Chef Carlton

Posted by Scott C on Dec 3, 2012 in Chefs/Instructors | 1 comment

Chef Carlton is an accomplished culinary professional who has tickled the palates of celebrities Who’s Who such as Supermodel Beverly Johnson, Former Mayor Andrew Young, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Bishop T.D. Jakes, the late Mr. E. Lynn Harris (national bestselling author), Nikki Giovanni (Grammy-nominated American poet), Ian Smith, M.D. (award winning medical correspondent for NBC News), Karyn Greer (Clear News WGCL-TV Anchor Woman), and the late Mrs. Coretta Scott King.

 

He has also provided services to such corporate giants as; American Express, Morgan Stanley & Co., Hewlett Packard, Office of the Mayor, Wells Fargo, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Georgia Pacific, Atlanta Journal and Constitution and Cox Communications  just to name a few.

 

Chef Carlton was voted the #3 Cater in Atlanta for 2009 in “The Best of Atlanta” featured in the Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine.  He is an active member of the International Catering Association and the American Culinary Federation.  His cuisines and presentations are the mark of true talents, which can be viewed via his website at www.occasionaloccasions.net.

Chef Sandy

Posted by Scott C on Jul 21, 2012 in Chefs/Instructors | 1 comment

Sandy Houdeshell, a founding chef/owner of our wonderful school, has a lifetime of experience creating fabulous food for 6 to 600. She opened her first business, a sub shop within her residence hall, as a Rutgers College freshman at Rutgers University, NJ. After graduation, she had a successful run with Dunkin’ Donuts managing retail stores and training store managers. Sandy then went on to put her creative energies into her own catering business. She is also the Chief Operating Officer of ohmG!brands which owns The Irwin Street Market, Picnic, The Funky Monkey and Jake’s Ice Creams. In addition to being the mother of two wonderful daughters, Sandy enjoys developing new recipes, experimenting with flavor profiles, and sharing her experience with foodies of all ages…especially if there is a glass of wine at hand!

Chef Jake

Posted by Scott C on Jul 19, 2012 in Chefs/Instructors | 0 comments

Our Founding Chef, Jake Rothschild is also the founder of Jake’s Ice Creams based in Atlanta,  Georgia. He developed his first food product as a student at the University of North Carolina at  Chapel Hill. His now famous JD Rothschild Gourmet Hot Chocolate Blend is now a staple in homes  all over the US. A founding chef with the Cooking School at Irwin Street, Jake’s specialties include  handmade pastas and sauces,  super foods and teaching kids how to take over the kitchen with  mom’s and dad’s approval. Jake lives on a tiny working farm in College Park, Georgia where he  grows figs, peaches, grapes and herbs. 

If you have a question for Chef Jake, you can contact him via his Q & A page.

Chef Laura and New Gluten Free Eating Classes!

Posted by Scott C on Apr 24, 2012 in Chefs/Instructors | 0 comments

 

We have a new chef and new Gluten Free Baking Classes!  We are pleased to have Chef Laura DiBacco join our staff.  Laura grew up in the kitchen inspired by her Mom, who can cook anything, and her grandmothers, one a hot-blooded Italian and the other a Southern lady who created masterpieces using ingredients from the family farm.  A French major at the University of Georgia, Laura reveled in studying different cultures, finding that a region’s food told the story of its history and traditions.  It seemed a natural progression from language studies in Athens to culinary studies in Scottsdale, AZ, where Laura was trained in the classic French style.  After culinary school, Laura spent several years making wedding cakes and special occasion sweets for friends before forming her own company, Stellina Designer Confections.  When family members started living gluten free, Laura experimented with different flour blends until she found one that allowed her to create gluten free products that taste as good as the originals.  She’s delighted to share her secrets with you in Gluten Free  Baking 101 on May 3.

In this beginner class, Chef Laura will lead students with her special tips and methodology to create delicious Gluten Free cupcakes, cookies and pancakes without sacrificing taste, texture or quality.  For more information, visit our schedule page. 

 

 

 

New Chefs Diana and Eric

Posted by Scott C on Jan 23, 2012 in Chefs/Instructors | 0 comments

We have new chefs at the cooking school bringing us exciting new classes!

We are  pleased to add to our staff Chef Diana Darris.  Chef Diana  attended Auburn University where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and a Master’s  Degree in Justice.  After receiving a formal education, she began to actively pursue her childhood passion of creating  artistic French-Creole inspired food by becoming a private chef and “professional foodie”.  At the age of 6, Chef Diana was  already in the kitchen learning from her Creole Father.  By age 16, she was presenting unique culinary creations at social  events and parties with rave reviews.  Her family heritage has inspired her to fuse classic Creole Cooking with the soulful  flavors of the South and now  Chef Diana is sharing her love of Creole-Soul cooking with us at the Cooking School at Irwin Street.

Chef Diana will be sharing her southern cooking secrets with us in March beginning Southern Fried Chicken and Biscuits on March 4.  In this class you will learn the art of spicing and preparing juicy and flavorful Southern Fried Chicken to enjoy with fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits from scratch.   After this course, you will be able to bring the flavors of the south to your house!  Menu includes: Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Buttermilk Biscuits with Honey-butter and Sweet Southern Iced Tea!

And Diana will be teaching Creole – Diana Style with Creole Cooking Part 1 on March 16. In this class, you will learn how to prepare a classic and elegant dish of Shrimp and Grits that you can serve for breakfast, brunch or dinner.  Paired with an easy, delicious and simple bread-pudding, this meal is sure to be a big hit with family and friends. Menu will be Creole-Shrimp And Grits (fish will also be available as an alternative for those with food allergies), Creole-Veggie Roast, Hazlenut Bread Pudding and Blackberry-Basil Lemonade.

We are also very excited to welcome a dear friend and former colleague, Chef William (Eric or Rico to his friends) Reed to cook and teach with us! Chef William Reed began cooking at the age of 14 when his uncle, Chef Spencer Reed introduced him to the history, culture, and cuisine of Louisiana during what would turn into a life-changing summer vacation in New Orleans. From that spark a fire for the authenticity and cultural origins of food began. Chef Reed went on to attend the prestigious Louisiana Culinary Arts Institute and has worked professionally for over 25 years in a variety of fine dining restaurants and private clubs. Chef Reed now engages himself in Law studies, writing, and playing music professionally, but has never lost that spark for conveying the rich flavor and unique cultural heritage of American cuisine.
Chef William will be offering his Gumbo Class – Laissez le bon temps roux-lez on February 18 in celebration of Mardi Gras  with gumbo making from the art of making roux to finish with authentic ingredients! A musician and natural storyteller, Chef William’s class is sure to include a lively discussion of the food, culture and music of New Orleans!

to schedule a class visit our reservation page now