The Dirty Apron by Kathleen Young

                                                                                                   

It is 8AM. I am standing in front of The Dirty Apron Cooking School in Vancouver, BC. Tucked inside an elegant building in the Cross Town district it houses a bustling delicatessen and large well-known culinary school. Through the windows, I see huge grills, gleaming industrial ovens and beautifully laid out cooking stations. A total of six have signed up for class. A couple arrives late, parking their Harley’s, apologizing, pulling off leather gloves and stashing helmets. They prove to have the best culinary skills in the class. A young newlywed couple, Sophie and John are there. In contrast to her excitement, he looks as if he would like to be anywhere but here. Another couple, both attorneys, begin challenging each other on proper ways of setting up. And there is me, not entirely new to cooking classes but eager to learn.

Listed as a 7 hour Italian “Mama Mia” class our instructor, Chef Takashi, hands out plans for the day. He asks us a few questions on our experience. No doubt evaluating how much of his participation will be required. In the end, he requests an assistant from the kitchen to help…not a complete vote of confidence!
From scratch each student will prepare:
Ravioli/with arugula goat cheese filling topped with Walnut and Sage Butter. Grilled Lamb Sirloin with Herb Ricotta Gnocchi and Chanterelle Crème Sauce. Lemon Panna Cotta with Candied Lemon Zest
Hours pass. Chef Takashi pivots around our workstations encouraging, persuasive, and patient. At some point, my brain freezes with all the details. Multitasking becomes merely a theory. Garlic burns and I start over. The chanterelle crème sauce has broken and looks...odd. Turning around I see two ingredients that did not make it into the sauce. Smiling, Chef tells me “I have seen worse!” And so goes the rest of the day. I am tired, shoulders ache and hair on my arm has somehow singed. However, in the end, sitting with the group, enjoying the results it dawns that I could not be happier.

So here are some suggestions and thoughts from this experience and past classes. Make sure you research and It is a fully hands on cooking class not a demonstration (unless that is what you want). It is your knife you want hitting the board. Speaking of knives, if you have not taken a knife skills class it is a good idea. As the class moves along easy to spot who has and has not taken one. Go to class solo. It is painful to watch a spouse or partner struggle though a long day of cooking when they would rather be anywhere else (That is why they made golf clubs). No need to fake it. It is fine to bark out your amateur cooking status and ask for help. Regardless of how much you think you know there will always be those more experienced. And it is not the TV series “Cut Throat Kitchen.” Dress comfortably. Wear something that goes well with food. When class is over, leave. These Chef instructors are usually facing another 12 hours of work at their restaurants. Finally, laugh and eat your mistakes Kathleen Young

Editors Notes: Kathleen moved to the desert full time five years ago. She lives in a valley of sun near the White Tank Mountains. Kathleen had a 25-year career as an employment recruiter in Seattle. Prior to that, she was a banker in Montana, and international flight attendant for TWA based in New York.