This practical, skill-focused series is designed to give you a thorough, working knowledge of the fundamental techniques you need to feel genuinely at home in the kitchen. Each session centers on a specific cooking method, using multiple ingredients and preparations to reinforce it, so that by the end of the week, you leave with the confidence to cook almost anything in your own kitchen with real skill and ease.
Day 1: Knife Skills and Vegetable Techniques
Skills Covered: Knife skills and knife sharpening; vegetable techniques including blanching and shocking, roasting, and sautéing; seasoning techniques including balancing salt, fat, and acid
Recipes: Roasted Seasonal Vegetables, Sautéed Swiss Chard with Garlic and Almonds, Blanched String Beans with Lemon Gremolata, Seasonal Crostini
Day 2: Chicken Techniques
Skills Covered: Understanding different cuts of chicken; sautéing and pan-roasting; building pan sauces; making chicken broth from scratch; cooking rice perfectly
Recipes: Chicken Breast with White Wine Pan Sauce, Pan-Roasted Lemon Chicken Thighs, Homemade Chicken Broth, Rice Pilaf
Day 3: Meat and Vegetable Techniques
Skills Covered: Searing meat correctly; building pan sauces including reductions and gravies; quick-braising techniques for both meats and vegetables
Recipes: Steak with Red Wine Pan Sauce, Braised Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Pan Sauce, Braised Collard Greens, Braised Carrots and Fennel
Day 4: Fish and Shellfish Techniques
Skills Covered: Selecting fresh fish, including the distinctions between wild-caught and farm-raised; sautéing fish properly; building fish pan sauces; selecting and cleaning shrimp; constructing a well-balanced salad
Recipes: Crispy Fish with Lemon-Caper Butter Sauce, Sheet-Pan Roasted Fish with Julienned Seasonal Vegetables, Garlic Shrimp with Tomato-Garlic Toasts, Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
Day 5: Legume Techniques
Skills Covered: Buying and cooking dried and canned beans and lentils; seasoning techniques for both dried and canned legumes; vegetarian meal planning for balanced, satisfying results
Recipes: Stewed Dried Cannellini with Rosemary and Garlic, Black Bean Chili with Ancho and Poblano Chiles, Split Red Lentil Dal with Spiced Tomato Tadka, French Lentil Salad with Spiced Feta, A Good Pot of Rice
