It's not uncommon for couples to take cooking classes together, from date nights to wine classes to Culinary Boot Camp. We even had a proposal midway through one of the 5-day classes a couple of years ago! But it's not often that we get a group of four or more friends to take this class together. That's why we were especially excited to host a group of friends who had just graduated from Harvard Business School. Ben, Ravi, Joel and Jared traveled to Chicago from the East Coast to celebrate their graduation by taking Culinary Boot Camp together last month.
Just like in every Culinary Boot Camp, there will be students of varying skill levels. Even within this friend group, the men had different experiences in the kitchen. Jaren and Ben describe themselves as starting from "square zero" while Ravi and Joel considered themselves pretty good home cooks prior to the class. "It was nice to see The Chopping Block could accommodate all different skill levels of home cooks. There were grandmothers in class who had been cooking for thirty years as well as beginners like me," said Ben.
Ben and his friends had considered other cooking schools such as the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and schools in Italy and Paris, but ultimately decided they wanted a course to teach the basics of cooking with food that they would cook every day rather than just focusing on a country's specific cuisine. They did a lot of research online, but what ultimately sold them on our program were the superb testimonials from former students. They also liked the fact that we outline exactly what students will learn during each of the five days of the course on our website.
Jared also loved the variety of dishes made during the course, which totals over 30 different dishes and is designed to build students' confidence. He said it didn't dawn on him until he returned home that he had learned such a wide range of cooking techniques. "Even little things like whether the pan is the right temperature or when to deglaze, I don't think I fully appreciated the knowledge I had gained until I came home and started cooking. I made Coq au Vin (one of the dishes made in Boot Camp) as my first meal back to see if I could impress my fiancé and it went really well. Later, I also ended up cooking for her mom and her aunt (who are both lifelong cooks), and I made a Chocolate Soufflé for dessert. I surprised myself that I was able to replicate that dish at home on my own, and I definitely scored a lot of points for that!" said Jared.
Jared also said the chefs encouraging them to always keep their workspace tidy and neat and best practices around mise en place (a term that means "everything in its place") are lessons he has taken home with him.
On the last day of Culinary Boot Camp, students work together in teams of two to create a meal that they design on their own that highlights the techniques they have learned throughout the week. Jared and Ravi made Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Miso Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Tomato and Chili Soup.
These friends say taking this class together was an experience that they will remember for a lifetime. And since Ben used to live in Chicago, he could play tour guide and show the group some of the city's highlights such as Millennium Park and Navy Pier. "We had a whole Chicago experience. We stayed at the same place together, so we could do something each evening. We'd hang out at night and relive the day. We even turned the process of deciding who would get what vegetables to prep into a game!" said Jared.
In addition to fun, these men also say this one-week cooking class gave them the chance to learn a very fundamental life skill. They are all in the process of moving to or have already moved to New York City for work so the chance to be healthier and cost conscious is welcome and timely. "Cooking is a high ROI skill to spend time building because you can save money and be healthier by preparing your own food at home," said Joel.
Do you have a group of friends who you would like to take Culinary Boot Camp with? Forward them this blog and start planning. We just released dates for the first half of 2024, so you have plenty of time to plan your Chicago adventure!
If you will be traveling to Chicago, don't miss these other Culinary Boot Camp stories: