45 Forkfuls of Christmas

Forkful #18: Get Your Chef On!

Okay, so maybe you (or the someone on your list) can’t deftly wield your kitchen knife like a samurai and turn a carrot into a whisker-thin julienne with machine-like speed… neither can I. And maybe the last time you tried to decorate a cake (assuming you’ve been brave enough to try at all!), it looked like a kindergarten art project… Or maybe you love risotto, but you’ve never been too sure on how to make it right, so you only ever eat it at a restaurant. Not to worry – even the Iron Chefs started somewhere, and they needed some guidance and instruction along the way. Why not do the same for yourself, or the foodie on your list? No, not go to culinary school – just take some cooking classes!

Now, admittedly, I don’t know the best places to go for cooking classes everywhere in the country (or world) – my little black book just isn’t that thick. However, I do know some great options for those of you in the Chicago area.

The first spot to check out is The Wooden Spoon on Clark St. in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. The front of the store is a great little kitchen supplies & gadgets store, and the back has a demo kitchen where they host cooking classes on nights and weekends. Check out their schedule of classes – there’s a lot to choose from! Elise and I attended a cooking class at The Wooden Spoon with my aunt Becky and had a blast, and coincidentally were taught by my next suggestion…

Chef Alekka (pictured above) taught the class we attended, and was really great. It turns out she was just “subbing in” for their regular instructor; her usual gig is private cooking classes and parties through her own company, Give Me Some Sugar. The great thing about the classes and parties through Give Me Some Sugar is that they can be at their regular monthly schedule or Chef Alekka will come to your home and teach you in the comfort of your own kitchen!  They have a ton of classes to offer, and are also open to putting together a custom private cooking class or party for you as well. How’s that for a memorable gift?

© 2009 The Foodie Forkful.