I happen to love a simple, minimalist-chic kitchen full of high-tech European gadgets, where creating delicious meals seem effortless and convenient. There is just one problem…I don’t cook. Yep, a devout foodie who doesn’t even know how to navigate a kitchen may sound tragic, however there is a remedy for this and it’s called Cook & Go. This culinary studio allows participants who are not professional chefs- or anything remotely near that- to learn culinary skills in a fun and relaxed environment. Not a traditional cooking class, Cook & Go teaches dishes accessible to all skill levels and uses high quality fresh products, with the intention of changing cooking habits while introducing new trends in the world of food.
The concept of teaching people how to create a quick, healthy yet savory dinner comes from a young French entrepreneur named Jean-Christophe Menz, where his company first started in Lyon, France six years ago. There are now 9 locations- primarily in France- with one in New York’s Chelsea district- strategically located across the street from my personal kitchen, Chelsea Market- and the company keeps expanding. Whether you arrive solo or with a group, the highly-trained chefs at Cook & Go teach the stove-top-challenged two menus simultaneously at two different cooking islands during the 90 minute classes.
During each session, participants prepare all the ingredients needed for dinner at home- which consists of an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert- and leave with a bag of labeled food containers and instructions for assembling and serving the meal. Each month there are four menus to choose from, learning the classic culinary techniques of France, Mexico, Asia, and more at this very international cooking school- even offering a detox menu, which may come in handy after eating your way through the UN. While I may not morph into Giada in the kitchen, it would be nice to figure out how to use all those lovely gadgets. www.cook-and-go.com
