September 18, 2008
COOL SPRINGS COOKING CLASSES OFFER INSIDE TO STEAKHOUSE SECRETS
Stoney River's watch-and-learn cooking tutorial is open to all
By VICKI STOUT
For Williamson A.M.
FRANKLIN — The Sunday evening cooking class held weekly at Stoney River Legendary Steaks in Cool Springs is akin to dinner and a show.
Students belly up to the bar, or counter, which faces the open kitchen to watch the ongoing spectacle of line cooks preparing plates for guests in the dining room.
The star of the show is Executive Chef Ricky Pigg, who turns his back to the business of the steakhouse kitchen for the evening to walk students through the preparation of several of the restaurant's dishes.
Not only do the 10 or so students learn the basics of making the likes of lobster bisque and New Zealand lamb chops, they also sample the fruits of Pigg's labors. Actually, while he labors, students wine and dine.
Think of it: savoring lobster bisque while you watch the chef prepare it — and leaving with the recipe and instructions. Pretty sweet.
Class structure varies
The cooking classes are demonstration style, though the chef almost seems to join his students and become one of the crowd. The classes take on their own personalities, Stoney River managing partner Dawn Glaser says.
"Sometimes we have a group of women out for a girls' night out cooking session, or families, or folks who don't know each other. Each Sunday the class seems to develop its own dynamic. Some are here for serious learning purposes, some are here more for the social outlet with friends . . . and for good food and wine," she said.
Glaser came to Franklin a year ago from Chicago, where she ran a Stoney River restaurant and had instituted the cooking classes.
"In the beginning, I did one a month, then, because they were popular, we went to twice a month, and finally we did it weekly. It became a popular segment of who we were as a restaurant and community citizen," she said.
So when she rolled out Sunday evening cooking classes here a couple of months ago, she went directly to the weekly format.
"We change the menu of the class monthly. In September, Ricky will be making New England lobster bisque, New Zealand lamb chops and crème brulée," she said.
Wines are poured with each course as students interact with the chef, asking questions about methods and ingredients. Pigg offers answers congenially and provides basic techniques as well as sophisticated measures for the more serious cooks in the class.
Dinner and the class is $35 per person, which includes a multiple-course meal, wines accompanying each course and a take-home folder of recipes and methods.
Glaser says although the classes are popular, the restaurant tries to keep them small.
"We can comfortably seat 10 here at the counter for classes. That's a good number because Ricky can interact with everyone, the guests become acquainted with each other and with him and they have a bird's-eye view of the preparation methods," Glaser said.
And then there's the show going on the background — a fascinating look at the inner workings of a commercial restaurant kitchen.
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