Chef Eric's Culinary Classroom

Knives selection, use, sharpening, & care of knives. How to use knives, especially French knives, professionally. How to sharpen knives following Professional Chef's guide. We will cut or shape vegetables, how to cut julienne, mince, chop, & dice.

Learn the secrets of flavorful stocks. Starting with the standard mise en place, sharpen those knife skills by slicing, chopping & mincing mirepoix for stocks. Vegetable, Chicken & Beef Stocks called Bone Broths. Seasonings & aromatics used in stocks.

Discover the refined potency of clarified butter and roux, and how they enhance hollandaise, béchamel, and velouté sauces. These sauces are fundamental to many dishes. We'll make roux to thicken Sauce Bechamél and Sauce Velouté.

Learn to prepare eggs in various ways for breakfast and beyond. Discover the fine herbs omelet and Eggs Benedict, featuring poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, Canadian bacon, and an English muffin. Eggs are incredibly versatile in sweet & savory dishes.

Knowing your vegetables is a must in any chef's education. They are used as main dishes as well as side dishes. We learn about vegetables & the unique cooking techniques that serve them best. We talk about product quality, freshness, and storage.

Potatoes take their place in the spotlight in this episode. Several cooking techniques include potato purée and sautéed potatoes. Most restaurants utilize a variety of potato side dishes for every menu, and you will learn those cooking techniques.

Discover pasta-making, how to mix dough & create Fettuccine Alfredo, Tagliatelle with Tomato Sauce, and Vegan Spinach Pasta. While pasta typically only requires flour & water, eggs, seasonings, & herbs can be added for color, nutrition, & texture.

Appetizers - hors d-oeuvres are an essential part of any chef's education. We focus on dishes that function as first courses in a multi-course meal and small items served at a cocktail party or a small catered affair. Marinades, sauces, and vinaigrettes.

Dry heat cooking methods: sautéing, roasting, and stir-frying. We prepare a complete meal utilizing the skills you learned in the previous episodes. Meal plating and presentation are vital components as you eat with the eyes first.

Learn moist heat techniques, poaching, and braising for flavorful dishes by cooking ingredients in liquid using court bouillon. This method transfers flavors and creates a sauce without searing the item first.

Three Gourmet Menus for your dinner parties. Butchery, sauce making, advanced meal preparation, garnishing, and plating techniques are emphasized. Students apply all of their skills in this penultimate cooking class.

Recipes: 1. Chocolate Rum Mousse with Homemade Whipped Cream, Melting Chocolate, and Butter / Whipping Egg Whites, Folding Egg Whites into Chocolate. 2. Crêpes with Chocolate Sauce and Crème Chantilly, Making Batter / Cooking / Filling Crepes.