Join Chef Tim Saturday July 17 for a day using an abundance of fresh BC Berries from our local farmers.  Learn preservation techniques, pastry making using sweet recipes as well as making ice cream and sorbets.

Extra berries by the case will be on hand should you so desire to purchase them with your new found recipes and ideas!

Some examples of menu ideas (dependant on availability of fruits)

- Ice cream/ Sorbet
- Preserves
- Angel Food Cake
- Chocolate Raspberry Tart
- Roasted BC Strawberry Shortcake Biscuit, Buttermilk sherbet and basil Gel
- BC Mixed Berry cardamom pistachio pavlova, Bing Cherry sorbet, creme fraiche

Date:   Saturday July 17

Time:  9am – 2pm

Cost:  $120 + hst

Bring: Chef’s knife, paring knife, 2 tea towels, pastry scraper, apron, comfortable shoes

There have been more than a few students I’ve taught with a nutrition background, whether classical or holistic.  They don’t teach nutrition students how to cook when they’re in nutrition school, and likewise most cooking schools do a superficial job teaching their cooking students about nutrition.  Furthermore, the food industry, from fast food to fine dining, focuses mainly on food to look and taste good and not necessarily be good for your health.

So should food first and foremost to be good for our health, and should it please our senses?  Why can’t it, and generally doesn’t, do both?  The old saying “never trust a skinny chef” seems odd because the counter means you shouldn’t trust your health to a fat chef.   When I look at the cooking techniques schools teach their students, they are translatable into any cuisine or style of cooking, even any attitude towards nutrition.  All culinary instructors will transmit their own style and cultural/ingredient affinities.  Some love their butter, are generous with salt and pepper, are liberal with their olive oil, can’t do without bacon and bacon drippings, rely on spices, are turned on by the hot flame and very loyal to their grill, salamander, deep-fryer, or a screaming hot pan; whereas some are very light-handed with fat, salt, spices, heat, and tend to manipulate and transform ingredients as little as possible.  In other words, some cooks are more devoted to technical transformation and manipulation of flavours and visual appeal on the plate, whereas some cooks are more devoted to consciously let choice ingredients do more of its thing and putting forth food that tries to achieve balance.  The former type of cook cares more about what happens in your mouth and what appeals to your eyes before eating the food;  the latter cares more about an overall experience, including what happens in your body after having eaten the food.  Another way of putting this, the former style of cooking is more about the chef and his/her artistry; the latter is more about the food and its bigger picture.  This begs the question “what is the role of the chef?”  Many are taking on the role as an educator for a public desperate for guidance, as the voice about our food system, influencing issues such as sustainability, supporting local farmers, seasonality, transparency.  Well done.   And it’s working.  As a whole we are flocking the farmer’s market for better and healthier ingredients.  So shouldn’t professional chefs be devoting more of their work to cooking healthier dishes with these better-for-you ingredients?  Perhaps this is the next “trend”.

This is why our attitude at our school towards nutrition is continually evolving.  Also, our students demand this.  By simply flashing the latest government nutrition guide to our students is not good enough – in fact, the guide itself needs a lot of work.  We will still teach our students the fundamentals, the classics such as a hollandaise/bearnaise sauce or a beurre blanc; but we will bring to their attention little details like finishing a risotto with cream and butter is a cop-out technique, adding unnecessary fat and calories to justify creaminess that should be achieved by reaching for a wooden spoon and not the fridge.  Our excitement and focus on grains and vegetarian cooking is as devoted to that of charcuterie.  In fact, we now purposely teach grain and vegetarian week AFTER charcuterie week so the students will appreciate well-balanced dishes that much more after a week of pork belly, confit, rillette, galantines, terrines, sausages, bacon, and duck fat.

When someone asks me “who are the talented budding stars in the class?” I’m really baffled.  It is a question too often asked, and it puts me in an uncomfortable, if not irritating situation.  It’s not that faces do not come to mind, but the question itself simply does not conjure in my mind a rational process by which I can make an objective decision.  Also, I’ve noticed that many schools and media use the words “star” and “talented” to draw our attention to the profession.

Let’s start with the “star” business.  The word too often means someone who successfully draws attention to their person, not necessarily their work.  A budding star can be someone who will legitimately one day deserve very close attention, but it can and often does mean someone who will know how to play the media, integrate with the flavour-of-the-month club, mimic the trends of the day to a tee, and smile perfectly for a camera.  The cooking world has mimicked Hollywood and sports so well it practically goes out of its way to shows itself as such on tv.

Now the word “talent” is a bit more dangerous in my estimation for it supposedly has this all or none aspect to it. Again, I’m not sure what aspects of my brain I’m supposed to draw from to make any conclusions about someone’s talent when it comes to cooking.  What am I supposed to be looking for?  Their artistic flair?  Please!  Athletes are scouted, rated and drafted according to their “raw talent”, their “raw skills”, such as how fast they can run, throw a ball, skate, shoot, or kick.  But even now, and more than ever, athletes are being assessed by how hard they work, their attitude, their desire to evolve to the next levels of success.

As a teacher I evaluate skills, and every skill in cooking requires development – mental, physical, and sensorial.  Some students develop quicker than others, often naturally so being more versed mentally, physically and experientially with the fundamentals of cooking; culinary development will always require putting in the necessary time.  Some will simply have to put in more time to catch up to the consistency and efficiency of others.  But one thing I know and know for sure from years of teaching is that the students who work the hardest during and after school, irrespective of their “talents” when they started the course, are the ones that are noticed for the long run in the industry, for they are the ones that persist, evolve, and do the necessary work to put excellent food on the plate.  It is their food, their personal evolution to become the best they can be, you notice.

Everyone can learn to cook.  Some get to a certain level with a lesser path of resistance, just as some athletes do.  But the best students I have ever taught are not those I noticed with having what is called “natural talent” or  “it”, but those simply with the most desire (unless that’s the “it” we’re referring to).  The quality of a cook depends more directly on the quantity of work put in.  That’s the “stuff” damn good cooks are made of.

I’m all about mind-set.  With food, cooking especially, the right mind-set is crucial simply because the wrong mind-set is discouraging, even detrimental to one’s health.  The mind-set we strive to inculcate in our professional students on day one is that of a craftsman, someone completely dedicated and devoted to continuously better his/her skills.  For the home cook, a similar type of mind-set is essential, especially since the average home cook struggles with the discipline of devoting the time to put one’s head down and just cook and try things even if they fail, and try again, take note, and make adjustments to get better.  The quick and easy is the cop-out mind-set.

So how does the average person commit to their kitchen, their knife, pots and pans, range, sink, cutting board, and tools?  There’s an instant rice commercial with this semi-dressed (or semi-nude) girl racing down the stairs to her microwaved rice dish and just as  quickly she scrambles back up the stairs.  What’s interesting about this add is the set:  the kitchen is absolutely beautiful with an island that can host at least a half dozen cooks.  Obviously the message is about time and convenience; the kitchen is a fashion accessory, almost superfluous.  The mind-set propagated here is one that convinces you that time is never on your side when it comes to food, your kitchen a place of toil and off-producing smells.  The ideal mind-set is one where you want to devote time when it comes to food, like one wants to devote time to a hobby, a craft, a passion, a métier, even an indulgence like on-line poker, tweeting, reading a book, yoga, or a sport.  The ideal mind-set treats the kitchen as a studio, a place of chemistry, physics, sculpting, art, experimenting, playing, and doing serious yet fruitful work.  Your kitchen as your studio is your place of ideas, thinking, developing skills and senses, developing instinct and confidence, deciphering food lore and culture, and creating your own repertoire, essentially writing your own cookbook.  Gadgets are now tools, plates are now canvasses, and the dining room is now a gallery – no, more like a classroom, a round table of post-production discussion, of learning.

Food is important.  It deserves a serious workplace.  It’s not the granite countertop, Wolf gas range, or Sub-Zero fridge that makes a kitchen a kitchen:  it’s the cook and cooking.

Join Chef Tim in this two day class on breads: compare white bread vs. whole grain and multi-grain bread.This class is designed for a modern approach to the fundamentals of making multi and whole grain breads.

Develop flavour & texture through:

- Better understanding of ingredients
- Mixing methods
- Making multi and whole grain breads easier and a more desirable choice

All new Recipes:

- White Toast Bread
- Whole wheat Pita Bread
- Multigrain Bread
- 7 Whole Grain & Seed Bread
- Dark Rye

The profession of feeding others comes with many responsibilities.  My profession of teaching professional students how to feed others comes not only with responsibilities of action, but of thought and communication.  As I get older I feel a much greater weight of responsibility than ever, especially with everything I say and represent, and in fact it often overwhelms me, I catch myself saying too much, holding on to ideas that don’t best serve the student.  But I recognize that I at least do catch myself, reflect, and try to do something about it, a sign that I’m maturing as a teacher.

Responsibility is something we don’t, as a species, fess up to very well, and when it comes to food and health the average North American too often avoids personal responsibility with shameless excuses.  We are quick to blame the big, faceless food and pharmaceutical industries, government policy, our culture, media, advertising, the status quo, short-lived trends, our education system, our parents, even the dimension of time.  What we don’t do is take full responsibility for our bad eating habits we know full-well is jeopardizing our well-being.  For the individual to move towards a healthy food diet, one that is simple, natural, easy to perform and comprehend, and yours – yes your very own, not some doctor’s, some super-star chef’s, out of LA, or from the New York Times Best Selling List – YOU need to first take full responsibility for what you buy, cook, put on a plate, and put into your mouth. YOU need to take action, take your dull knife out of your drawer, sharpen it, learn to use it, and get started.  YOU need to learn how to cook those local, organic, seasonal farmer’s market vegetables.  Knowing now that eating more whole grains is a key to a healthy diet, YOU need to seek out more about whole grains, more about balanced foods, how to cook them, flavour them, and combine them.  YOU need to start depending, trusting, relying on YOU!  Put away those granola bars, the most shameful copout since the back-to-baby-food-replacement-meal-in-a-can.

What I see and hear are adults not willing to accept their lack of fundamental skills.  I see bad health choices and I hear lousy excuses.  Step up!  I’m glad my Foodie classes attract people who want to step up and take responsibility (I’ve designed it that way), otherwise I’d simply be doing a dog-and-pony show.  And I’m thrilled that Northwest Academy attracts the kind of people who are not sucked into this industry to simply become rock/superstar chefs, but are bright and responsible individuals who want to make a difference in other people’s lives.  It is the quality of my students, their desire to make a difference that makes me shoot out of bed in the morning and push myself to become better at my work.

Our problems with food need to be tackled with a sharp knife, not lame words.  In this case, the knife IS mightier than the pen.

Tony Minichiello

Culinary Instructor, NWCAV

Andrea Potter is a classically trained chef- having graduated from culinary school at NAIT in Edmonton, Alberta. Andrea has gained experience in top restaurants such as Jack’s Grill in Edmonton; Paul Rankin’s Roscoff Brasserie in Belfast, Ireland; and Rob Feenie’s, Feenie’s in Vancouver.

Andrea’s love of nutrition, organic whole foods and healthy lifestyle brought her to Radha Yoga and Eatery; a culinary vegetarian hot spot in Vancouver, where she has been the head chef for over 3 years. While continuing to work with Rahda, Andrea studied holistic nutrition at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition; where she graduated as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist in 2009

Her cooking classes pair sound nutrition information with whole foods- based, beautifully prepared recipes.   Interactive and fun; her classes convey her love of real food, community and culture.

Learn the fundamentals of eating whole foods by starting with ancient grains.  Far from just brown rice this class covers how to make whole grains like millet and quinoa not only tasty but attractive.  In this class you will:

-          Be introduced to the whole grains
-          Learn about the background of the grains and nutrition info on each
-          Learn which grains suit which cooking techniques
-          Cook a 3 course meal starring whole grains

Menu

-          Millet amaranth cakes with sunflower sour cream and chili oil
-          Quinoa croquettes with balsamic roasted Mediterranean vegetables and greens
-          Forbidden rice pudding

Cost: $89 + gst

Date: Thursday June 24, 2010

Time: 6:15 – 9:45pm

Bring: chef’s knife, paring knife, apron, tea towels, 3 wide-mouth 500ml jars.

To Register please call 604.876.7653

Andrea Potter is a classically trained chef- having graduated from culinary school at NAIT in Edmonton, Alberta. Andrea has gained experience in top restaurants such as Jack’s Grill in Edmonton; Paul Rankin’s Roscoff Brasserie in Belfast, Ireland; and Rob Feenie’s, Feenie’s in Vancouver.

Andrea’s love of nutrition, organic whole foods and healthy lifestyle brought her to Radha Yoga and Eatery; a culinary vegetarian hot spot in Vancouver, where she has been the head chef for over 3 years. While continuing to work with Rahda, Andrea studied holistic nutrition at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition; where she graduated as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist in 2009

Her cooking classes pair sound nutrition information with whole foods- based, beautifully prepared recipes.   Interactive and fun; her classes convey her love of real food, community and culture.

Beans and lentils are the backbone of many cuisines.  Formerly throught as the “poor man’s meat” we now know that they are not only economical choices but are also nutritional powerhouses.  Beans are infamous for causing gastro-distress so in this class you will learn:

-          Techniques for properly cooking dried beans and lentils to avoid said distress
-          Learn how to sprout beans and lentils
-          Prepare a 3 course meal centered around beans

Menu:

-          Citrus puy lentil salad
-          Miso- maple baked beans – stuffed sweet potato
-          Black bean brownies

Cost: $89 + hst

Date: Monday July 12

Time: 6:15 – 9:45pm

Bring: chef’s knife, paring knife, apron, tea towels, 3 wide-mouth 500ml jars.

To Register please call 604.876.7653

One of the most exhilarating feelings for Rossana is sharing with an audience the true essence of the culinary wonders of her beloved Mexico.  Her passion for Mexico’s rich cultural and gastronomic heritage began at a young age, and it was after her family moved to Vancouver in the early 90’s that she soon realized what her mission in life is:
to share with the world what authentic Mexican food is truly all about.

Over the past 10 years Rossana has been successful in working in fine dining restaurants in Vancouver, appeared on television shows, has been a Cultural Promoter from Mexico’s National Council of Arts and Culture and currently has her own catering company “Encanto” while working with Edible British Columbia providing tours at the Granville Island Market.

Rossana is proud to provide her culinary creations from Mexico to you.  In this evening class you will learn how to prepare four courses of authentic Mexican cuisine.
Please see menu below:

Agua de Jamaica
Hibiscus Blossoms Water

Molotes “Zacatlán” con Salsa Martajada
Chipotle flavoured Corn Masa dumplings, Cotija Cheese, Country style salsa
Zacatlán, Puebla

Caldo de Hongos “La Marquesa”
Wild Mushroom Soup. Serrano Chiles. Cilantro
La Marquesa, State of Mexico

Pechugas de Pollo rellenas de Nopales. Salsa de Chile Ancho
Chicken breasts stuffed with cactus paddles strips.  Chile Ancho Salsa.
Pemberton Potatoes. Refried beans
Inspired by the flavours of Mexico City

Nieve de Fresa “Irapuato”. Costra de chocolate y pistache
Strawberry Sorbet. Chocolate and pistachio tuille
Irapuato, Guanajuato.

Café de la Olla
Mexican style coffee flavoured with cinnamon and piloncillo

Cost: $89 + gst

Date: June 10, 2010    6:00 – 9:45pm

Bring: Chef’s knife, Paring knife, Tea towels, Pastry Scraper, Apron, Nonslip Shoes

Continuation of the Pork, Poultry and Seafood classes

This comprehensive 2 day class starts by butchering a whole side of lamb per person.  Each student will be taught how to butcher their own ½ lamb carcass. These are Fraser Valley fresh lamb weighing about 20 – 25 lbs each half.

You will learn how to breakdown the carcass into the following:

-          Rack of Lamb
-          Lamb Loin
-          Lamb Ribs
-          Gigot (hind leg)
-          Shoulder
-          Shanks

Each participant will leave Saturday afternoon with:

-          1 Frenched Rack of Lamb (uncooked)
-          1 Boneless Stuffed Lamb Loin (uncooked)
-          2 Braised Shanks (cooked)
-          2 small (or 1 large) Boneless Shoulder Braised Roast with a North African rub (uncooked)
-          2 small (or 1 large) Gigot Roast (uncooked)
-          1 Original Moussaka (cooked)  Please bring your own 2 qt oven safe dish
-          Merguez Sausages (uncooked)
-          Lamb Bones for Soup or Stock

Skills you will learn:

-          Butchery
-          Seaming
-          How to French a Rack
-          How to stuff a Loin
-          Dry Rub
-          Sausage Making
-          Moussaka
-          Tying a Roast
-          Bechamel

Cost: $380 + gst
Includes, Dinner, Lunch, Wine and the above meat products

Dates: Friday June 11 and Saturday June 12

Times: Friday from 6:00 pm to 9:30 (10pm)
Saturday from 9:00am – 2:00 (4pm)

Bring: Sharp Boning knife, Chef’s Knife, Paring Knife, Honing Steel, Apron, Tea Towels, Nonslip shoes, 2qt oven safe dish for Moussaka, Containers and bags to take home meat products.

Please call 604.876.7653 to Register

This comprehensive 2-day class starts by butchering a side of pork into primary cuts.  Each primary cut will be further processed as follows:

Loin:
- Bone in Frenched Pork Chops
- Boneless pork loin with apple and prune stuffing (lunch on Saturday)
- Pork Tenderloin

Blade:
- South Western styled pulled pork

Shoulder:
- Sausages and Terrine

Belly:
- Bacon, Rilletes & Ribs

Leg:
- Wiener Schitzel (dinner Friday)
- Tourtiere
- Ham Roast

Skills and techniques you will learn include:

You will take home (bring containers):

This class will only be taught once per year and take a maximum of 18 students
To Register Please call 604.876.7653

Join us this summer with guest chef Nadine Barner.  Nadine is a well-renowned Macrobiotic chef from California who has cooked and prepared meal plans for celebrities and those who want to eat and lead a healthier lifestyle.

This class will be demonstration style with food and health drinks provided.  Nadine is a passionate and intense speaker so be prepared to for an intensive, potentially life-changing, learning session.

Nadine will be staying in Vancouver for a week for private 1-on-1 consultations.  Please view her website for services offered www.nadinebarner.com

Menu
(may change depending on availability of ingredients)

Quick Vegetable Soup
barley, leek, yellow squash, turnips, kale (or collard greens) and mellow miso

Rice & Quinoa with Peas Or as a Grain Salad
red onion, green beans, radishes & parsley with ume tangerine dressing

Chickpeas
onion, cumin, garlic, carrot, celery, salt

Or  Tempeh Sweet & Sour Sauce
rice vinegar, rice syrup, mushrooms, ginger, onion, carrot, green beans
with shoyu & kudzu

Stir Fry Vegetables
leek, daikon, napa cabbage, broccoli, salt

Pressed Salad
cabbage, cucumber, radishes, green apple, ume vinegar

Arame Seaweed
onion, carrot, sugar peas, shoyu, sesame seed

Kanteen (light custard)
apple juice, lemon rind, agar agar, rice syrup, berries

Please Call 604.876.7653 to register