Beer and BBQing

Get savvy with a pair of tongs and celebrate our much envied Queensland lifestyle in this exciting new class.  Working on actual outdoor BBQs, you will learn the joy of BBQing seafood, meat and poultry, as well create some great new recipes to try at home.  Enjoy a BBQ banquet at the end of class, matched with a selection of beers from James Squires. Recipes and course notes included.

........................................................................................

Chocolate Desserts    

If you enjoy your chocolate then you will simply love what this class has to offer. Desserts classes are an indulgent affair and when the focus is on chocolate, the calorie counter is out the window and the result is pure pleasure. With past recipes including coverture white chocolate mousse with kataifi and raspberries coulis, Amaretto bitter sweet dark tart with double vanilla sauce, and passionfruit truffles in Dutch cocoa, you will enjoy every moment of this 3 hour experience. As well as hands-on dessert making, this class includes a light meal prepared by our chefs, non-alcoholic beverages and all recipes.

........................................................................................

Curries of the world - One     

This is a class for serious curry lovers. In this hands-on class you will learn three curries from around the world including their rice and traditional accompaniments. Due to the intensity of this class, it does not include a sit down dinner, however you will create some terrific curries that you will take away with you at the end of class to delight your friends and family.  You will also enjoy a noodle box style standing supper of curry prepared by our chefs, with matched beers. Sample Menu: Thai Jungle Green Curry of chicken, Punjabi Lamb Curry and BBQ'ed fish in Chu Chee sauce. Course notes and recipes included.

........................................................................................

Curries of the world - Two     

Another menu for you curry lovers out there. In this hands-on class you will learn three more curries to add to your repertoire, including rice and traditional accompaniments. Due to the intensity of this class, it does not include a sit down dinner, however you will create some terrific curries that you will take away with you at the end of class to delight your friends and family.  You will also enjoy a noodle box style standing supper of curry prepared by our chefs, with matched beers. Sample Menu: Burmese dry pork curry, Indonesian Beef Rendang curry with pineapple, Goan Fish Curry. Course notes and recipes included

........................................................................................

Fast and Furious Seafood      

By popular demand we are running this class again and again and again. The focus is quick and easy seafood ideas, including warm salads, stir-frys, pastas and BBQ ideas. Learn how to create these simple dishes and enjoy them at the end of the class with a couple of glasses of perfectly match wine or beer. Course notes and recipes included.  

........................................................................................

Fundamentals of Cooking Seafood    

Have you ever wondered how to fillet a whole fish? Clean and de-beard mussels, or prepare fresh squid?

In this hands-on cooking experience, our chefs will help you identify, buy and select fresh seafood, teach you how to clean and prepare it for cooking, as well as how to cook it.  Chefs will demonstrate and discuss several techniques with the class and then participants will prepare and create 3 delicious, seasonally driven dishes to be enjoyed at the end of class with a couple of classes of matched wine. Recipes and course notes included.

........................................................................................

Gingerbread Houses  

An edible ornament for the table at Christmas.  In the class you will bake, make and decorate your own gingerbread house, along with some Christmas inspired decorations to hang on your tree. Take your creations home with you, they make wonderful gifts.  Also includes a light meal prepared by our chefs, non-alcoholic beverages and recipes.

........................................................................................

Gourmet Chicken       

Quick and easy chicken ideas with plenty of flavour and amazingly simple to prepare. Past dishes have included: roasted Moroccan chicken breast stuffed with feta, preserved lemon and cous cous; chicken leg braised with forest mushrooms served with rosemary roasted potatoes; and lime and lemongrass chicken. Enjoy a banquet style meal with 2 glasses of matched wine or beer at the end of class. Also includes knife skills demonstration and course notes.

........................................................................................

Indian  (V)

Step out of your comfort zone and discover hands-on the variety of different spices, ingredients and techniques used in this popular cuisine. You will learn to prepare a fragrant Indian banquet, to be enjoyed at the end of cooking with a couple of glasses of wine or beer to match. Past dishes include a classic lamb Rogan Josh, cauliflower and cashew curry and other Indian favourites such as naan bread, pakoras, raita and spiced basmati rice.

........................................................................................

Italian Favourites – Ravioli    (V)

Fresh Napoli sauce, Hand made Ravioli, and Tiramisu. These old favourites of the Italian kitchen are coming back. Fresh herbs and vegetables, creams and cheeses, egg yolk pasta and fresh espresso coffee. Fresh ingredients with robust flavours are what Italian cooking is about. Enjoy an evening cooking then sampling these dishes with a couple of glasses of wine.  

........................................................................................

Italian Favourites – Gnocchi  (V)

In this hands-on course you will create an Italian banquet to be enjoyed at the end of cooking with a couple of glasses of wine. Discover the secret to creating 3 beautiful flavours of handmade Gnocchi, accompanied by a smoked tomato sauce, gorgonzola cheese mornay and an indulgent chocolate tortino for dessert.

........................................................................................

Italian Favourites – Risotto    (V)

Spend an evening looking at the art of risotto, creating 3 truly superb flavour combinations. The class includes stocks and garnishes, as well as an indulgent Panacotta for dessert. You will enjoy a banquet style meal at the end of cooking with beautifully matched wine or beer.

........................................................................................

Knives and Presentation        

Introduction to Knives; the most wanted skill in any kitchen is how to use a chef’s knife. You will learn hands-on how to sharpen, use and maintain a good sharp chef’s knife. Covered in this class are precision cutting, garnishes and Platter presentation. Includes supper made by our chefs and course notes.

........................................................................................

Lao-Thai

Explore the similarities and differences between Laos and Thai cuisine.  After travelling through North Eastern Thailand and Laos in February 2007, John has brought back some different traditional recipes for you to enjoy.  You will enjoy a banquet style meal at the end of cooking with 2 glasses of matched wines. Recipes included.

........................................................................................

Malaysian       

Using only the freshest of ingredients, you will learn hands-on how to prepare simple yet beautifully aromatic Malaysian dishes that will make you wish you were in more exotic surrounds. Malaysian cuisine draws from rich and spicy Malay food styling as well as several other very distinct cooking styles such as Chinese and Indian to offer a very exciting range of flavours and colours. You will learn 3 great Malaysian dishes and enjoy a banquet style meal at the end of cooking with 2 glasses of matched wines. Recipes included.

........................................................................................

Mediterranean Feast  (V)

Just as the Mediterranean Sea touches the shores of Europe, Africa and Asia, Mediterranean cuisine draws on as many regions and cultures to create dishes rich in history and flavour. In this hands-on class you will discover a unique melding of flavours, and using a variety of regional staples such as fresh cheeses, herbs, legumes, grains, lemon, garlic, sunkist vegetables and of course olives and olive oil, you will create a beautiful Mediterranean feast to be enjoyed at the end of the class with a couple of glasses of matched wine. Sample Menu: Nicoise salad w/ herb & lemon marinated chicken; Pesto crusted Mahi-Mahi w/ ratatouille and cannelini beans; Poached pear in kataifi pastry w/ almond and Zabaglione

........................................................................................

Methods of Cookery    (Demo)

COST: $85 per class OR $212.50 for the series

A three part demonstration series on basic principles of cookery and whether you come to one class or complete the series, methods are a must for those starting out in the kitchen or for those looking to take their cooking to the next level.

Methods 1 - poaching braising and steaming

In this demonstration class you will spend a couple of hours learning correct cooking methods and techniques, demonstrated with some fabulous recipes such as Duck Confit (braising), scallops poached in Thai flavours, and steamed chicken & water chestnut wontons. You will receive tastings of all recipes as they are demonstrated, matched with a couple of glasses of wine or beer. You will receive course notes and a copy of all recipes, so you can make them at home.

Methods 2 - BBQing, grilling & pan frying

In this class demonstration you will spend a couple of hours acquiring some great cooking hints, such as the difference between sauté, sweat, & stew, correct heat levels for different food types, pan requirements, & oil types, as well as quantities & usage. All methods are demonstrated with delicious recipes such as BBQ lime & lemongrass chicken; Grilled Haloumi w/ rocket & walnut salad; and Pan fried fillets of fish w/ lemon-butter sauce. You will receive tastings of all recipes as they are demonstrated, matched with a couple of glasses of wine or beer. Course notes and a copy of each recipe also included.

Methods 3 - baking & roasting

In this class demonstration you will spend a couple of hours acquiring some great skills, such as how to get success & consistency out of your oven, methods for steaming in your oven as well as beautiful roast veggies, succulent roast meats & crisp pastry every time.  Learn about the different functions your oven may have & how they relate to different food types, plus some good alternative methods to prepare some healthy & not so healthy dishes. You will receive tastings of all recipes as they are demonstrated, such as steamed chocolate puddings. Tastings will be matched up with a couple of glasses of wine or beer. Course notes and a copy of each recipe also included.

........................................................................................

Middle Eastern Cooking         

Come & discover a whole new world of flavours & textures with some fabulous Middle Eastern fare. Participants will prepare exotic and aromatic dishes including prawns wrapped in almond Kataifi pastry, Baba Ghanoush, lamb grilled in Zhoug paste. Recipes & course notes included & a Middle Eastern feast will be served at the conclusion of the class with matched Australian wines.  

........................................................................................

Modern Australian     

Our Australian menus have become wide and varied with the combinations and influences from all round the world. Using the extensive range of ingredients available to us we have created a unique cuisine all of our own. Come along and create a beautiful menu using fresh Australian produce matched with 2 glasses of matched wine or beer. Sample Menu: Char grilled eye fillet with roasted shallots and cabernet jus, truffled green beans with flaked almonds; garlic and pinenut creamy mash; & White chocolate and orange mousse on a nest of katafi pastry with orange syrup. Recipes included.

........................................................................................

Modern French Experience

Come and enjoy a simply divine evening in this truly French experience, creating some modern delicacies to be devoured at the end of class with some beautiful matched wine. Recipes included.

........................................................................................

Northern Thai

Northern Thailand has a reputation for spicier cuisine being removed from the plains and coastal regions.  The raw ingredients reflect this and the style of food takes on flavours and methods from bordering countries Laos and Burma.  Explore this style of food with our chefs with recipes including Banana Flower Salad, Chang-Mai Curry of Pork and Northern Style Spicy Curry.  A Northern Thai Banquet will be enjoyed at the end of the class with matched wine.  Recipes included.

........................................................................................

Quails, Ducks and Chickens   

Learn how to prepare and cook poultry, using different cooking techniques and ingredients. Boned B.B.Q. Quail, Confit Duck Leg and Mediterranean Maryland mini roast, served with matching condiments. This class includes basic knife skills and butchery demonstration, hands-on cooking and a banquet style dinner at the end of class where you enjoy the fruits of your labour with a couple of glasses of matched wines or beer. Course notes and recipes included.

........................................................................................

Queensland Christmas Menu 

Gone are the days when we spend all day in a hot kitchen cooking a hot lunch for Christmas.  Spend an innovative lunch with the James St Cooking School Chefs, preparing and presenting a tropical feast with flavour and flair. This year you can spend more time enjoying your Christmas instead of cooking it! Last year's menu included , roasted turkey breast fillet stuffed with brie, cranberries and pistachios; Thai whole fish; salad of char grilled prawns & Thai herbs w/ a chilli & tamarind dressing; and warmed caramelised mango cheek served w/ pineapple & mint salsa and chocolate sauce.

........................................................................................

Queensland Christmas Menu 2          

Let loose these holidays and cook up a feast to fuel your palate with flavour. In this class you will learn some great seasonal recipes that will bring something different to the table this Xmas. Enjoy a sit-down dinner at the end of class with a couple of classes of matched beer and wine. Last year's menu included great recipes such as, White peppercorn and coriander spiced turkey mince wontons.  Zhoug paste marinated prawns on preserved lemon and extra virgin olive oil spiced cous cous and Cinnamon and cracked black pepper parfait for dessert.

........................................................................................

Quick and Asian I         (V)

Learn some Asian starters and basic curries to cook at home, which are quick, easy and full of flavour. This class will cover some great recipes as well as techniques, ingredients, and the balance of flavours required for Asian cooking. Sample menu: Vegetarian rice paper rolls, Tom Yum soup, Thai Curry of Beef, Thai Curry of Chicken, Penang Curry of Seafood and Massaman Curry of Roasted Vegetables and Chick Peas. Enjoy a banquet style meal with 2 glasses of matched wine or beer. Includes knife skills demonstration and course notes.

NOTE: You don't need to have done any of the other Quick and Easy Asian classes to attend

........................................................................................

Quick and Asian II     

Still quick and easy to prepare, these new ideas are also for great for dinner parties. Sample menu: Laksa, Thai Fish Cakes, lime & lemongrass marinated chicken thigh on crispy noodle, and pork & water chestnut wontons with lime dipping sauce. The Class will sit and eat the fruits of their labour with 2 glasses of matched wine or beer.

NOTE: You don't need to have done any of the other Quick and Easy Asian classes to attend 

........................................................................................

Quick and Asian III    

By popular demand, here are another few Quick and Easy Asian recipes to add to your repertoire.  Samples dishes: Salad of Soba noodles, sesame and roasted sweet potato. Fragrant Jungle Curry of Chicken. Prawns, lemongrass and coconut soup. Stir-fry pork with chilli, lime & peanuts. Traditional accompaniments and fresh jasmine rice

These courses are proof that you don't need to be a super star chef to enjoy yourself in the kitchen and create interesting, colourful and flavourful cuisine in a blink of an eye. Maybe that's why they are so popular. Enjoy a banquet style meal at the end of cooking with a couple pf glasses of matched wine or beer. Recipes included.

NOTE: You don't need to have done any of the other Quick and Easy Asian classes to attend

........................................................................................

Restaurant Favourites

In this hands-on class you will learn to create a 2 course menu that will tempt even the fussiest of foodies at your next dinner party. Restaurant favourites are seasonally and creatively driven, so you can usually expect something a little different from season to season. To give you an idea of the style of food on offer, here is a sample menu -  Char Grilled rib fillet w/ balsamic tomato, truffled green beans and pommes gallette; & - White chocolate and orange mousse on a nest of katafi pastry w/ orange syrup

........................................................................................

Restaurant Winter Favourites           

Learn a great 3 course menu focusing on the art of slow cooking and the secrets to creating winter restaurant staples such as Lamb Shanks, Duck Confit and Osso Bucco. Enjoy your 3 course creation at the end of class with a couple of glasses of matched wine. Recipes and course notes included.

........................................................................................

Seafood BBQing

Working on actual outdoor BBQs with tongs in hand, this class demystifies the BBQ & how it relates to seafood. You will learn the “ins and outs” of BBQing seafood, as well create your own BBQ banquet to be enjoyed at the end of class, with a couple of glasses of matched wine or beer. Recipes and course notes included.

........................................................................................

Sushi Basics     (V)

An excellent class for the beginner. This is a very hands-on class so you will leave confident in the art of making basic sushi. We will look at the different elements of sushi, such as rice, fillings, flavours, tools, and most importantly the different styles of rolling.  You will learn to create Su-Meshi (vinegared rice), the 2 types of Nori Maki (Nori-rolled Sushi), which are Hoso-Maki (thin-rolled sushi) and Futo-maki (Thick-rolled), as well as hand-moulded sushi (Nigiri-zushi) and Su-Meshi in tofu bags. Includes Sushi feast with 2 glasses of matched wine or beer. Recipes and course notes included.

........................................................................................

Sweet and Savoury Pastries  

Increase your repertoire and enjoyment in the kitchen and start using different kinds of pastry, such as puff, kataifi, filo, and sweet and savoury shortcrust. Our resident pastry chef will teach you the ‘dos’, ‘don’ts’ and ‘hows’ of pastry, as well as help you make your own sweet crust from scratch and lots of other great pastry creations to take away with you to enjoy later. Sample menu: Fruit flan made with home made sweet crust pastry, Spinach and ricotta filo parcels w/ spiced yoghurt sauce, Sweet kataifi nests w/ berry ice cream, and Spinach, black olive and Meredith goats cheese quiche. The class also includes a light meal prepared by our chefs, non-alcoholic beverages and a copy of all recipes.

........................................................................................

Thai Seafood  

If you enjoy the tastes of Asian food and you also enjoy your seafood, this course was designed for you. Two of the James St Cooking School Chefs have spent some time in Thailand and are busting to pass on their new found knowledge. Flavours, textures and fragrances of Thai cooking, along with different cooking techniques will inspire you to cook more. In this hands-on class you will participate in cooking a Thai banquet to be enjoyed at the end of the session with 2 glasses of matched wine or beer. Course notes and recipes included.  

........................................................................................

Thai for Chilli Lovers

For people who love it hot, we have created a class for those who are unafraid to have their food at a traditional Thai temperature.  Lots of heat in this class, definitely not for the timid!  In this hands-on class you will participate in cooking a Thai banquet to be enjoyed at the end of the session with 2 glasses of matched wine. Course notes and recipes included.  

........................................................................................

Thai Thai

A regional cooking adventure of Thailand, which will cover flavours from the North and South.  After travelling through Thailand in February and September  2007,  John has come home with traditional methods and recipes to share with you.  A Thai banquet will be enjoyed at the conclusion of the class with 2 glasses of matched wine.  Recipes included.

........................................................................................

Winter Seafood Warmers      

A few seafood dishes to keep you warm throughout the cooler months. Bouillabaisse, Pistachio crusted mahi-mahi w/ olive oil & winter vegetables, and Garlic Prawns. Enjoy a seafood banquet with a matched wine and beer. Recipes included.

........................................................................................

Professional chefs working with
you every step of the way

It's a simple matter of the
Fundamentals of Cooking Seafood

Enjoy a relaxed, friendly cooking environment

Lime & Lemongrass Chicken
Gourmet Chicken Made Easy

learn tips & techniques from
experienced chefs

Get the skills with
Knives and Presentation

our hands-on approach will have
you cooking for friends
in no time

create a 3 course menu in
Modern Australian

fresh herbs & aromas with
Italian Favourites

try one of our indulgent
Desserts classes

Colourful, healthy and fun
to make, Sushi Basics has it
all & it's great for beginners

try a barbeque class
Moroccan Spiced Blue Eye Cod with
mango & lime salsa

make you own
Gingerbread House