Valentine’s Day is around the corner and if you’re like me, you’re dreading the restaurant scene. Even with a reservation the wait can be extremely long and the crowded environment turns an intimate dinner for two into a loud, uncomfortable experience. Instead of wasting your money on overpriced meals for an impersonal experience, why not stay at home for a more romantic, home-cooked meal? If you want to learn how to cook a 5-star meal for your significant other or even just your family and friends, then sign up to take a gourmet cooking class and demonstration with me on Thursday, Feb. 5, from 6-8 p.m. at Browns Kitchen Center in Tallahassee.
I have more than 30 years of culinary experience cooking for the wealthy and famous as the executive chef at numerous high-end restaurants and venues in South Florida. I’ve even had the honor of cooking for President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton. Despite my achievements, I’m most passionate about teaching average home cooks how to create easy yet elegant meals they will be proud to serve. This passion has turned into a focus of mine, as I am currently a culinary professor at the Lincoln Culinary Institute and the Miami Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach and Miami. It brings me great joy to teach some new faces in Tallahassee how to turn an average Valentine’s Day into one filled with delectable dishes that will delight the palate and certainly impress your loved ones.
The 5-star menu for the evening is as follows:
- Baked macadamia-crusted mahi-mahi with a lemon butter meuniere
- Roasted rack of lamb prepared with a raw mustard rub and topped with panko bread crumbs – served with a black cherry walnut kirschwasser sauce
- Roasted asparagus and potato planks
- Hearts of palm salad in a watercress honey vinaigrette
- Fresh baked bread
- Special homemade dessert
Forget dinner and a movie and take date night to the next level by attending my cooking class and demonstration in two weeks! Limited seats are available at $65 per person and include a full meal with wine. Those interested in signing up can do so by contacting Brown’s Kitchen Center directly at (850) 385-5665 or visiting the store, located at 2551 Capital Circle NE.
Hope to see you there!