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The Professional Culinary Institute of the Silicon Valley Offering Hobby Classes in November for Both Novice and Experienced Chefs
Wine Tasting, Asian Vegetarian, Autumn in Provence Classes and More!
PCI's weekend curriculum is designed to bring the revolutionary Artisense method for culinary instruction used in professional courses, to the amateur chef. Every technique is explained and demonstrated by PCI's award-winning instructors in state-of-the-art demonstration kitchens before the cooking begins.
To register for a hobby class, call 408-370-9190 or send an email to info@pcichef.com for more information. The cost of the class includes an apron and recipe packet. Weekend hobby classes are offered year round. The maximum number of students per class is 16, and the deadline to register is 72 hours prior to the class or based on space availability.
Hobby classes scheduled for November include:
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Food & Wine Pairing Instructors: Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis & Chef Peter Maguire 11am-2:00pm $150 per person In this 3-hour seminar, students will learn about the aroma, taste and textural interactions of food and wine. Elements of taste will be discussed as well as various pairing guidelines and strategies. Multiple food and wine combinations will be tasted to experiment with the theories learned. The session will culminate with a series of classic food and wine pairings with a modern twist.
Baking Fundamentals III Instructor: Chef Stephany Buswell 10am-2:30pm $150 per person This class will cover the basic breads students can make at home without the need of special equipment. This class will give you the confidence and understanding needed to make bread successfully. Students will make flavored breads, shaped loaves and whole grain bread. Items on the menu include: foccacia, pizza, Italian francese and Russian rolled wheat.
Asian Vegetarian Instructor: Chef Chat Mingkwan 10am-2:30pm $150 per person Using recipes from his new book, "Buddha's Table," Chat Mingkwan, chef, instructor, and author, offers a hands-on cooking class to explore the use of Asian plant-base ingredients. Students will convert popular Asian dishes into a delicious and healthy vegetarian meal as they learn to use exotic Asian herbs, spices, and seasonings with local fresh garden ingredients. Items on the menu include: Burmese herb cups, Filipino tapioca and banana pudding, Indonesian curry mousse, Laotian grilled mushrooms, Malaysian turmeric yellow rice, Thai stir-fried eggplant with basil, Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, steamed rice and Asian earl tea.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Autumn In Provence Dinner Party Instructor: Chef Evelyne Slomon 9:30am-2:30pm $150 per person This fabulous fall repast showcases entertaining Provencale style. Chef Evelyne Slomon's extensive experience and love for the cuisine of this sunny corner of France shines in this easy-to-prepare dinner party, as students experience a culinary tour of the flavors, aromas and colors of autumn in Provence. Chef Slomon is the co-owner of Nizza La Bella Restaurant which specializes in the cuisine of the Riviera. Items on the menu include: oven-fried spicy chickpeas, warm almond crusted goat cheese with dried Michigan cherries, field greens and sherry-walnut vinaigrette, roast duck with lavender, honey and picholine olives, gratin of pumpkin, herbed rice and gruyere, ragout of porcini, wild mushrooms and field mushrooms, sautee of baby spinach, garlic, currants, pignolis and parmesan, honey and fresh thyme tart with vanilla ice cream and warm apple.
World Crepes Instructor: Chef Chat Mingkwan 10am-2:30pm $150 per person Description: Crepes can be found in one form or another around the world, and they can be served as an appetizer, snack, salad, main entrée, or dessert. Students will try crepes of milk and cream from the West, and crepes of coconut and nectar from the East with fillings of cheeses and wines from Europe, and fish sauce and toddy from Indochina. Students will learn how to make different batters and fillings while experimenting with various techniques in spreading and stuffing crepes. Items on the menu include: blintzes and cheese sauce, Chinese muu chu with roasted duck and grilled pork, French sweet crepe suzette with fresh seasonal fruits, Thai crepes with coconut shrimp and Vietnamese moon crepes.
Founded by Chef Richard Battista in 2005, The Professional Culinary Institute of the Silicon Valley (PCI) is a premier chef-owned culinary school located in the heart of the Silicon Valley in Campbell, California. Offering full and part time programs in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, a certified sommelier program, and a hospitality management program, PCI offers small class sizes, renowned instructors, state-of-the-art equipment and facility, a required paid externship and an Artisense method of teaching that is unique to PCI. Degrees and diplomas offered at PCI include: Diploma of Essential Professional Culinary Skills, Diploma of Essential Professional Baking and Pastry Skills, Certified Sommelier, and Associates of Occupational Science in Hospitality Management. To learn more about PCI, visit www.pcichef.com or call toll free, 1-888-PCI-LEARN.