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March 14, 2017

Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training Course 2017 Winter – Lesson #9 “Sausage Making”

Today, our Chef Training class made fresh sausages called salsiccia. The amount of meat to put into each sausage must be just right. Students could easily make good sausages once they got tips on this work. I found the special tool for sausage making interesting because it looked very antique. It tells that these kinds of tools have been used in the Italian cooking scene since a long ago. Today students made 3 different kinds of salsiccia from different regions, using distinctive spices of each region. Fresh sausages dishes looked really delicious. It could simply be grilled with vegetables, or be used in pasta sauces. There are a variety of […]

March 9, 2017

Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training Course 2017 Winter – Lesson #8 “Sommelier Lesson – Day 3”

Today, our Chef Training class had its third “Sommelier Lesson”. The lesson took place in a wine cellar with many wine bottles in the wall shelves. After tasting 3 different kinds of wines with their labels hidden, students tried to guess each wine’s characteristics and grapes used. Even with wines you are familiar with, it can be difficult to tell the difference when you compare with other wines. Each student made comments based on colors, aromas, flavors and wine legs. Everyone was having a good time learning, listening to some students’ unique expressions. When a student asked the professor which wine he recommended, he replied, “It depends on the food, […]

March 3, 2017

Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training Course 2017 Winter – Lesson #7 “Home Cooking for Professionals”

Today, our Chef Training class had a cooking practice for “Home Cooking for Professionals”. Dishes using beans are very common in Tuscan cuisine. Although its colors and flavors are simple, it can become a professional looking dish by adding a twist to its presentation on the plate. Students with less cooking experience are now able to check whether the flavor is just right. It’s nice to see that the whole class is learning in a warm and friendly atmosphere. 2017.2.27 Ota

March 2, 2017

Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training Course 2017 Winter – Lesson #6 “Special Dishes for Special Occasion”

Starting today, a new student joined our Chef Training class. “Baba” is a Southern Italian sweet that takes time and efforts to prepare, but it is delicious with a touch of aromatic liquor and certainly worth making. Different pasticceria (sweets shops) make different flavors of baba. Some have custard cream while another has ricotta cheese inside. 2017.2.22 Ota

February 24, 2017

Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training Course 2017 Winter – Lesson #5 “Vegetarian Dishes”

Our Chef Training class had “Vegetarian Dishes” cooking practice. In spite of a big menu with various dishes, everyone was working very efficiently and skillfully, causing no delay in cooking. All dishes looked beautiful with a variety of colorful vegetables used. Today was the end of 1 month since this class has started, and it was Kaori’s last day. There was a surprise gift of Spumante from her classmates as well as a special message from Prof. Francesco for her. Kaori read out her farewell message to everyone at the end, wrapping up this very touching day. We wish you the best of luck back in Japan, Kaori! 2017.2.20 Ota

February 21, 2017

Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training Course 2017 Winter – Lesson #4 “Mediterranean Cuisine 1”

Our Chef Training class had “Mediterranean Cuisine 1” cooking practice. Students learned the best seasons of ingredients in Italy and how to select the best pasta to use in different dishes. Many students have become friends with each other, so I took some pictures of them very relaxed with their buddies. I have eaten polenta a several times before and I love its simple taste. It sure warms me up on a cold day. It takes time to mix polenta thoroughly, and that’s probably how Italian mammas put their love for the families, cooking warm dishes. 2017.2.15 Ota

February 17, 2017

Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training Course 2017 Winter – Lesson #3 “Northern Italian Cuisine”

Our Chef Training class had another cooking practice, “Northern Italian Cuisine”. Students tried making caramel for decorating dessert. By moving a table fork fast in the hot caramel, students created caramel decoration looking like fine fibers. The dessert turns into an art piece just by putting such caramel decoration on the top. Masaya, a graduate of our Chef Training Course, came to assist the students during the cooking practice. Tasting of cutlet. It tastes much better just cooked. White wine would go well with it. Sauce is prepared considering the color combination on the dish. 2017.2.15 Ota

February 7, 2017

Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training Course 2017 Winter – Lesson #2 “Tuscan Cuisine 2”

Our Chef Training class had a cooking practice “Tuscan Cuisine 2”. Students with cooking experience were teaching those with less experience how to use cooking knives and other cooking tips. Prof. Francesco explained that even the same ingredients could be different depending on the regions or the manufactures where the ingredients came from. Some students were really excited by the delicious-looking presentation on the dishes by the professor. Even the non-experienced students must go on to the internship at real restaurants after 6 more weeks in this class. So the professor was giving strict instructions even to the non-experienced students to watch the heat level and pay attention to the […]

January 27, 2017

Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training Course 2017 Winter – Lesson #1 “Tuscan Cuisine 1”

Our new Chef Training Course (January 2017 class) has started. We have a variety of students attending this course from various countries. Firstly, students were grouped as experienced and non-experienced in cooking field. After professor’s explanations about how to use the oven, Italian names for cooking tools and preparation before each cooking lesson, the class started the first cooking practice “Tuscan Cuisine 1”. As students learned each other’s names, they have begun their great journey of studying Italian cuisine abroad. 2017.1.26 Ota

November 29, 2016

Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training Course 2016 Fall – Lesson #27 “Final Competition”

Today was the last day of this class. Each team of students cooked one of the menus they studied during this course. Professor Francesco tasted all dishes students cooked, and the team that got the highest evaluation was supposed to win the competition. He, however, could not decide the winner by himself because the result was so close. So he had the students vote as well, and Elisa and Ms. Yoshida’s team became the winner just by a hair. Looking at their really happy faces, their classmates congratulated them with warm applause. It happened to be one of the classmates’ birthday today, so they surprised the birthday girl with a […]