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| - My mom and I took the Practical Series course (24 weeks meeting one day a week) to learn solid fundamentals of classic cooking over the period from the Fall of 2013 through spring of 2014.
In short, it was phenomenal. I think this is something everyone should experience. If you're considering it... do it. We loved each class and we were sad when it ended.
To start, we heard about the Practical Series while taking a quick free class there one day on broths, ghee, and traditional foods. I had so much fun learning from Chef Pascal that I went back that night for a wine pairing event, which was equally fun and educational. These first tastes from CCA and Chef Pascal sold me on taking the 6-month Practical Series course. I signed up that night.
I have always had a passion for food and cooking, but last year I ended a decade of eating a vegan diet. As a result, I felt a bit clumsy in the kitchen when it came to classic cooking and animal products. There's only so much you can glean from a cookbook, blogs, TV shows, and youtube (oyster shucking anyone? I don't know about you, but watching that on youtube is just not as good as practicing in a class with a professional to guide you).
Furthermore, I'm keenly interested in learning life-long skills, and cooking is a solid one. As the magnet on my fridge reads, "Good cooks never lack friends." Classic Cooking Academy offered the perfect opportunity to learn from a true pro in a format that would ensure these precious skills are embedded deeply.
Specifics:
The Practical Series is a course that lasts 24 weeks where you attend school once a week for 2-2.5 hours. If you miss a class there is nothing to worry about because makeups are possible. Various classic cooking techniques are taught in a format that starts with an entertaining and educating lecture followed by hands-on work in the kitchen.
We covered everything from spending 3 weeks on eggs (they're that important) to various animal proteins (lamb, beef, pork, fish, shellfish, veal, duck(!)), pastry, chocolate (learn how to temper it), stocks, sauces (this class alone is amazing not to mention all the sauces you learn through the whole series), vegetables, soups, desserts, grains, sushi, and much more.
The Practical Series is worth every penny. It gave me the confidence and skills I needed to up my culinary game. Chef Pascal is extremely entertaining and his teaching goes beyond just cooking to teach some history of foods as well. I can see why some people want to take the whole 6-month course over again because you know you'll continue to learn and be entertained. The classes in this series are beyond anything you'll learn at local culinary stores.
One of my favorite aspects about the course design was Chef Pascal's point of view on nutrition and foods. So many people could truly benefit from this. Learn how to make delicious food while staying healthy, too. (And... it includes butter!)
It's my understanding that they'll offer some courses to people who have completed the 6-month program to further compliment the education. I'm excited about that and plan to take as many as I can. They also offer single classes, such as pizza making etc so it's worth keeping an eye on their calendar to see if any entice you.
Taking this course with my mom made it extra special and I highly recommend that if you have a friend or family member interested. It would be awesome for a couple to do, too. That being said, most people in the class came alone and it wasn't long before we were like one big family.
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