Hi All, I have been wanting to brush up on my cooking skills. Sure, I can make a grilled cheese as good as the next guy, but would like to make a meal that sounds more fancy like "sesame seared beef tenderloin topped with a blood orange gastrique". Ok truth be told I have idea if those two things go together but if I signed up for these online culinary classes, I might! ha Anyway, I stumbled across Smart Kitchen where you can take unlimited classes for $10 a month. Has anyone used this site before? Do you think it would be worth at least trying? Smart Kitchen | Online Cooking School I'm not looking to become a chef, just want to be a great home cook.
Yeah! Some speaking my language I would say you could keep going on the class you found, but I'm more of a fan of free and learning from legit experts. No disrespect, I don't know who runs Smart Kitchen, but I know who runs these. I think you'll like them! You're more likely to get a gastrique from the Harvard series. Seriously, watch lecture 6 first and let me know if this isn't blowing your foodie mind! This is through YALE and it's free. The class is through the psychology dept: PSYC123 The Psychology, Biology, and Politics of Food. (23 lectures and they are GREAT- very academic, very now, very controversial- really good stuff) Open Yale Courses | The Psychology, Biology and Politics of Food This is through HARVARD and it's free. This class is a who's who of great chefs, and they integrate science beautifully. Very culinary, very science. Really, really, really enjoyed these! If you only watch one, skip right to Grant Achatz lecture 6. And let me know what you think Watch these on itunes or youtube. lecture 1 Food and Science | Lecture 1 (2012) - YouTube EDIT: I just read the bios of the "cast" at Smart Chef. It's a waste of time and money. Jump ship. The reason you can't do culinary arts online (besides learning theory) is because no one is there to tell you you're doing it wrong/right. No one is there to tell you it smells wrong, or tastes right. Best bet- read real books (The New Professional Chef for beginners who are serious) and watch real experts. The rest you can do by playing at home in your own kitchen and eating at great restaurants.
Oops, those links were not live! Yale: Open Yale Courses | The Psychology, Biology and Politics of Food Harvard: Food and Science | Lecture 1 (2012) - YouTube
Did you read the exchange between a subscriber and one of the "chef's"? Some weird thing about kosher salt being an antibacterial agent. I understand the guy misspeaking, lord knows I do that on a near daily bases...but to then try and fix it by suggesting that one can rely on other salt to kill bacteria on a cutting board...like iodized salt was jut sort of bizarre.
Awesome! Thanks for the links. I will definitely check out those courses. I looked over the Yale syllabus and all the lecture titles are very intriguing. Excellent resources! @Rebel, I did see that! I was actually confused reading over the Chef's explanation. You both have talked me out of subscribing, at least for now. If I had an unlimited supply of cash, I would head to culinary school! lol Too bad it is so expensive. Which I actually have never understood since starting salary for chefs are ridiculous.
Blame it on Food Network. Seriously. My degree from CIA was a few years ago <cough> but was very affordable for me at the time. That program, and the J&W program my hubby teaches at both now cost $100,000... and they have waiting lists. However, I've been a community college culinary educator for 2 decades, and it's not the same education. IF you ever went to culinary school, go to the right school. This is not comparing English 101 against private school tuition for English 101, it's faculty credentials and access to ingredients that make the experiences completely different. Schools that give you AAS culinary degrees for $10,000 can only do that by running tight numbers (translation: you'll be assigned to "groups" working on 1 or 2 recipes, you'll work with the cheapest ingredients and never enough of them. I won't go on, unless you ask me to lol) hiring adjunct culinary faculty, and keeping enrollment high. It's a mess. It fills a need, but it's a mess.
Some Publix grocery stores (Publix is a popular grocery store chain in Florida) have cooking schools. I have taken a couple of their classes and both learned and enjoyed them. They are taught by chefs, are hands on, and one gets to eat a great meal at the end. I have no idea about the chef qualifications and have no standard of reference to say the school or chefs are good quality or not, but I like them. Maybe you can find something similar in your area for some hands on experience. Publix Aprons Cooking School
Here's how I learned to cook . . .:wink: today's lesson . . . nachos! My Drunk Kitchen: Nachos! - YouTube
