Cocktails & Apps: Encore Edition!

ICE’s Fine Cooking series are the classes on which our recreational program’s reputation was built. This intensive course expands on our Fine Cooking 1 series and takes a deeper dive into essential culinary techniques. These full-participation classes teach fundamental skills, not recipes. This course covers everything from fileting a fish, to properly sautéing, to cover poaching techniques and fundamental sauce making. As you advance through the series, you’ll gradually come to understand each cooking concept. You’ll have a firm grasp of ingredients and equipment; you’ll know why things happen; you'll learn how to avoid and correct mistakes. Most importantly, you’ll gain the experience you need to cook with confidence and pleasure - without relying strictly on recipes. Each class culminates with a student-prepared meal. Prerequisite: Fine Cooking 1.

For a flash course on all the basics you need to make a varied and impressive meal, look no further. With a professional chef, you'll gain the skills vital for moving through any simple menu with ease. You'll practice knife skills, roasting vegetables, cooking proteins with a pan sauce and a vinaigrette. Then you'll use what you learned as you make a menu of: popovers; sautéed chicken with classic pan sauce; roasted root vegetable salad with fresh herb dressing and garlic mashed potatoes.

The simple yet refined flavors of Tuscan cooking are world famous, and with good reason. Whether the product of one of Florence's great restaurants or the simple dishes from a country kitchen, the integrity of Tuscan cooking has won applause for centuries. Learn some of the secrets of this venerable cuisine as you make and enjoy: crostini with roasted eggplant; bistecca alla fiorentina; pollo alla toscana and cipolline agrodolce.

This workshop will focus on the basics of an effective business plan for any type of food concept --- be it a restaurant, bakery, catering business, packaged food product or food truck. Anyone serious about starting a food operation needs to have a serious business plan as their road map. They also need key advice on raising the funds necessary to begin the process. A business plan provides an edge to the entrepreneur in this highly competitive marketplace. Culinary startup expert and experienced restaurant manager Alan Someck will cover a comprehensive range of topics, including: - Developing a winning food concept. - Creating a unique selling point. - The importance of the menu. - How to choose a location or distribution strategy. - How to analyze the marketplace. - Developing an effective marketing plan, including social media. - The critical financials. - How to staff a strong management team. Don't even think about embarking on your culinary startup adventure without first taking this informative, eye-opening class.