AMATEUR CHEF SCHOOL COURSE

‘For the chefs of the future or just for the love of cooking’

Are you a person who has always cooked for the love of it but has not had the chance to study cooking? Our Amateur Chef School Course could be the catalyst in showing you just how it is done – the correct way.

Or are you a school student excelling in Home Economics; on the brink of leaving school and thinking about your future? Or are you just interested in food and thinking of a future as a possible chef? Our proposed course will arm you with the preparation skills that will enable you to get that ‘foot in the door’. Students, who excel in the course and show promise, may be assisted in finding an apprenticeship.

Alison Taafe has been selected as principle chef of our Amateur Chef School as her enthusiasm and passion will inspire you during your training. Alison's career as a chef took off when she was accepted into the highly prestigious Westminster Hotel School in London. After Alison graduated at the age of 20 she landed her first Head Chef position. Alison then travelled all over the world and cooked for royalty like Queen Elizabeth and political figures like George Bush Snr. Alison came to Australia in 1988 where she was appointed as chef for the VIP lounge of World Expo '88. In 2004, Alison was the first ever chef to win a prestigious Winston Churchill Fellowship. Then in 2006 Alison was named 'Outstanding Educator' for the graduate program she wrote, which enabled chefs to further their careers. She recently finished a 14 year stint as a Leading Vocational Teacher of Professional Cookery at Southbank Institute of Technology and now concentrates on teaching amateurs at Learn Cook Dine's Amateur Chef School which has been an overwhelming success. She has written two books - her first cook book 'Fun Fast and Fabulous Food' continues to be very popular and December 2010 sees the launch of her latest book 'Leftovers Magic'. Both books are available in Kitchenware Plus.

We have often been asked where people can do some ‘real cookery training’ without having to be a professional apprentice. Apart from this, we have also felt that there is a need for a ‘real cooking school’ where people actually complete a full course where the basics are taught to students along with some contemporary ideas as well. We feel what we have created with our Amateur Chef School will fill this need and provide a uniqueness which is currently missing in the Brisbane area.

Concept –
The Amateur Chef School Course will be held at Learn Cook Dine, Loganholme, one evening per week. Each course will be made up of 5 parts and 8 classes in total. The classes will be 3 hours in duration and be a combination of teacher demonstration and student participation. The course is open to a maximum of 12 students. In order for the students to complete their Amateur Chef School Course they must complete the full course. Time of class 6:00 – 9:00pm. Age of student - 16 years & over.

Cost of course/Incorporated in cost of the course –
$799.95 per person. Students will be provided with their own 21cm I.O Shen Mastergrade chef’s knife; knife wrap; Masterchef School apron; and a folder to house their recipes for collection during the course.

Part 1: (2 lessons)
Knife skills and basic preparations
Students will be taught the basic knife skills and knife handling techniques such as: Use of knives, safety of knives, sharpening of knives and utilising knives in the kitchen for a range of products i.e.: basic vegetable cuts like julienne (fine strips), brunoise (very small dice), macedoine (dice), jardinière (batons) and finely chopped/sliced onion, shredded lettuce/cabbage. Also, instruction will be given on some simple preparations i.e.: making croutons, preparing citrus and other fruits, crushing garlic, blanching tomatoes and vegetables, chopping parsley and simple salad preparations. It is also expected that during the 2 lessons of this subject, the students will become more familiar with the kitchen, the equipment and the terminology used in a kitchen and become more confident themselves in a kitchen. Part 1 is a mandatory requirement and all students must complete it before continuing into Part 2.

Part 2: (2 lessons)
Methods of cookery. During these 2 classes, students will cook a range of dishes using the following methods of cookery; steaming, blanching, boiling, braising, stewing, poaching, roasting, baking, and shallow and deep frying. Additionally, students will be shown how to use the ‘crock pot’ or ‘slow cooker’ to make some wonderful dishes while they are at work or school! Students will also perfect some Asian dishes utilising the stir frying method of cookery.

Part 3: (1 lesson)
Restaurant dishes and plating/garnishing techniques. In this lesson students will learn the fundamentals of food presentation. Students will learn some easy but effective professional chef’s plating up techniques and learn to use garnishes to complement rather than overtake the dish. Garnishing and plating will include both contemporary and classic ideas.

Part 4: (2 lessons)
Desserts and Pastry items. Over the next 2 classes students will learn how to make sweet pastry tart shells and finish them off with the perfect fillings. They will learn how to perfect choux pastry and turn the mix into amazing creations. Also in this last class, students will learn some basic restaurant desserts and will be shown some basic presentation techniques for these desserts.

Part 5: (1 lesson)
In the last class, the students will be asked to cook up their signature dishes. Alison will then give advice on how the use of garnishes and different crockery enhances the dish and gives it the 'wow' factor. Students will graduate in this lesson and receive their 'Amateur Chef Certificate of Merit'

For course dates please Click Here.