Sunday, March 4, 2012

My Different Levels of Instructional Difficulty

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So, after reading my 1st post over again... I see I need to add a post about how I class recipes for difficulty. I will now do my best to straighten that out.



Level 1: No knife skills, no cooking. Just mix some things and enjoy. Easy for grammar school age kids with mom or dad watching and helping with larger or heavier things.


Level 2: No knife skills, minimal cooking. One pot, or microwave. Only a few ingredients. Lots of room to modify based on what you have on your shelf. Something you can do with your teenager if they want to try their hand in the kitchen. 


Level 3: At most  you may have to peel a cucumber or slice a chicken breast or steak after you cook it. Simple things like that. Seasonings will be more complex. You could be baking, sauteing, grilling. Simple methods like that. Gravies, marinara, and basic soups. Basic dicing skills are needed.


Level 4: Now we step it up. Now you are hand forming meatballs and meatloaf. Making cakes (with box mix), slicing them into 2 layers, and making a simple syrup to wet it with. Braising may be the hardest thing you will do at this point. This is as far as you need if you just want to feed yourself and enjoy cooking. 


Level 5: The cakes now become cheesecakes in water baths. You are making Prime Rib in the oven. Brining and roasting a turkey. Homemade stuffing. Cream soups. Hollandaise variations. Homemade Mayo. By now  you should be comfortable doing a chiffonade with fresh herbs.


Level 6: You are making saute station dishes. Some may say it is much easier then level 6, but I believe that if you are in tune with your food, your sautes come out so much better. Of course, I have worked Saute stations for years, so I may be a bit biased. You will also tackle home made salad dressings (beyond the Vinaigrette), and the elusive Diner Rice Pudding. We also will be making basic breads. This level is where you are impressing someone on a date. You will also have enough skill to even try your hand working in a professional kitchen... but make sure you are comfortable with Knives, tossing food in a pan, and can move quick while you prep.


Level 7: We start with advanced techniques. We start playing with flavors that seem odd.... like my 5 pepper, pineapple, and semi sweet chocolate chip pork loin roulade. Also we will dabble into Molecular Gastronomy.


Level 8: Advanced plating is now the key, with making terrines, gelees, and Garde Manger (pronounced Gard Monjay) displays beyond the petit fours.


Levels 9 and 10 will deal with things for the budding young chef to learn about running a kitchen. Inventory, scheduling, the Executive side. We go deep into food theory, understanding the what as well as the why people eat what they do. I will explain vendor selection, and developing the relationship with them. 

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