I have had the chance to preview and review some amazing movies in Los Angeles over the last few years. The 100 Foot Journey was one of them on my most recent trip.
One of the extra curricular activities on this trip, to give us all a greater feel for the process of being a professional cook (a major theme of the movie) was to spend an afternoon at the renowned cooking school, Le Cordon Bleu, LA branch.
When we arrived we were given a tour of the facilities:
We were then invited to taste a few delicious morsels of Beef Bourguignon, Quiche Lorraine, and some salad as the master chef chatted with us about the meal we were about to prepare for our own dinner! Here are the ingredients waiting for us:
We gathered arond the kitchen area to get ready to perform some magic!
You can see I take my role as chef very seriously:
It was great to share this experience with my blog mentor, Linda!
And I also like to have fun in the kitchen, just remember to be safe at all times!
My first goal in cooking is always to make the dish edible, the second goal is always to “plate” it as artfully as possible!
Of course it was delicious!
I had to be far more disciplined here in public. At home I like to test what I am cooking every step of the way. And by every step of the way, sometime there is very little finished product: this was truly a learning experience for me, especially in the area of self control!
But what about dessert? How about my favorite, Creme Brulee, this time with a flair, Chai Tea Creme Brulee! I cannot tell you how long I have waited to flame it up myself!
This was an amazing experience and it did indeed increase my appreciation for all that goes into being a chef. The most remarkable part of cooking will always remain the science that is involved. The idea of whisking in oil only a little bit at a time to get the right emulsification, the amount of heat and length of time it takes to make the perfect croissant, and the knowledge of what spices work together best to create a dance in your mouth: these things will always fascinate me!
Lastly, please let me know what is the “bite” that takes you home? That is a major theme in the 100 Foot Journey, the fact that a taste of the food from their homeland, takes them back to India. Every bite of a thick chicken cutlet takes me home to my moms where she made them big and juicy. Of course the above skinless breast is healthier, but give me one fried in oil to take me back to my old house in Spring Valley!
Disclosure: Disney invited me on this press trip and paid all of my expenses. No other compensation was received. All opinions are always 100% my own and honest. Note to self, buy cardomon!
LE CORDON BLEU Social Media Links:
Facebook
Twitter (#LeCordonBleu & #LCBLA)
Pinterest
Youtube
http://www.chefs.edu/Los-Angeles
Courtesy of the Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School, LA Branch, is the recipe for our Parisian Mumbai Salad, a mix of French and Indian flavors:
Chicken Marinade
– 1 cup plain yogurt
– 1 teaspoon each of freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, ground cardomon
– 1 Tablespoon curry powder
– 2 (6 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breasts (cut into 1/3 strips)
– 2 Tablespoons each of salt and pepper to taste
Salad
– 4 oz. mixed greens
– 1 julienned mango
– 1 apple with skin, julienned
Vinaigrette
– 2 T. salad oil
– 1 t. red wine vinegar
– 1/4 t. Dijon mustard
– Salt and Pepper to taste
Nann Bread
– 1 piece cut into cubes
– 1/2 oz. salad oil
– Salt and pepper to taste
Curried Walnuts
– 1 oz. grape seed oil
– 2 t. granulated sugar
– 1/2 t. curry powder
– 2 oz. walnuts
Procedure:
1. In a plastic bag, combine the yogurt, ginger, garlic, cardamon, curry powder, salt and pepper.
2. Add the sliced chicken pieces and marinate for 45 minutes, set aside.
3. Julienne (2″x1/4×1/4 in.) mango and apple, set aside.
4. Proceed making the vinaigrette, in a bowl mix Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar together, add salt and pepper.
5. Slowly incorporate the salad oil while continuously whisking. Set aside.
6. Take the bread and cut it into 3/4 in. cubes or bite size pieces, then drizzle with salad oil, then season with salt and pepper.
7. Bake the bread in the oven at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Halfway through the baking, check the bread, toss it around to give it even cooking, then place it back in the oven until golden brown.
8. While waiting for the bread, toss walnuts into the grape seed oil with sugar and curry powder, set aside.
9. Get the chicken, then grill it until the meat is white, not translucent. To create crisscross grill marks, grill the chicken following the 10 o’clock/2 o’clock pattern. Assemble onto plate and serve!
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
What a great experience! I have seen their commercials on television and it’s obviously a great school!
Kay Adeola says
The movie looks good.Thank you for sharing this it looks as if you had a fun time,Bet the food was good.
Betsy Mitchell says
I would love to go back to school, but not any school – culinary school! This looks like so much fun!
Tracey says
I really am anticipating this film coming out. What a neat experience Mitch! I bet you have more appreciation for chefs now. Looks like you did a good job as well.
Debbie Denny says
That looks super exciting. I so wish I was there with you. Love the pics of you doing this. Food Looks Yummy.
Jaime says
What a fun thing to do! I love how serious (and fun) you were in the kitchen.
Lindsey @ Redhead Baby Mama says
You look like you are having SUCH fun here. I am jealous, since I could use a cooking class or two!
Janel (A Mom's Take) says
You’re a trip. Love the pic of you and Linda side by side in the kitchen cooking together. Great post Mitch, or should I call you Vanna Mitch, the first photo of you holding your hand up. Looking forward to watching this movie with my husband.
Amber Conaway says
I love cooking! I would love to go to a Culinary place like that and try it out in a professional kitchen! Looks like so much fun!
Dawn says
You look like you had a blast! It must have been so much fun. Although, I’m not sure if you should be enjoying the mini flame throw quite so much…
Debbie L. says
What a great experience! I would love to be able to take a few classes at a culinary school!
Pam says
That looks like a really fun experience! I have always wanted to visit a cooking school.
Shell says
What a fun experience! I’d love to see what it’s like to be in cooking school.
Carly Anderson says
It looks like you had a wonderful time cooking at Le Cordon Bleu! This was such a wonderful opportunity for you and the other wonderful bloggers in attendance.
Tami says
What a fun experience. From the looks of it, everyone had a great time. Now how was The 100 Foot Journey? I can’t wait to check it out.
TerriAnn @ Cookies & Clogs says
What a treat to make and eat some of the food from the movie. They had so many tantalizing dishes!
cam | bibs and baubles says
Looks like you had a great time! All of those dishes look amazing! Random: I knew someone that graduated from there!
Maria Oller says
I would love to try a class there I’m a kitchen aficionado,other the fact I have to cook daily as mom I enjoy having some fun around
Charity L. says
I would have really enjoyed this experience. I wish I was there! I enjoy cooking and I am interesting in learning new techniques. It looks like you had a blast with that torch…your expression is priceless. Enjoy the rest of your trip you lucky dog!
deb says
Oh , lucky you. I would love to spend the day playing at Le Crodon Bleu!
deb says
*Cordon (sheesh…not enough coffee yet this morning)
Rosey says
That does look like an amazing experience. The bite that takes me home is homemade noodles. My grandma used to let me help her knead them and roll them, and cut them when they were dried out. 🙂
Jenn says
That is SO cool that you got to cook at Le Cordon Bleu!! That would have been the highlight of the trip for me!
John Joseph says
Sounds like a wonderful experience and the food looks great.
Laura says
This looks like it was so much fun! I really want to see that movie and might make it a date night event. I love food that feels like home!
krystalskitsch says
That is such a cool experience! I would be so jealous. I would love to attend culinary school for fun later in life.
Chrystal @ YUM eating says
That would be so much fun! I would love to cook in a kitchen like that.
Shannon Gosney says
Love your pictures Mitch! I used to want to go to Culinary Arts School. Sounds like a good one!
Carly from The Puzzled Palate says
Such fun! Did you meet up with Christine from Savings Sadi Simply? I saw that she was there too!
Christie says
I’m so glad no one was set on fire that day! It was so much having a 100 foot Journey experience!
Lori says
All of those dishes sound so good! Looks like you had a lot of fun!
Lisa says
Look at you and Linda in the kitchen! Looks like you had a lot of fun and a great meal to make/eat too!
Beth@FrugalFroggie says
Looks like a fun time. I would have enjoyed cooking at the Cordon Bleu
Mommy2jam says
I am so jealous so so so jealous, I love ok REALLY LOVE Creme Brûlée! Looks like you had an amazing time. My son loves to cook and he would have died to have been apart of this.
Toni says
what an amazing event. I would love to have tried my hand at everything you guys made. I can’t wait to see 100 Foot Journey.
Dawn says
Chai Tea Creme Brulee sounds delicious! Everything looks tasty, and it looks like you had so much fun!
Theresa says
What an awesome experience! I would love to take a culinary class. You are right, there is so much that goes into meal prep. I don’t think I could do it for a huge crowd all the time, but it would be fun to play chef for a day. The Chai Tea Creme Brulee sounds divine!
Tonia says
Well, yummy! What a great experience. You really look like you know your way around the kitchen in those pics. Good to know. You’ll make a fabulous guest chef over at my place one of these days. I burn hotdogs…just sayin. Any plans to visit DC?
Amanda says
What an awesome and yummy experience! Looks like you had a blast!
Cyndi @ MrsWrightWrites says
Awesome! What a neat experience! This looks like soo much fun!
Marina @ Mommy Snippets says
That is soo cool! Glad you enjoyed yourself. Looks like an awesome time.
Cassie @ Southeast by Midwest says
I’m so jealous! That looks like it was an amazing experience. So glad you enjoyed yourself 🙂
Megan @ C'mon Get Crafty says
What a fun experience! That Chai Tea Creme Brulee sounds like absolute heaven.
Danielle @ We Have It All says
How awesome is that?!? You guys look so cool in there cheffin’ it up – this had to be so much fun!
Emily says
First – love your pictures! Clearly you are having SO much fun. What an amazing opportunity! I would love to spend an afternoon cooking and learning there!
Jessica (Savory Experiments) says
Cardamom is the best! What a great experience- what I would give to go back to culinary school. I’ve taken a few single classes, but would love to actually get a degree.
Brandy says
Oh this is fun, I love the recipe and I love all of the pictures. Looks like you had a fabulous time in the kitchen, Mitch!