The Kitchen

Spring 2010 Culinary Classes

Chocolate - Sinfully Delicious!

Learn how to make delectable and beautiful creations in chocolate—bittersweet, dark, milk and white—just in time for Valentine’s Day. From truffles to fondue and a super-rich cake, you’ll be sure to please your loved ones with your hand-made treasures!

Pasta Perfect

Get out of the spaghetti and tomato sauce rut! Easy enough for family; sophistaceted enough for guests. Learn the principles of Risotto, adding shrimp, corn, red pepper and zucchini for a wonderful meal. Never fear this satisfying, beautiful dish again. Learn to make homemade Gnocchi that are light as air and sauced with asparagus, mint and pistachios.

Full class listing...

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Wayne Art Center Presents: The Kitchen

The Wayne Art Center is known for thinking outside the box about art and so in 2008, we opened THE KITCHEN cooking school to showcase the art of cooking.

We strive to make food learning both fun and approachable. Our hands-on classes allow students to learn and expand their food horizons and then eat their creations. Classes include clear written recipes well as the personal instruction of our chefs and staff. A wide range of classes are always on the schedule for both eager novices, experienced hobby cooks and a special series for children. Topics include basic knife skills, fish cookery, do ahead meals, ethnic cuisines of France, Italy, India, Mexico, Asia and more.

We believe everyone who has an interest can cook…even children. Yes, we make food entertaining, but at THE KITCHEN both adults and children leave class with new usable skills.

Adult evening classes are 2 hours from 7-9PM on Thursdays followed by dinner and wine and are limited to 8-10 students.  Children’s classes are held on Saturday morning from 10AM-12PM, with Homeschooled children’s classes on Thursday’s from 10AM-12PM.

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The Art of Cooking: Wayne Art Center Is a Hit

Main Line Suburban Life, June 12, 2009
By Caroline Goldstein

“Cooking is a lot like science,” chef Brenda Kieffer told a group of seven eager future chefs.

The students, ranging from ages 9 to 11, gathered at the Wayne Art Center this past Saturday morning for the “Kids Learn to Cook with Brenda” class. All of the children were excited to begin their lesson. Cassie Rosin, 10, of Wayne had been looking forward to the class for a while. “I begged my mom to find me a cooking class,” she said.

Others had high aspirations. “I’m going to be a chef when I grow up,” declared Kyle Austin, 9, of Royersford, who came to the class with his next-door neighbor Natalie Wechter, 9.

The group quickly started baking in the art center’s spacious new kitchen, which has an island in the middle, sub-zero freezers and granite counter tops. The children were making homemade brownies, lemon poppy seed muffins and lemon walnut muffins. But for the kids, the class was about more than just learning to bake.

“I think cooking classes are fun because you get to make new friends,” Wechter said.

Children’s-programming coordinator Julie Foster agreed that there is more to the class than just cooking. “It gives kids another outlet to explore their creativity,” she said. “They are real-world, real-life skills they are leaving with.”

“The art center itself is really big in the kids’ programming,” Foster said. The kids’ cooking class “kind of rounds out the experience.”

Kieffer’s goal with the classes is to “teach them to be self-sufficient, to be part of the team at home.”  It also “helps the kids have a broader palate,” she said. “If they make it themselves they are more likely to eat it.”

“They all have a good time, I think, and definitely are learning something,” she added.

Cooking classes are relatively new to the art center’s list of programs thanks to the recent addition of the kitchen. Kieffer, who left a career in business to pursue her love of cooking, began the children’s cooking classes with a group of home-school children who come every week. Classes for teens, adults and seniors have been added also.

One obstacle that Kieffer noted is that “we’re still trying to equip this kitchen” with small appliances. “Those kinds of donations would be fantastically appreciated,” she said.

When the brownies and muffins were finished, each of the children was excited to try the mouthwatering treats, and many decided to bring treats home to share with friends and family.

“I’m going to save it for my parents,” said Elizabeth Burke, 10, of Malvern. Then, on second thought, she said, “My sisters are probably going to eat them all. I should hide them in my room.”

The three remaining classes in the series will focus on delicious and nutritious snacks, pizza and a complete family meal. For more information call the Wayne Art Center at 610-688-3553.

(link to article)

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Private Parties and Corporate Team Building

THE KITCHEN at Wayne Art Center is available for private parties, such as wedding showers, birthday parties, personal celebrations and group events. We will be happy to design a class and menu just for your event around a particular cuisine interest or theme. The event can be a relaxing demonstration class or a more “in the trenches” hands-on class. And, as always, followed by a complete tasting of the food you prepared. Call for information.

THE KITCHEN is also available to rent for an event with or without a class for your group. Call for more information.

In addition to our classes, we hold cooking programs for team building and client entertaining. The fast paced, intense nature of turning out a meal co-operatively and on time is a natural for companies who are looking to:

• Build teams
• Increase co-operation
• Identify leaders
• Learn to think more creatively
• Increase communication
• Call for more information.
  
  

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Kitchen Plaque

The Wayne Art Center is grateful to Julie Stoner for her generous advice and efforts in designing a vision for Wayne Art Center’s Culinary Art Studio.

We are also grateful to the following donors for their contributions and materials.

Campbell Building Corporation
Christiana Cabinetry, Gerald B. Metzler
Justine Cuny
Dayton Lock
Devon Tile and Design
Julile Stoner Kitchen Design
Kierffer’s Appliances
Betty Musser
Renaissance Kitchen and Bath
Tropical Stone
Whole Foods

Copyright © 2009, Wayne Art Center. All rights reserved.