Cooking Classes



 In a previous post I mentioned that I have taken cooking classes at Orson Gygi. They are fabulous, hands-on, classes for a great price. This past Thursday I took a "Hearty Fall Soups" class at Orson Gygi taught by Chef Todd Leonard. He is a great Chef and has many years experience cooking at The Garden, The Roof and the Nauvoo Cafe. Currently he is a Chef Instructor at the UVU Culinary School. The man is so energetic that you can't help getting excited about his next class.

There were 6 soups on the menu. I thought that we were going to have the opportunity to cook all of them. Instead he said that we were to pair up at a station, get assigned a soup, and present at 8:00pm. I felt like we were on an episode of Chopped.

The soups:

Pumpkin Soup
Texas Chili and Beans
California Bouillabaisse
Mulligatawny Soup
Cream of Mushroom
Roasted Tomato Bisque

I was working with a fabulous home chef and we were assigned the Mulligatawny Soup which is a curry flavored soup and literally means "pepper water." What an intense scene it was as we were chopping, boiling, and tasting our soup until it was perfect. Time went by fast and at 8:00pm we had to have our dish ready for presentation. I have never cooked this soup before and must say that it was delicious. The curry gives it a bite and the apples add a sweetness to it. It recevied great reviews.

The Finished Product

All 6 teams presented at the appropriate time. We even added a puff pastry, carmelized apples and some cream on top for garnish. I thought that a winner would be crowned. It didn't happen; turned out to be socialism after all. However, we all did get to eat 6 delicious soups. It was hard to go to sleep that night with an overly full stomach.

If you like cooking, don't hesitate to refine your skills at a cooking class. And if you are are going to take a cooking class, check out Orson Gygi. You will not be disappointed. I never am.




The Presentation


Happy Eating.