In 2010, Central Coast foodies can easily turn over a fresh oven mitt and learn some nifty culinary tricks in the process. By putting in just a few hours a week, aspiring chefs and domestic kitchen jockeys alike will not only discover a world of recipes and techniques, but also build a solid foundation for a career in the culinary arts.
Basic cooking skills, a 16-week course offered by the Adult and Community Education Department of the Lucia Mar Unified School District (LMUSD), gives students an in-depth look at nutrition and menu planning, while teaching them methods for preparing and presenting key foods. It also offers shopping tips, explores plating styles, and takes a look at an array of essential kitchen tools.
According to Charlissa Skinner, LMUSD Adult and Community Education Department principal, basic cooking skills is “the first in a series of classes directed at chef-wannabes, young parents who want to know the basics of cooking and nutrition, along with the community at large.
“We’ve looked at other cooking classes in the area,” she noted, “and [this] 40 hours of training is an incredible bargain.”
With local writer, television personality, and dedicated foodie Joe Seals at the helm, the class promises a lively romp through the fundamentals of stylish cookery. A working chef, Seals shares his enthusiasm, while inspiring others to prepare
food with joy and eat with a hearty appetite.
Seals, who grew up in a rambunctious Italian family, counts three other professional chefs among his uncles and siblings. He began his career at age 25 when, armed with a degree in horticulture, he hired on at Sunset magazine and became a globe-trotting epicure.
Seals’s extensive travels and diverse dining experiences qualified him to reproduce many of his discoveries in Sunset’s famous test kitchen, where he fed his affinity for food and honed his formidable culinary skills.
After living in cities across the United States and sampling regional cuisine at every opportunity, Seals settled on the Central Coast. He has written for magazines, published books on subjects ranging from house painting to landscape design, owned and managed a seed company, and continues to cater special affairs.
Basic cooking skills begins Jan. 25 and meets two days each week, Monday and Tuesday, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Schedulers selected the evening time slot to accommodate students who may work during the day or have young children at home.
The cost of the class is $150, plus a $25 materials fee to be paid directly to the instructor. Students are asked to bring a ring binder to class to keep notes, charts, and recipes handy for later use.
To help qualified students, staffers at the Adult and Community Education Department have asked area restaurateurs and business owners to provide scholarships for people interested in the culinary arts. They have also developed a sponsorship program that partners young people, aged 17 to 21, with local businesses willing to invest in an individual’s future by paying class registration fees.
Skinner encourages local business owners to participate in this innovative sponsorship program by providing financial assistance to a student who is already qualified and selected, or even by supporting a qualified student of their choosing.
Financially strapped candidates with a yen to learn about the fine art of cookery can contact Skinner at 474-3900 or cboaz-skinner@ lmusd.org to learn more about getting help with registration fees.
The largest school district in San Luis Obispo County, LMUSD covers 550 square miles, and serves Nipomo, Oceano, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach, and Shell Beach. As mentioned on the LMUSD website, the mission of the Adult and Community Education Department is “to provide an enriched learning environment with high-quality, easily accessible educational programs.”
Course offerings range from acrylic painting to computer science to yoga, with dozens of tempting options in between. Each class, whether taken for fun or to forge a fresh career, offers a valuable opportunity to develop new skills and attain lifelong learning goals.
Most people eat, but not everyone prepares food well or with flair, which means the benefits of taking basic cooking skills pack a potentially wide ripple effect. Students mastering its course material will not only absorb a wealth of culinary tricks, but also learn valuable secrets to cooking—and eating—with joy.
K. Reka Badger knows how to get cooking. Send comments to rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Dec 31, 2009 – Jan 7, 2010.
