It was a Saturday, my only real day of R & R, and the heavy downpour of rain did little to tarnish my goals of unlocking my culinary abilities this particular day. I still felt like a giddy school boy as I raced down the 405 to get to Chef Eric Crowley’s culinary class in time. Mind you, even with a year of culinary arts classes under my belt, everything in Chef Eric’s menu of classes had great appeal to me.
And most of my thoughts and theories were proven when I got to class. There are so many things that make the Culinary Classroom stand out from other culinary programs in Los Angeles, even the nation. I will list several, starting with Jennie Crowley, Chef Eric’s wife and partner, who was there to greet me as a I paced down the sidewalk to beat my world-renowned pattern of being tardy. With a smile so warm and welcoming, especially on this rainy LA day, I couldn’t help but smile back as she helped me to my seat. A quick glimpse of the class gives you the impression that this is no elitist classroom, it?s a kitchen, open for anyone willing to learn. Mother and daughter, boyfriend and girlfriend, young and old, and Billy. The class had no more than maybe 15 people in it, which proved to be great when we got our one on one time with Chef Eric.
Chef Eric was quick to begin the lesson as well, being prompt yet light about his method of instruction. A very suave demeanor and a comforting aura, he seemed more of the good buddy coming to demonstrate saut?ing methods, and nothing like a bellowing automaton instructor. Our lesson for the day was soups. And what a grand subject it was. We’re not talking about the next step beyond a can of Campbell’s either. Chef Eric had a list of eleven soups, all of which made my tummy grumble more and more as he went through each recipe in front of the class. Chef Eric was determined to make us understand every angle of what one should know not just for kitchen basics, but tidbits, facts, and tips that he’s collected over the years of Culinary masterhood. Item selections, the history of mushrooms, the difference between roux’s and stocks?even diatribes about the roots of certain French words and phrases and techniques. It certainly felt like my daydreams on the couch in front of the food network were coming to life.
In the kitchen, Chef Eric paired us off with buddies and assigned us all different soups to make, and the option to make others once we were done. My partner Greg and I, finished both our Classic Chicken Risotto Soup and American Bounty Vegetable soup with time to spare. One of the attendees, who we’ll call B. Hoover, was very pleased with the instruction, the hands on approach and quality time you get with a real master chef. He said he couldn’t wait to get home and maybe try the dish out for his beloved Chris
Robin. Hoover’s enthusiasm was easy to see as he stirred away at his Garlic Saffron soup, gripping the spatula like an excited little leaguer at tee-ball practice.
Meanwhile, Chef Eric and his assistant Oscar make their rounds from table to table, taking their time to make sure everyone is comfortable with all the steps involved in their dish. I took what spare time I had to chat with Jennie about the chef, as curiosity and the pungent powers of chopped onions forced me to take a step back from the chopping boards. And in the half day I spent there, I can easily say that Chef Eric is one of the easiest people to admire, not just with his talent, but his passion for giving back. Eric Jacques Crowley put in his time as part of the faculty for the Epicurean School of Culinary Arts after receiving honors at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. Time devoted in Spain and Munich also helped enrich his skills and thicken his cookbook. And while it took Chef Eric almost ten years to realize he needed to teach classes, the time was definitely not wasted. Acquiring contacts, friends, personal students, and hundreds and hundreds of hours into perfecting his curriculum, which is exactly what it is? perfect.
I can?t think of anyone who wouldn?t benefit from his classes, regardless of how much potential you have to be a chef, or how much determination you have to learn how to use a knife. Chef Eric?s passion for teaching is matched by his heart. Just ask any of the kids he?s mentored, the countless charities he?s given his valuable time to, or any former students who now have the training in the career of their dreams. From helping the American Cancer Society & CIA mentor program to being a scholarship sponsor for the LA Unified School District, Chef Eric?s greatness goes beyond the kitchen. Chef Eric is one of the few people I know in the greater LA area who can plan a business and save a huge chunk of their program specifically for selfless needs and public aid.
So the next time you find yourself moaning from a full plate at Roscoe?s Chicken and Waffles, or lethargic from pigging out at Tokyo Delve?s, or just curious to see how your hands fare in a real culinary class, find your way to Chef Eric?s Culinary Classroom. Registration for Chef 1 classes are already being accepted and if you want to try something else, there?s a plethora of choices to be found on their website.? Check out
www.culinaryclassroom.com for more information, or call the classroom at (310)470-2640.
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