Cooking Classes in CT or Westchester

[cheereeo70]

Looking to get my sister a gift certificate for a one-day cooking class session somewhere in CT or even Westchester or NYC. She loves to and is an excellent cook. I would love to send her to an all-day class specializing in a certain topic, meal, or region--for instance, I have heard of people going to an all-day bread-making class. Even something on Roasting, etc. Something really good and hands-on. I don't want to send her to someplace where she is just going to be part of an "audience." Any thoughts? (She lives in Trumbull but would be willing to travel, just not too too far--CIA I think would be too far to drive up there alone.) Something like Cookworks on Food TV, except she wouldn't be such a bimbo student.

[adp1906]

I think this place offers 1 day classes

http://www.ctculinary.com/

[cheereeo70]

Thanks so much. Never thought formal culinary schools offered "hobby" classes. I will definitely check this out and also check the school in Shelton to see if they offer something similar. Thanks a lot.

[TrishCT]

I think The Silo in New Milford offers top notch cooking classes. At least they used to.

[cheereeo70]

I got my sister a gift certificate for the CT Culinary Institute in West Hartford. What a great deal--approximately $100 for a one-day hobby class held on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Gift certificate recipients can use it for a class or at their restaurant. The class topics are really cool--A day in Provence, for example, or "Garlic, Garlic, Garlic." I called before I purchased, and they said classes were very hands-on, limited to 15 students, which are then sectioned off into 5 teams of three who make part of the menu (or all, I'm not quite sure yet). Then when done, they eat their menu. My sister will narrow down a class choice and go some time in the Spring. I will report back after she attends. All students are required to bring their own chef's knife, apron and kitchen towel. SUCH A GREAT IDEA. Thanks a lot, adp1906.

P.S. I did check into Silo as well in New Milford per TrishCT, but it didn't seem quite as appealing. They were not as hands-on. For instance, they said a recent bread-making class, the students just sit there and watch--I can do that at home with Food Network. How can you learn to bake bread without feeling the dough and getting your hands dusty?? They do, however, offer neat looking classes for children. Also, not to be mean, but it seemed a bit more pretentious where CT Culinary was more down-to-earth, if you know what I mean, when I spoke to them on the phone.

[TrishCT]

I've never taken classes at The Silo, so I wouldn't know how they are. Hands on classes are better in my opinion as well. When I teach I always do them that way. More fun for my students and we can make more good eats.

[rickster]

Too late to be be of any help in this decision, but I thought I'd mention that I just got a brochure from The Complete Kitchen, which is a cookware store with locations in Ridgefield and Greenwich that seems to offer a wide range of classes, mostly in the Ridgefield location.

[cheereeo70]

THOUGHT YOU'D ALL LIKE AN UPDATE. My sister took her class this weekend at the CT Culinary Institute. She opted for the Suffield Satellite campus instead of Farmington due to scheduling issues. This is up in Big E country. This was her reply. I believe she signed up for the "Tour of Tuscany" class. Sounds like a winner. . .

"I went to the cooking class in Suffield yesterday afternoon. It was really great. The facility was at the Connecticut Culinary Institute, near 6 Flags in Agawam, MA. There were 12 students and we worked in groups of 4. I can't believe the amount of food that we made in 3 hours! We started off making a ragu, which really needed more than 3 hours to cook, but it was good anyway. We then made baked mussels, bread salad, a tuscan tomato tart, white beans and prosciutto and pasta with olives. There was this massive quantity of food which we got to eat and take home the leftovers, of which there was a lot. Everything was really good, especially the tuscan tart. I couldn't imagine liking a salad made of bread, but it was really excellent and beautiful to look at. I thought that for $106 it was a great deal. The food alone was worth the price of a $50 dinner at a restaurant. There were only a couple of odd people there and not too many know-it-all obnoxious competetive types of foodies, although several of the people did make a big point of letting everyone know that they knew a lot about food. All in all it was great. I would definitely take another class with this program. Thanks again!"

[TrishCT]

Thanks for that update, it sounds like she really got a lot of bang for her buck and she learned about a new cuisine. Like the hokey pokey, that's what it's all about! Thanks for a good tip.