Rice Epicurean Cooking School

 I found out about the Rice Epicurean Cooking School from Houston Restaurant Weeks.  This particular cooking class ("Dinner Party") coincided with our son's daycare having a Parent's Night Out so that is why we chose it.  Normally, we don't eat beef or pork but we made an exception in this case for the sake of a fun night out with friends & to learn something new.  Thanks go to Matt, Lauren, Kelly, & Laura for making memories with us.  :)

Our executive chef was Chef Chip Hight. (Pictured below on left)  He is the former executive chef at *17.  He now owns a cigar company called Hight Cigar and even created his own brand of cigar.  He said he teaches cooking classes at Rice Epicurean Markets in August just to help out for Houston Restaurant Weeks.  I spoke to him briefly and asked him where he was trained and he said HTC (honestly not sure what that stands for, though).  He also said he worked in the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Europe.  He said he is about to be named Executive Chef in a Houston restaurant in about a week.  I asked him which restaurant and he said he couldn't tell me but it would be big news in the press.  I can't wait to find out.

The menu

Having trouble figuring out how to open my apron. (I wasn't the only one, thankfully)

I finally got my apron on

Our first task was to make the ceasar's salad.

After we ate the salad, our next task was to make the Mushroom Duxelle.  It was to be the filling in the Beef Wellington between the steak and the pastry. 

The butane gas for our burner was empty.  Chef Chip replaced it for us.

Chopping the mushrooms and thyme

Stirring the mushrooms

A little bit of private tutorials

Food brings people together.  
The mood was cheery throughout the entire classroom.

Next, we needed to roll out the pastry dough and spread on the Mushroom Duxelle.

The final product: Beef Wellington

Dinner is served

Now, it's time to make dessert; Chocolate Lava Cake.

You pour in a bottom layer of cake mix.  Then drop in a chocolate ganache ball.  And finally pour in the rest of the cake mix. 

Laura & I goofing around with the demonstration mirror

Melted chocolate ganache in the middle.

Graduation photo
Left to right (front row): me (Lea), Kelly, Lauren, & Laura
Left to right (back row): my hubby (Erik) & Lauren's hubby (Matt)

I definitely want to try this again.  It was a ton of fun & a great bonding experience.  Classes are $35 per person (cheaper than a Pinot's Palette night & includes dinner).