TESTIMONIALS

Shawn - Pemco Technologies- Omaha, NE

I wanted to provide a quick note "Thanking You" for a great cooking experience last week! We as a Sales Organization have experienced a lot of different activities over the last few years as a part of our team building exercise during our Fiscal Year Sales kickoff events, but I have to admit the Cooking Class that you guys provided has to rank #1 overall!!! You guys Rock!

Amy - Teacher- Pineville High School, La

I wanted to thank you for the INCREDIBLE day yesterday. The kids LOVED it (so did the chaperones...they couldn't stop going on and on about how well executed, organized and FUN the class was!) I've done MANY field trips over my years of teaching. And this one, by far, was the best I've ever been on! I know my Family and Consumer Science kids left yesterday with an experience they will never forget. Who knows, you may have helped inspire one of those kids to become a great chef!

Michelle -Reno, NV

Dear Michael,

I can't say enough wonderful things about my time at The New Orleans School of Cooking. As part of the Southwest Airlines Vacations event, it was an excellent decision to help underwrite the evening. Everyone had a fabulous time.

Your passion for the city, the food and the people are so evident. I applaud your energy, care and attention to detail. The question and answer time was hysterical. You helped make the evening special for all that attended. While this week was my eighth trip and second post Katrina, I can't wait to come back.

In my mind, New Orleans is the melting pot of the nation. There is no where else that you have so much in one area. You embody the spirit of New Orleans... Bigger than life. I can't wait to share my stories with all that will listen.

Ray - Anniston, AL

Being a frequent visitor to New Orleans (at least 4 times a year) it is obvious that I love the city, the culture, the food and the fun!!! Man were we surprised at what we had been missing out on until our recent visit, when I booked a hands-on cooking class at The New Orleans School of Cooking...and it was Fantastic!!!

Our chef, Anne, added to the party. With her knowledge of the Greatest City we know and her knowledge of the culture of the people and the food...plus her overall good humor...it was truly an unbeatable undertaking. We are planning our next class already!

Harvey and Sandra

We just wanted to let you know what a great time we had in you hands-on cooking class. The food and wines were excellent, the preliminary preparations were perfect, and the cooking implements and facility were easy to use. The highlight of the evening was the chef, Anne. She is a font of knowledge, has an engaging personality, and is a joy to cook and dine with. The experience will be one we long remember, and we will recommend it to anyone we know planning to visit New Orleans.

Stephanie - ITAG-St. Petersburg, FL

I just had to drop you a line to let you know what an absolutely wonderful experience our group had at your New Orleans School of Cooking. Every single one of them raved about it. There were a couple of people who had voted for a different activity on this day but majority ruled in favor of the cooking school and both of those people came to me and said "you know I voted for the fishing but I am REALLY glad I came to the cooking school instead. It was incredible". They just had a blast! Even when the class ended and hours later in the day, they were still talking about it and how they learned so much, not just about cooking but about New Orleans and its history as well. The main reason they said it was just great was because of their chef Michael. He made it so much fun and when he spoke about the food and history, it wasn't just like someone giving a speech but instead, he made it so interesting that they WANTED to stop and listen to what he was saying. They took so much with them from this. Thank you again for such a wonderful experience!

Charles Kuralt, "Charles Kuralt America"

"In a three-hour class, Kevin Belton cooks for a roomful of adoring out-of-towners...They were cultivated folk and probably pretty good at coking the food of wherever they came from, but Kevin, a missionary posessing Holy Orders, approached them all as aborigines in mortal need of enlightenment. He wound himself up and started preaching the true gospel, beginning with the Louisiana Trinity - onion, celery and green pepper. His sermon was so fervent that I started making notes myself."

S. Faulkner, Lancaster, England

"Dear Michael, My husband and I attended your wonderful demonstration...The Cookery, view and background information about New Orleans was excellent. I have rarely been to a talk that I did not want to end..."

J. Sinks, Louisville, KY

"...attended one of your wonderful classes last summer...had a great time and learned a lot...doubled your recipe for bread pudding and fed an entire medical floor (staff & patients) and received many paraises, perhaps due to the extra rum I used in the sauce."

G. Bullock, Greensboro, NC

"Dear Sir, I certainly enjoyed the class I atended...I aspire to become a good chef when I retire from truck driving in five years."

J. Burskirk, Talkeetna, Alaska

"My mother and I attended your class...it was the day you dropped a huge pan of bread pudding - remember? Ooops! You're so funny!"

Jay Bowen, Winter Haven, Fl.

"First I would like to say what a great time we had at the class on 5/28. You made three hours seem like less than one. My mother and I attended your class and had a great time. The food was incredible and what we learned was invaluable....

I would like to share with you what happened after we got home though. You see, I remember you saying to use lard and all purpose flour for the roux. If I remember correctly you emphasized it several times. Well let me just say that my mother, being the ever conscious health food fanatic that she is decided to mess with what Mother Anne told us….That's right, she decided to substitute lard for Smart Choice shortening and Spelt Flour instead of all purpose flour. While standing over the stove I just shook my head, knowing in my recently christened Cajun heart that it wouldn't work. But being the good son I continued, stirring and whisking, whisking and stirring, as the concoction that developed in my skillet can only be referred to as Roux Poux (pronounced like roux but with a p). I have seen better looking poux in a baby's diaper. Suffice it to say I wouldn't serve it to my dog, who was sitting on the floor looking at me and shaking his head as well. I tried to get him to lick the spoon but he decided his nether regions would probably taste better and you can imagine what he did to prove it.

Next came the Smart Balance and all purpose flour and guess what? More Poux. Finally after the experiments ceased I finally convinced her that we needed to go back to what Mother Anne taught us and use the centuries old, tried and true method of making proper roux. Shazam!!!! Roux was created in manner in which to make you proud. It now sits, resting gently in the fridge awaiting the remaining ingredients, so that we may wow and amaze friends and family with what we have learned.

So, the next time those cauliflower hugging, tree loving, non meat eating participants from California attend one of your classes, please feel free to tell them of our experience and that all flours are not created equal.

Live to eat,
Your humble and more learned Student
Jay Bowen
Winter Haven, Fl."