I love cooking! I particularly love to attempt things I have never made before, but I am usually not organized and adventurous enough to try them in my own kitchen. About a year ago I found the perfect outlet that let me try new things without requiring much organization on my part. It was a cooking class at my favorite restaurant in town, R-Bistro. Actually getting to cook in the kitchen with real professional equipment and to cook things I would never dream about making at home (a Spanish stew with mussels, squid, mackerel, and oysters…so good and easy…who knew?)
Even though I love cooking…most of my cooking class experiences haven’t been that great. It’s been a lot of sitting around and watching and listening to someone else cook. It was essentially the experience I could have had watching it on TV with the one added benefit of getting to try some of the food. My experiences at R-Bistro could not have been further from this.
Roughly once a month Erin Kem, Sous Chef at R bistro, offers a hands on cooking class whose recipes are typically as interesting and unique as what you could order on a Friday night. Don’t worry…it is on a Tuesday night when the restaurant is closed….you aren’t cooking for paying customers! It is great for so many reasons. It is a small class of about 8 to 9 people. You get to cook in a professional kitchen…R-Bistro’s kitchen….I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather cook. You then sit down as a group and enjoy the food you have all made.
What I think is funny about my experiences with this class…around 5 of them so far…is I have yet to make something at home I made in class. I have all the recipes…and some of the knowledge I have gained has helped me in preparing other dishes. For me it has been about the adventure of getting to try to make something new and then enjoying it. So how does one learn about these and get signed up. It’s simple…make sure you sign up for the email list the next time you are at R Bistro. You will get an email each week with the upcoming menu and once a quarter Erin’s classes will be announced. You then need to jump on it because they fill up quickly (I was shut out of the upcoming Summer Solstice Supper). I have included below the classes for the next 3 months:
Tuesday, May 28, 2013: More Middle Eastern – $80
Another round of Erin’s favorite ethnic cuisine featuring new dishes for spring and summer.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013: Summer Solstice Supper – $80
It’s the beginning of summer, so let’s begin summer eating! Dishes will be made from what’s available at the Farmer’s Market.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013: Summer Pastries – $50
Fruit-focused finales featuring dessert soup, sorbet, and crepes.
All classes start at 6:30. You can reserve your spot by calling 317.423.0312. Hope to see you there!
David is not originally a Hoosier; he grew up in Ohio and always dreamed of moving west. He’s living the dream in Indianapolis (just a few states short of the ocean front property he once dreamed of!). A born-again environmentalist and always playing tourist in his home city, he’s constantly seeking out hidden gems around Indianapolis. When he isn’t planting a tree or checking out the latest show on Mass Ave, he is spending time with his dog Blake and wife Maureen.
