Summer is Here (at least on our calendar)

We happily usher in summer with our newly-released July calendar. While we've enjoyed the peas, strawberries and asparagus spring brought us, our chefs are ready to dive into summer produce such as squash, tomatoes and corn.

All of our core classes (Chicken 101, Meat 101, Seafood 101, Pasta Workshop, Wine & Dine, etc.) have new summer menus. Our chefs are thrilled about the number of classes that feature farms in July. From local produce standouts to touring a farmers' market to preserving summer's bounty, we have it all. Here are a few highlights of what's to come in July:

Farmers' Market Tour & Class: Visit the Lincoln Square market with our chef, and enjoy an impromptu menu inspired from the best the farmers have to offer.
Farm to Table: We team up with Hazzard Free Farm to bring the farm to you! You'll create a meal using certified naturally grown produce with guaranteed deliciousness.
Chef's Garden: Summer takes the stage in this menu featuring dishes like Brined Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Peach and Tarragon Chutney.
What Grows Together Goes Together: This class focuses on Midwest ingredients and seasonal stars like Tomato Tarte Tatin with Arugula Salad.
Pickles

Summer Canning & Preserving: Enjoy summer for months to come as you learn how to preserve food at its peak.

For more ideas on what you can "put up" this summer, peruse our Canning & Preserving Pinterest board.

Though we're already celebrating summer, spring was certainly a latecomer this year. As our Susanne Wiesen reports in her latest blog, Michigan's asparagus season is just now popping up. Plus, you won't believe what treasured ingredient she found in her own yard! She'll have to keep it a secret from forager Chef Mario.

VIEW ALL OF OUR JULY CLASSES

Countdown to Grilling Show

If you've got burning grilling questions, this Saturday is your opportunity to get them answered by our chefs.

They'll be dishing out free grilling and smoking advice as well as samples of their favorite dishes off our Big Green Eggs. We'll have special pricing for our favorite grill/smoker on this day only. Don't miss our Grilling Show this Saturday from 11:30am - 4:30pm at Lincoln Square.

Our grilling classes have been hot this season, so don't delay in signing up for our new July offerings. If you really want to be a grill master, our Grilling Boot Camp is a two-day immersion class that covers brining, marinating, slow cooking, smoking, dry and wet rubs as well as cooking on charcoal, gas and wood. There are just three spots left in our July session!

CHECK OUT ALL OF OUR GRILLING CLASSES IN JULY

Go Green in your Diet

We all know eating leafy greens is good for our bodies. But getting more greens into our daily diets can be tricky.

Chef Alia Dalal demonstrates quick and simple ways to eat more greens in our new class: Healthy Cooking Basics: Get your Greens. From a weeknight pasta dish to a vibrant green smoothie to a crunchy snack, you'll learn multiple new methods for cooking spinach, arugula, kale, collards, cabbage, chard and dandelion greens.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

6pm - 8:30pm

The Chopping Block at the Mart

For more ideas on cooking with leafy greens, visit our Pinterest board.

Cooking Lab Experiment Works

Image Courtesy of Felt Like a Foodie

We love to experiment with new cooking classes, especially when it comes to how people learn. Our new Cooking Lab series proves that taking a different approach to cooking can be thought provoking and skill enhancing. This series is a combination of our hands-on and demonstration styles, plus a healthy serving of interactive discussion with our chefs. What results is a unique combination conducive to learning.

We invited The Chopping Block class veteran Barbara Miller to test out our second session and document her journey on her blog Felt Like a Foodie. Give it a read; you'll learn new words like "chefstructor"!

Cooking Lab Part 1: Flavor

Cooking Lab Part 2: Meat, Poultry, Fish and Vegetables

Cooking Lab Part 3: Sauces

Cooking Lab Part 4: Finale

We're in Food Network Magazine

Our International Boot Camp got national recognition in the May issue of Food Network magazine. The multi-day class is included in a roundup of summer boot camps from cooking schools all over the country. Want to learn more? Student Karla Krengel details her experience in a blog about this class.

Learn more about all of our Boot Camps, including next week's Culinary Boot Camp 2.

Thanks for rating us outstanding in the 2014 Zagat Chicago Shopping Survey.