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MasterChef Classes

post #1 of 10
11/12/11 at 12:01pm
Thread Starter 

I was looking into taking some of the Le Cordon Bleu Masterchef classes.  Has anyone here taken them?  If so what was your experience?  If not, do you think they would be some classes that are worth the time and money?

 

 

 

Andy

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post #2 of 10
11/12/11 at 9:18pm
Thread Starter 

Just looking for a little input that's all.  Or any other places that might be good to take some basic classes.  I want to improve and learn some more for home cooking.

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post #3 of 10
11/13/11 at 8:42am

It would help if we knew where you are located.

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post #4 of 10
11/13/11 at 8:55am

MasterChef Classes?  $500 to learn to cook like Whitney and up to Joe Bastianich's standards?  No thank you very much.

 

  • See what's available at local community colleges, "Free" universities, and adult education;
  • Learn to choose and use your tools;
  • Develop "professional" habits (mise en place, orderly station, etc.) and a good base of "professional" techniques" (toss turning, touch temping, etc.)
  • Season, taste test, adjust for seasoning;
  • Butter is your friend;
  • Start simple, then cook your way through a couple of good cookbooks;
  • Develop a culinary viewpoint (Traditional American, Regional, Ingredient driven, New French, etc.);
  • Ask a lot of questions here.

 

Whitney?  Really?

 

BDL

 

PS.  Whitney was the cute but clueless winner of the first season of MasterChef, in which and whereby Ramsay lost ALL credibility. 


Edited by boar_d_laze - 11/13/11 at 9:07am
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post #5 of 10
11/14/11 at 5:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by KYHeirloomer View Post

It would help if we knew where you are located.



Seattle, WA area.

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post #6 of 10
11/14/11 at 5:11pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by boar_d_laze View Post

MasterChef Classes?  $500 to learn to cook like Whitney and up to Joe Bastianich's standards?  No thank you very much.

 

  • See what's available at local community colleges, "Free" universities, and adult education;
  • Learn to choose and use your tools;
  • Develop "professional" habits (mise en place, orderly station, etc.) and a good base of "professional" techniques" (toss turning, touch temping, etc.)
  • Season, taste test, adjust for seasoning;
  • Butter is your friend;
  • Start simple, then cook your way through a couple of good cookbooks;
  • Develop a culinary viewpoint (Traditional American, Regional, Ingredient driven, New French, etc.);
  • Ask a lot of questions here.

 

Whitney?  Really?

 

BDL

 

PS.  Whitney was the cute but clueless winner of the first season of MasterChef, in which and whereby Ramsay lost ALL credibility. 




I was looking into those classes because they are being taught through Le Cordon Bleu and there is one here in Seattle.  I am just looking for some classes that will help me with some technique and figuring out how to pair foods and such.  I will have to check the colleges, but when I have looked before everything seems to be part of the culinary program and for credit so in turn it costs a ton of money.

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post #7 of 10
11/14/11 at 5:19pm

IMHO, Le Cordon Bleu does not mean today what it meant in the past, actually somewhat distant past.

 

Not sure what is actually involved, but at $99/class, this could run into real money fairly rapidly.

 

The Seattle classes, http://chefsseriesseattle.eventbrite.com/, appear to be three (3) hours in length, that's $33/hour for a group class, not particularly inexpensive in my book.

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post #8 of 10
11/14/11 at 5:25pm

Try the Free University and adult education classes in the high-schools. Cooking supply stores also frequently offer classes. 

 

I was venting about Whitney, but I hate to see you spend a lot of money for what's very basic, and what's available and endlessly repeated on the better televised cooking shows.

 

Ask a lot of questions here.

 

The most important techniques are continual cleanliness, organization, saute, sear, touch-temping, sharpening, taste-testing and seasoning.  Beyond that, the most important things I can tell you are get a decent chef's knife, keep it sharp, learn to choose and use your tools, use your hands, keep a towel handy, throw out all your flimsy plastic spats, and cook from mise en place.

 

That's $90, right?

 

BDL

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post #9 of 10
11/14/11 at 5:40pm

Here's a little info from a quick google of "Seattle culinary classes"

 

 

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post #10 of 10
11/15/11 at 9:44am

Though not the same as an in-person class, I've really learned a lot so far from watching the videos at rouxbe.com.  They have 70+ videos on techniques and then have many video recipes as well.  As a beginner I really appreciate the technique videos where I can see and hear what is being described.  I only wish they could add smell and taste :).  But the price is very affordable compared to in-person classes. 

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