(Forgive me, Msr. Brillat-Savarin.)

The Czarina has taken a few cooking classes in Chicago through The Chopping Block, including knife skills, an introduction to baking, Flavor Dynamics, and an intensive Indian cooking class. In every case the instructors were knowledgeable, kind and patient, and really, really wanted to be there. It was therefore obvious as to where the Czarina would go to obtain some home cooking tips for her readers, whether they be local or far-flung. Read on for easy ways to improve your home cooking no matter where that home might be, courtesy of the Chopping Block’s founder Shelley Young.

Follow up:

Shelley started The Chopping Block after working as the chef in two restaurants as well as a private chef. Her biography on The Chopping Block website includes this description of her teaching philosophy:

Shelley’s straightforward style is illustrated by her heartfelt belief that cooking is easy, and anybody can do it. All anybody needs is a few tricks and tips, a handful of well tested recipes, and some time saving cooking tools, all of which Shelley offers at the Chopping Block with sincerity and humility.

This summary is very accurate. During our discussion she repeatedly stressed that cooking is something that people believe must be hard, but is, in reality, very easy given the right tools and a basic kitchen set-up. This teaching orientation is something that she looks for when she hires new instructors for the school, in addition to a sense of humor and humility. She sees no virtue in having teachers on staff who are more interested in demonstrating their own brilliance than in sharing knowledge with others.

The Chopping Block has classes for people from “three years old to eighty,” and serves 3000 students a month at two locations – one in the Merchandise Mart and one in Lincoln Square. 250 different classes are offered, and they attract people of diverse ages and backgrounds. Currently, there are cookbooks under development as is educational content in video format for their website.

When asked how a home chef can improve quickly, Shelley said, “I may be biased, but cooking classes are the way to go.” She feels that there are two areas that should be tagged for improvement: one’s cooking, and one’s kitchen.

To improve your cooking fast, Shelley recommends a knife skills class. This is the most popular class at The Chopping Block, followed closely by Italian and French techniques. A knife skills class can get your knife skills up to par so you don’t spend as much time chopping and preparing; you can see up to a 50% improvement in the time required to do these tasks. As you become better and more confident at slicing and dicing, these steps become more enjoyable. You will also worry less about knife safety as you will know the proper way to hold a knife and the object of your knife’s affection.

To improve your kitchen, there are certain items that should grace a stocked pantry. These include good quality vinegar(s), oils, fresh cracked pepper, sea salt, and a good quality stock. Shelley says you do not have to make your own stock – as this can be an ordeal – but bullion cubes should be absolutely banned from your new and improved kitchen!

Kitchen tools should include:

1. A chef’s knife
2. A large cutting board (Try a nearly indestructible bamboo one!)
3. Tongs
4. A good quality grater
5. A good quality peeler (Try the Rösle Crosswise Swivel Peeler - great for peeling many apples for pie)
6. Whisks
7. Spatulas (The Czarina recommends the silicon ones from Williams-Sonoma because you can practically incinerate them)
8. Wooden spoons.

When you do these simple things, your cooking will rise one level instantly.

Shelley is not a fan of pot and pan sets. She feels that everyone cooks differently and thusly you should be looking for more versatile pieces than some of the sets offer. At The Chopping Block, they can help you select the appropriate kinds of pans for the way you cook. Scanpan tends to be the brand they recommend the most because there is no issue with the nonstick coating wearing off. The Scanpan Classic Nonstick 9-1/2-inch omelet pan is currently available for about $40 – down from $90 – at Amazon.com.You do not want all your pans to be nonstick, however, because, according to Shelley, “there is often better flavor development” in a stick pan.

When asked what some myths were about home cooking, Shelley said, “people think they can’t cook as well as a restaurant can” and that this simply isn’t true. It also isn’t true that cooking has to be time consuming. With a little bit of concentration on “technique” (defined as learning the subtle nuances of cooking through repetition and trial and error), you will be able to produce food that is better than 50% of the restaurants out there. For instance, practice roasting a chicken. Keep your meals relatively simple. Shelley believes that while the Food Network is great for exposing people to food and encouraging the aspiring home chef to cook, “[the Food Network] can get over the top.”

All in all, people should not be as intimidated by learning to cook as many seem to be. Again, this is why she encourages classes. “People see someone do it, they get more out of it, and they can ask questions. There is no need to be afraid of asking questions.” Working with other people who are in the same situation as you are also lends fun and camaraderie to the experience. The socially oriented classes, such as “Girls’ Night” and couples’ classes are enjoying a rise in popularity – a testament to the close tie between food and relationships.

And, dear local Citizens, should you be ambitions and desirous of a “really life changing experience” that will “rock [your] world,” consider the Boot Camp series. Check the Class Calendars to see what is being offered in the next two months at both locations.

In San Francisco, tune in to Shuna Fish Lydon’s blog, Eggbeater, to get information about classes in your area.

In New York, click here for an extensive list of options, like only NYC can provide.

And for even more time-saving tips in the kitchen, check out the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension’s dedicated webpage.

THE CHOPPING BLOCK
Merchandise Mart Store and Kitchens
The Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 107
Chicago IL. 60654
312.644.6360

Lincoln Square Store and Kitchens
4747 N Lincoln
Chicago, IL 60625
773.472.6700