Teaching A Friend How To Cook

Endive, Candied Walnuts, Feta and Green Apples

Having recently part ways with my most current job, I took the initiative to let go and seek for a higher calling, a brand new challenge that would take me out of my comfort zone. Although, I wanted to take a break from the kitchen for a couple of weeks and enjoy life while I pursue other meaningful things. While having lunch, a dear friend of mine and I decided to try something really interesting. Originally, I told him to send over his wife so I can teach her how to cook. I would conduct the class over at my apartment, buy all the ingredients and create a program that would ensure that each class will be informative. Surprisingly, he ended up being my student instead. What better way to find a new hobby for a semi-retired business owner?

Cooking Bulalo, a beef dish by boiling shank in aromatics

Thinking about a curriculum for a culinary program is tougher than I thought it would be. Where do you start? Do you start with vegetables or do you start with how to fabricate proteins? Also, if you’re doing a two to three hour class, how can you make sure that your student is constantly moving and not just standing, waiting for directions? It was going to be a trial and error and I was risking my reputation to deliver what I offered. One tip I have for people who will do the same is to actually assess your student first. Finding out whether they actually cook at home or know how to handle a knife are some of the first steps to avoid wasting any time.

Since my friend has a strict diet of less or no carbs and high in protein, I had him butcher a whole chicken and utilize the bones for making chicken stock. I purchased two whole chickens, I used one to demonstrate what he needed to do and he butchered the other one while I guide him through. Seems like a too daunting of a task for the first day but it was fitting. In addition, I introduced him to basic vegetable knife cuts using carrots, celery and onions that were added to the stock- julienne, brunoise, batonnet, paysanne, dice and etc.

My friend learning how to butcher a chicken leg quarter

I pretty much explain critical information using a pen and paper

I observed that my friend struggled on how to properly hold a knife and how to cut efficiently. He wasn’t by all means starting from zero, he had the basic understanding and I saw it as an opportunity to improve. Having the proper hand grip to hold a knife is essential in working in the kitchen, doesn’t matter whether it’s professionally or at home. I had to show him the different knife grips in order to be fast and efficient when completing specific tasks. For example, placing the index finger along the spine of the knife is the perfect grip for butchering and filleting, the index finger serves as an extension of the blade that allows you to have more control. Another trick is to hold the knife by pinching the end of the blade with your index and thumb, just next to where the handle is located, this is a good grip for chopping vegetables finely. Small details like these are not taught in culinary school, it’s for the person to discover.

I was able to teach my friend how to butcher fish, how to blanch vegetables and how to clarify stocks-the home cook way. To further expand his knowledge, he learned how to properly make braises and stews-the French way. From learning how to execute braises, we came up with a killer pulled pork tacos and made our own “healthy version” of whole wheat tortillas. We marinated the pork shoulder overnight in lots of citrus juices, cumin, oregano, garlic, onions and other things. Then, the next day, I cooked it in the oven, anticipating that by the time we’re almost done with class, the braise will be ready. Removing the cover of the pork was one of the most rewarding things that happened during this program. The flavor and aroma were spot on. Sometimes, I think that I was a latino in my previous life before reincarnating to who I am now. I wish I could have taken a photo of it. It was so damn good that we just chowed down and filled our appetite with the porky goodness. The spread included pico de gallo, guacamole and a roasted salsa roja with chips, what a killer feast.

Marinating the pork shoulder overnight for pulled pork tacos

Everynight, I would document what happened during that morning and in preparation for the next day, I think about what tomorrow’s session will look like. I created a calendar, each date corresponds to a specific protein of choice and the cooking method/ technique shown that day. I would make a “highlights section” to make sure that he learns something new and useful. My printed document includes the ingredients and procedure of every recipe that we are set to make the next day. Most of the recipes that I come with up, I haven’t even done before, but since I have an idea what goes well with what, then I was able to pull them off.

Sample Program

Each class took about two and a half hours and you don’t even notice it. Every time when the session ends, I make sure that we’re able to eat what we prepared that day. There were some days where we had to wait for the next day to finish a recipe, so that means I had to prepare quick and easy dishes that can compensate for the ones that take more than a day to prepare. The main goal of the culinary program is to introduce my friend to tasty and healthy dishes, where the ingredients can be sourced in the Philippines. The reason being is that they have a home in the said country and he pretty much want to utilize the land to grow what they can grow and cook his own meals. He also wanted to learn how to have the “intuition” on how to fix things, create layers and layers of flavor and just basically have a good palette.

Indian Chicken Curry

It was fun going to the grocery store the night before or in the morning to purchase the ingredients for our class. It helped me stay to busy and be intuitive. If I can’t source a product, then I can just find substitutions. By the time 11:00am hits, he knocks on my door and we are off to start another session.

Sweet Potato Fritters with Yogurt Sauce. This came out so good!

Tuna Tataki

Included in my culinary program was to conduct field trips that will allow my friend to see and visit some of my suppliers and purveyors. We were able to go to Patagonian Sea Products where my good friend, Martin was so generous enough to show us around the warehouse. We saw a huge grouper, the size of a table, spanish bluefin tuna and ginormous chilean sea bass fresh from that day. Also, my friend was able to witness fish butchers processing fillets like robots. Branzinos and salmons were flying here and there. They showed us their massive freezer that carried hundreds if not thousands of frozen products from different parts of the world. It was really a very informative site visitation.

Another spot that we toured was My Superior Foods where my friend Alejandro welcomed us to his fast-growing microgreens warehouse. It was mind-blowing to have seen an actual microgreens urban farm. The trays and trays of microgreens of different kinds really fascinated me. He also shed some light and wisdom on the best practices of doing such a business. It was like a kid learning about and visiting Toys R Us for the first time.

Something fishy, breaking down a whole branzino

Creating basic and healthy dishes | Pan-seared Chicken Breast, Asparagus, Chicken Jus and Caramelized Onion Puree

Tenderizing an octopus and that wonderful cartouche!

How to properly care for your stock, skimming the scum that forms on top

By the time we hit the 2nd and 3rd week, I have seen tremendous change in my friend’s cooking-his movement in the kitchen and palette improved a lot. He took charge of finalizing the seasoning for most of the dishes we came up with. He has developed speed, cleanliness and organization. Well, I give him credit by doing his part of practicing at home whenever he cooked dinner.

Golden Beet Salad in front, Smoked Salmon Mousse on the left

At the end of the our program, my friend and I decided to throw a dinner for the family where he chose the dishes that would prepare. It was his final exam where we would cook multiple dishes will having a very limited time to prepare. Of course, I didn’t leave my friend alone, I was with him along the way to help him out. The lovely dinner revolved around mediterranean food. So, we created a trio of mezze platter: tzatziki, baba ganoush and Kabocha Squash hummus served with whole wheat pita bread. Next, we did some cumin chicken meatballs, chicken kabob skewers spiced up with a bit of curry powder and a light and refreshing salad composed of cucumber, apple, mango and sour cherry dressing. For main course, we served Halibut in capers and dill cream sauce. It was a good dinner, everything was on point and the family was really impressed. While having supper, I took the liberty to award my friend his Certificate of Graduation from completing three “rigorous” weeks of cooking. The certificate had some very brutal message that will remind him of how he survived under my program.

All in all, it was wonderful experience teaching somebody how to cook. Teaching can be very satisfying, especially when you see the progress of the person you are focusing on. I never thought I would enjoy and pull it off. Well, it’s now an experience that will be remembered. Hopefully, I can teach more people how to cook.