January 31, 2007 in Food

Fresh Sheet: Series will cater to hopeful chefs

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Ever thought of making cooking your career?

If you’ve been dreaming of culinary school, but real life has kept it out of reach, the folks at the Greenbriar Inn in Coeur d’Alene have a new series of cooking classes to consider.

Students who take the new Aspiring Chef Cooking Class Series will be exposed to all of the basics taught in traditional culinary schools, says Greenbriar owner Kris McIlvenna, who designed the classes with chef Dennis Woolard, a graduate of the Inland Northwest Culinary Academy at Spokane Community College.

“I hope it would have a huge benefit in that it could inspire or dissuade someone from going into a culinary program,” McIlvenna says. “I also think it would be something that would definitely fill in the blanks for someone with a lifelong interest in cooking who would want to hone their skills, but doesn’t have time for professional reasons to go to a two-year school.”

They’ve planned eight weeks of classes, beginning next Wednesday. Each three-hour session will be held Wednesday evenings starting at 6 and then repeated the following Saturday at 11 a.m.

The classes will be hands-on work with the chef, and the students will sit down to a meal they create with the techniques taught in the class. Each class is $45 and includes instruction, recipes and the meal. Students can sign up for one class, a few or all of them.

Here’s the planned curriculum:

Next Wednesday or Feb. 10: Culinary basics

Feb. 14 or 17: Hors d’oeuvres

Feb. 21 or 24: Breads

Feb. 28 or March 3: Salads

March 7 or 10: Vegetables and Pasta

March 14 or 17: Beef and Pork

March 21 or 24: Simple seafood

March 28 or 31: Desserts

The Greenbriar Inn is at 315 Wallace Ave. in downtown Coeur d’Alene. The Inn opened in 1985 and began catering a year later. For more information or to register call (208) 667-9660. The Web site is www.greenbriarcatering.com.

Kids are cooking, too

The Corbin Arts Center is offering cooking classes for ages 9 to 13 starting Friday.

There are five evening workshops for students, who will learn the basics of cooking, how to follow a recipe, food preparation and food safety, along with fun and artistic ways to present the meals and easy ways to add flavor to a dish.

All supplies are included and the class will eat their work each night. Each workshop is $19 and will be held Friday evenings from 6 to 8:30 p.m. through March 2. Here are the dishes the class will be cooking:

Friday: Spaghetti

Feb. 9: English-Muffin Pizza

Feb. 16: Lasagna

Feb. 23: Enchiladas

March 2: Chicken Pot Pie

Preregistration is required. Call (509) 625-6677. The Corbin Arts Center is a program of the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department. It is at 507 W. Seventh Ave.

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