Essential Skills 2

Bordered by both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, with snow-capped peaks and lush green valleys, the diverse geography of France offers the best ingredients from the land and sea. You'll get a taste of the best of all those regions in this class. For your Francophile meal, you will prepare and enjoy frisée salad with shallot-bacon vinaigrette; steak frites (sautéed steak with hand-cut french fries); bouillabaisse (seafood soup from Marseille); and honey lavender blanc mange.

Braising - searing at a high temperature, then finishing in a liquid at a lower temperature to infuse flavor - can add umami and more to pretty much any meal! And the best part is, it creates tender, juicy dishes with a minimum of effort. We'll master this technique as we make a braised banquet of: Guinness-braised short ribs with creamy polenta; braised chicken thighs with mushrooms and balsamic vinegar and braised fennel.

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.

Travel the world with hearty and vibrant vegetarian entrees from around the globe! These international standouts will quickly become your go-to recipes for any day of the week. Healthful, flavor-packed and a snap to make, this is a menu you'll love learning together. We'll make all three dishes, from comfort food to Asian specialties to Mexican mains, then sit down to this meal of: sesame-crusted Asian tofu with garlic-fried wild rice; enchiladas suizas with cheese and roasted vegetables; and orecchiette pasta with roasted cauliflower and caramelized onions.