn’t believe cooking has to be complicated,” said Schandl. “If you go to the effort to cook a meal, then you’d better enjoy it. I teach people things they can do at home.”
The recent fascination with Julia Child prompted Jet Pabst, owner of A Thyme For Everything in Lee’s Summit, www.athymeforeverything.com, to offer classes based on the famous chef’s favorite dishes. Taught by cooking instructor Karen Adler, students can learn to make such classics as Boeuf Bourguignon, which Child said is one of the 10 dishes every cook should know how to prepare. Pabst said those classes sell out quickly and she is continually adding more classes to meet the demand. She is celebrating three years of operating her cooking store.
“I’ve always had a love for everything to do with cooking,” Pabst said. “Sitting down with friends and family, focusing on each other and enjoying a meal. Food just enhances everything.” Pabst also offers a wide variety of classes, including No-Knead Bread classes, Festive French Entertaining and Gingerbread Houses.
In St. Louis, the Kitchen Conservatory, www.kitchenconservatory.com, offers more than 600 different cooking classes every year. Participation classes and demonstration classes feature a wide variety of menus and themes, from beginner to gourmet to ethnic cooking. The 200 chefs who teach here all have some thing in common: a passion for the recipes they have created, and a desire to share their cooking techniques. The facility is also available for custom cooking class parties.
If you want to learn about pizza or pasta, ethnic cuisine or backyard grilling, try the Viking Cooking School, www.vikingcookingschool.com, also in St. Louis. Students can spend a few hours or a few days learning culinary skills to last a lifetime. Hands-on workshops and demonstrations are offered, as well as series classes and classes for teens and kids.
The Inn at Harbour Ridge, www.harbourridgeinn.com, in Osage Beach hosts Culinary Capers on select Wednesdays each month. Class size is limited to nine students and includes one-on-one demonstrations, take home recipes and a freshly cooked dinner with dessert.
An intensive barbecue class is taught in Kansas City by Chef Paul Kirk, who has won the World Championship of BBQ seven times and has collected more than 450 cooking awards. The BBQ Pitmaster Class, www.cloud9living.com, covers the basics of barbecuing brisket, pork butt, pork ribs, chicken and sausage. Past students have said Chef Paul can take three years off trial and error experimenting on your own. These classes are suited for the backyard enthusiast as well as the seasoned competitor.
For more cooking class ideas or to get a free copy of the 2009 Official Missouri Vacation Planner, log on to www.VisitMo.com or call toll-free 800-519-4800.
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