I have a love hate relationship with Phad Thai.
I fell in love with this Thai noodle dish years ago while in Thailand. I ate it everywhere. At 5-star restaurants, floating river markets, on the bustling streets of Bangkok cooked on what looked like a garbage pail lid, at tiny airport fast food counters and on an island beach restaurant with my toes getting lost in the sand as my palate got lost in the subtle and perfect balance of flavours. It was never the same dish twice but it was always delicious and sent me smiling straight to food heaven. I was determined to learn how to make it. Despite numerous attempts and recipes, I was defeated. I hated how culinary incompetent it made me feel and how it reinforced personal cooking fears and intimidations. My noodles turned to mush, or stuck together in a gross mass, or it was all too dry or too saucy, or too tart or too salty, or the egg disappeared from the palate (and eye) as it coated the noodles as opposed to being delicious morsels of flavor within the dish…. As a foodie with picky pallet, mediocre results are not ok.
My cooking intimidations typically surprise people. They assume that my passion for food and cooking would brave me against the usual sources of most peoples’ hesitation to attempt a new culinary techniques or equipment. Not so. Every once and awhile I’ll confront my inner wimp, and try a scary recipe. My family still doesn’t understand my shock and surprise when it works, which isn’t often.
So I’ve become a cooking school junkie. It’s not just about overcoming fear. Cooking classes are fun, a source of inspiration, an easy way to socialize with people who share food passions, and when travelling, one the best guided tours through local food traditions. And I love to learn. Instructors stand over your shoulder, or you theirs, and guide you with the tips and tricks of experience you couldn’t possibly get from a cookbook alone. In the last 20 years, I’ve literally travelled all over the world and attended hundreds of classes in schools ranging from remote villages in northern Thailand to a week long program at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa.
With a six month sabbatical, I set a goal to understand the Seattle cooking school scene. In the last 2 months, I’ve attended classes at most of the local ‘enthusiast’ schools. (Enthusiast schools refer to programs that offer single or series of classes targeting cooking enthusiasts, as opposed to certified or accredited culinary degree programs, which are usually more like a full time college degree.) Here are my top discoveries and favorite schools.
1. In the King County, we are truly blessed with an amazing number of great enthusiast cooking schools.
After doing exhaustive research, I was amazed to discover 13 enthusiast cooking schools in the Seattle area. Contrary to my expectation that some would leave me wowed and others would leave me underwhelmed, they have all been consistently good. Each offers different experiences, thereby making a huge diversity of options available from which people can choose.
The breadth of topics available is amazing. You can choose anything from the basics, such as the fundamentals of knike skills (most schools offer this), to the highly specialized like Japanese Tea Service (at the Hiroko Sugiyama Culinary Atelier). Most offer instruction on local cuisine (actually focused on local ingredients, like Culiynary Communions “250-mile diet” which aims to teach students how to cook with seasonal ingredients sourced from within a 250-mile radius of Seattle, and/or focused on Northwest techniques, like Sur La Tables cooking class focused on cedar plank cooking) and cuisines from far away.
Many schools invite local and national celebrity chefs and specialists to teach. For example Sur La Table is offering a class with Gluten Free Girl and Danny Ahern. (For those of you who haven’t read her blog or just released book, Danny is “the Chef”.) James Beard award winner (the Oscar of the culinary world) Ethan Stowell and local cookbook writer and journalist Greg Atkinson will be instructing at Dish It Up! Cooking school. Bon Vivant has partnered with Saveur Magazine to offer a series. Maria Hines, Food & Wine Magazine’s 2005 Best New Chef in America, and Executive Chef of Tilth, one of Seattle Magazine 2007 Top Ten Restaurants, will be teaching “Northwest Fresh” at PCC Cooks. Many of the chefs teach at a few schools so if you have a conflict with a class at 1 school, it’s likely a similar class by the same instructor will be offered elsewhere on a different date.
You can take a single class or a series (typically 1 night for a few consecutive weeks). You can choose to attend a purely demonstration class where someone else does all the work and you simply enjoy eating the fruits of their labor, or you choose a hands-on class in which you don an apron and apply all your senses. Still others offer a bit of both demo and hands-on.
2. You could skip the 21-hour flight to SE Asia to learn how to master Phad Thai.
It was incredible. At Cook’s World, guest Thai chef Pranee Khruasanit Halvorsen taught a group of 13 of us on the many wonders of Thai technique for authentic Thai noodles dishes. (The course was entitled “Oodles of Noodles”). For 3 hours, we made one delicious dish after another, all completely different, all with transferable techniques and all under the wise eye of Pranee. The course promised to teach Phad Thai so I was there. I was somewhat skeptical. Could you really learn authentic culinary wonders this far from the source or was the dish going to be dummied down in some way. As I prepared my Phad Thai, dutifully following the recipe, Pranee corrected me on some of the subtleties that end up being secrets to success not shared in any recipe I’ve found. “Flip the noodles and separate them, but you don’t want to overwork them or they will fall apart.” (Ah! That’s what I had been doing wrong!) And “you only want to loosely scramble the eggs so there are pieces of egg yolk and egg white. Take your spoon back and forth through the eggs only 6 times to mix them but only loosely”. (Hello! Another mistake I had been making.) I had finally accomplished my quest; my Phad Thai was delicious. Possibly more exciting, I was able to sample Kao Soy, the quintessential dish of Chiang Mai. I’ve visited the northern city of Chiang Mai on both my trips to Thailand but the dish typically contains chicken so as a vegetarian, it’s been out of bounds for me. It’s complexity of flavours and textures were incredible. Every one of us in class was literally licking our bowl.
3. I’ve been amazed by the diversity of my classmates and their reasons for attending.
Cooking classes are appealing to men and women of all ages. There was a young lesbian couple enjoying a night out, one of whom is a professional chef expanding her cooking repertoire; an elderly woman, who arrived with sweet home baked treat for the instructor and seemed like a regular; a fifty-plus year old brother and sister pair who share a passion for cooking and had attended a cooking conference in New Orleans (He was visiting from out of town); a mother and daughters enjoying a girls’ night out and; a retired couple from Tacoma who were inspired by their adult children to consider how to cook with local ingredients. At Sur La Table’s class, this gentleman explained that he’s a stay home dad of his 6-month old son. He doesn’t take a lot of classes but he wanted a night out at the last minute. This makes sense. If your spouse is home taking care of your child and you want to go out without time to plan a sitter or coordinate with friends, what a great place to spend your evening without the pressure of being solo. One young woman explained that she’s single and somewhat introverted but likes to be around people, so cooking classes allow her a “low maintenance” social setting in which she can meet people and talk with people without the pressures she feels in bars.
Cooking classes are viewed as another great place for singles to meet other singles. The Blue Ribbon and Culinary Center offers what they call their “sizzling hot new singles series.” Space City Mixer, who define themselves as “Seattle social and networking club …targeting smart and savvy professionals in their 20’s, 30’s and 40”s”, offers a number of cooking classes in collaboration with Cook’s World.
Another trend is classes for children. Blue Ribbon is offering its 14th Annual Summer Cooking Camps, 4-day classes on topics including “Ethnic Adventures with Food” to “Mom and Me Camp” to “Advanced French Culinary Workshop”. Sur La table offers an array of classes such as “Teens: Basic Skills Workshop” for ages 13-18, as well as “Cooking with Dad” for ages 8 – 12. PCC Kids Cooks offers classes for children 2 and 3 years old (with parent supervision) as well as for ages 10 – 12, entitled “Let’s Wrap ‘n’ Roll!” and “Treasures of the Caribbean” .
“There seem to be growing number of men taking classes… men who want to be in the kitchen and play more of a role in nurturing their family”, said Bon Vivant Director, Louise Hasson. She’s noticed an increasing trend of male students growing from 10 – 15% to 25-30% in the last 30 years. In the majority of the classes I attended, at least 30% of the class was male.
4. While they are all good, Seattle cooking schools are not all the same.
So how to you pick? Some obvious differentiators include class topic, schedule, proximity to where you live (or work) and class costs. All the schedules are online. Prices vary from $30 for a single class (at Whole Foods) to $90 a class. Series classes appear to offer substantive discounts on a per class basis (Bob Vivant 12 class package equals $29 per class) as well as classes associated with grocery stores, which can be up to be 50% cheaper than non store affiliated programs.
Here are some of my favorites of local enthusiast schools.
Blue Ribbon: From their beautiful facility located on the Lake Union waterfront, Blue Ribbon offers great corporate classes for team building and impressive series offerings (including Sizzling Singles and Kids Camps).
Bon Vivant: It’s no surprise that Bon Vivant is the last one standing after watching Seattle cooking schools open and close over the last 30 years, and why some students have been returning for over 15 years. Director Louise Hasson’s commitment to bringing people together around food and building their cooking confidence was obvious just from my brief conversation with her. Bon Vivant offers an impressive variety of topics taught by both Louise and guest chefs, as single classes or series (Mastering the Basics, Pastry Arts Certificate Course and International Cuisine Series). Classes are taught at peoples’ houses or at Louise’s home. Some Bon Vivant distinctions include a partnership with Saveur Magazine (such as a series on Authentic Italian), and that after your first introductory class (on any topic of your choice), you need to purchase a membership for 6, 12 or 20 credit (classes) pack, after which you can graze among the individual courses.
Cook’s World: My expectation was that the class would be a dud. The telephone interaction to register felt less than professional and the website and cooking school facilities all looked tired and outdated. Don’t let this fool you. The Thai “Ooodles of Noodles” was awesome. The facility had everything we needed in a relaxed atmosphere. (I likened the experience to driving our very well used Subaru instead of the new BMW. Both get you there, but in the former, you can take off your shoes, put your feet up on the dash and enjoy your muffin without worrying about the crumbs.) Their class schedule is amazingly diverse. I’d take another Cook’s World class without hesitation.
Culinary Communion: I was very impressed with Culinary Communion. Their classes get you as close to a professional chef training program as you can get without actually attending the real thing. They have an incredible number of series courses, such as 7 different series courses within their Culinary Skills Program, 8 within their Regional curriculum, and 4 within their Baking and Pastry section. I attended the “250-Mile Diet” hands on class and was greeted with a binder; returning students, which was 80% of my class, simply get course materials to add to their binder. The school is located on Beacon Hill in a house, with an open main floor devoted to a spacious and very well appointed kitchen with multiple wood cutting counters for hands-on classes and a combination dining room (with multiple community tables) and small living room. The effect felt like your culinary boundaries would be pushed in the comfort of home. The instruction was very knowledgeable, with a sophistication of detail that was like what I imagine the difference of experience would be like to be coached by an NBA coach to that of a high school coach early in their career. The class was promoted as 10 AM – 1:00 PM, which I learned meant that you sit to eat together at 1 PM, so don’t plan another commitment at 1:30 as I did, and make sure you eat before class. I plan to sign up for a couple of their series classes.
Dish It Up!: I attended “Chef’s Table with Ethan Stowell”. What a fabulous evening. A chef’s table typically refers to an exclusive opportunity to have a meal prepared by a chef in their kitchen (at their restaurant), as opposed to being one of the masses in the main dining room. It was exactly that. At Dish It Up! 14 of us sat around the marble counter, sipped our wines that had been carefully selected to pair with the menu, and were fed, course by course by Ethan Stowell as he prepared one sumptuous dish after another. There were 3 couples clearly enjoying a dinner out together that was less about cooking class and more about a unique experience with a celebrity chef. With 2 kitchen assistants, Chef Ethan flowed from one item to the next, explaining what he was doing and why throughout, which included sharing his personal opinions on traditional culinary techniques (such as he doesn’t think you need to stir risotto continuously.) Dish It Up’s schedule lists a number of local celebrity chefs and instructors. Next time I’ll invite my husband who likes good food but isn’t all the interested in cooking.
NuCulinary: I attended a class at the Bellevue Uwajimaya. The eat-in tables of the store doubled as our classroom, with place settings of a cup of savory mixture of nuts and chips, a hot cup of delicious Chai tea, a clip board with recipes and store 10% off discount and eating utensils marked a student spot. We were briefed on Indian spices, different types of lentils and then we walked through the 4 curry recipes for the evening. We then volunteered for a dish, which we then prepared without team. We utilized the store working kitchen so it was a little cramped and campy feeling for a hands on class of 16 people, an instructor and 2 assistants. But the class was well organized, with ingredients grouped together and work stations set out in advance. I enjoyed the informal atmosphere created by the lack of luxury and basic equipment. And the class was only 2 hours (6:30 – 8:30 PM), which I appreciated after a long day.
PCC Cooks: Of all the cooking schools integrated into a grocery store, this was my favorite by a country mile. The bright and spacious classroom, quality of instruction and materials, and overall experience has me signed up for 2 more classes. I attended the “A Taste of India”, a demonstration class, which was perfect for my sleepy Saturday morning mindset. Charismatic guest Chef Jayesh Rao took us through authentic techniques the way “Mama did it”, he said, for several recipes, feeding us throughout the 3 hour class. As you might expect, PCC Cooks integrates a focus on healthy, organic and ecologically sounds ingredients and menus. I really liked that all the ingredients were bought at the store so replicating a dish at home didn’t entail shopping expeditions to specialty stores across the city.
Sizzleworks: I have not attended a Sizzleworks class yet, but my research revealed a valuable and unique offering of individual classes from its 4-class series on fundamentals (How to Boil Water) and 16-week Masters Technique. Typically schools require you to sign up (and pay) for an entire series. With Sizzleworks, if you’re simply interested in brushing up on sautéing or sauces technique, you can join that particular class of the series. The school does offer a few individual classes a month, but the focus appears to be on their series.
Sur La Table: Sur La Table is the Cadillac of cooking schools and a clear extension of their retail business. Their program is both national and local. Some of the advantages of their national and retail affiliation are being able to secure celebrity chefs promoting new books, tried recipes, the latest in equipment and a format that translates into thoughtful and thorough classes. Locally, they feature Seattle-based chefs and course topics that map to local interests, seasons and techniques. The Kirkland store is the only location in the Seattle area with a teaching kitchen. They offer up to 2 classes a day, 7 days a week, and are available for corporate team building events with custom menus. The facilities and equipment are all top of the line, such as a professional grade Wolf stove, Shun chef knives, All Clad pots and pan and sub zero fridges. Despite its sophistication, their program is very approachable. I’ve attended demonstration and hands-on classes, and all have been excellent. I most recently attended a class entitled “Spring Dinner Party”. I took advantage of the 10% purchases coupon to go home with a new bamboo cutting board which we tried in class.
5. Cooking Classes offer incredible food insights.
It’s amazing to me how generous people are in sharing their food passion discoveries. Over the course of a 2 to 3 hour class, fellow students and instructors sprinkle so many nuggets of knowledge that, for anyone interested in food and their local food scene, these gems alone are almost worth the price of admission. Here are some I took away for follow up.
Best vegetable stock (pre-prepared): Imagine “No Chicken Broth”
Local Paneer (Indian Cheese) producer: Appel Farms
Ethan Stowell favorite restaurants: he praised many local chefs but called out a few when pressed. Shiro’s (for sushi), Joule in Wallingford and Green Leaf in the International District, Art of the Table.
Cookbooks to check out: Culinary Artistry, Culinaria Series, Giorgio Locattelli “Made in Italy”, Paul Bertoli “Cooking by Hand”
Authentic Indian cuisine: Pabla in Renton in the Fred Meyer complex
Best Thai restaurant: May in Wallingford (apparently we must try the Green Curry with halibut) 1612 N 45th St.; 206 675 0037
Website:
· Cook’s Illustrated (www.cooksillustrated.com) for recipes and techniques that have been tried 50 different ways so you don’t have to.
· www.seasonalcornucopia.com, a local website devoted to helping “chefs, restaurants, home cooks and gardeners in the greater Puget Sound Region of the Pacific Northwest…identify when local foods are in season”, the website explains. The site also lists a number of useful local resources, such as local purveyors, farmers, seafood sources, Washington artisan cheese makers and much more.
Indian ingredients: Mayuri’s Food and Video in Bellevue
Asian Ingredients: Uwajimaya (International District and Bellevue) and Viet Wah
Fresh Fish: Uwajimaya and Seattle Fish Company (West Seattle) and Wild Salmon in Ballard’s Fisherman’s Terminal.
Delicious vinegars: www.katzandco.com
So why do I still have a love hate relationship with Phad Thai? I’ve decided making the perfect bowl of Phad Thai is a lot like what making the perfect omelet is to French culinary technique; anyone can make it but making it well truly defines mastery. Three weeks after taking Oddles of Noodles at Cook’s World, I summoned enough inner strength to try again. It worked. And it was good. But I want awe inspiring delicious. That will take practice. Lots and lots of practice, likely some humbling failures and then more practice. But thanks to my cooking class, I’m now armed with confidence. In fact, so much so that the quest is evolving to include discovering the best Phad Thai recipe!
When preparing for a trip to some wonderful, far- away place either on holiday or business, I will continue to seek out local cooking classes, and recommend the same for any fellow food enthusiast. They continue to be one of my favorite travel indulgences. What I’ve recently discovered is that they are an awesome at-home treat too, and that Seattle offers enthusiasts a dizzying array of options to fellow junkies or novices alike. I hope to break bread with you at a local class soon!
Seattle Cooking Schools
(price per person)
Blue Ribbon: www.blueribboncooking.com, single classes at $95, Children’s Cooking Camps $500 plus $150 supply fee
Bon Vivant: www.bon-vivant.com, single introductory demonstration class at $39 or $78 for hands-on, 6 credit series for $225 and 12 credit series for $420
Cook’s World: www.cooksworld.net , single class from $55 – $65, 6 class series for $295
Culinary Communion: www.culinarycommunion.com Single classes from $59 – $89 or $420 for a 6 class series
Diane’s Market Kitchen: www.dianesmarketkitchen.com, single classes at $104 including tour of Pike Place Market
Dish It Up!: www.dish-it-up.com, single classes from $70 – $85 (no series classes)
Hiroko Sugiyama Culinary Atelier: www.hirokosdolly.com , single classes from $75 – $110
L’Auberge Edge of Seattle Cooking: www.edgeof-seattle-cooking.com, single classes for $99
NuCulinary: www.nuculinary.com, single classes from $60 – $75
PCC Cooks: www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/pcccooks/classes, single classes from $35 – $40 for members, $40 – 45 for non-members
Sizzleworks: www.thesizzleworks.com , singles classes from $90 – $120, series at $450 for 4 classes
Sur La Table: http://surlatable.turnstilesystems.com/LocationDetail.aspx/Kirkland, single classes from $50 – $79, Teen’s 5-Day Summer Camp at $350
Whole Foods: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/calendars/BLV.html , single classes at $30
