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| click logo to visit website for cooking classes and more... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Viking Culinary Arts Center by Meredith Fletcher I don’t mind getting a little dirty in the kitchen. I just had no idea there were so many ways to do it. In November, the Viking Range Corporation opened up its fifth Viking Culinary Arts Center in the country here in Midtown Atlanta. The place is a wonderland for cooks – even if you are not a cook, yet. The concept is three-fold: part retail store, part teaching kitchen and part demonstration theatre. “We do minimal cutesy,” says manager Quito McKenna. There’s no room for it. The retail store stocks professional-use items – culinary toys you would see on the Food Network in the hands of Sara Moulton -- as well as hard-to-find gourmet foodstuffs. Need a flour wand? They’ve got it. Want to zest a lemon? The tool is in stock, and they will show you how to use it. Confused about chef’s knives? Come over to the demo kitchen. Don’t know what chipotle is? Neither did I. Viking can tell you. (It’s a smoked jalapeno pepper with an earthy taste). “We want you to have high confidence in your purchase,” McKenna adds. The knowledgeable staff makes it all seem possible. In addition to the standard roster of trained retail professionals and talented chefs in house, guest culinary artists also make appearances to teach some of the classes. McKenna comments that they often bring in national names and local talent to serve as instructors. Indeed, a glimpse at the catalogue reveals scheduled arrivals from native son Alton Brown, Food Network’s Sara Moulton, and Canoe’s executive chef, Gary Mennie. Classes run the gamut. They offer everything from holiday-centered themes (chocolate truffles workshops, cookie swaps, New Year’s Eve dinner) to basic utensil use (knife skills, wine glass sampling) to a “Culinary Basics” series (including sessions on soup preparation, how to broil fish, make chicken stock and knead dough). Specialty courses abound. Try the tamale workshop, make pasta from scratch or whip up a breakfast casserole. Sign your teenager up for “Teen Cuisine,” the man in your life for the men-only “Steak and Potatoes” lesson or treat your mom to something fun, such as sushi, cheesecakes or pot pies. Arrive early to help prepare or stick around to clean up and receive a price cut on tuition. The schedule changes every month and is slightly tweaked regionally to ensure patron satisfaction. The Center is part of the same company that manufactures Viking stoves. And while you can take the stoves for a spin on “Test Drive Night,” they are not sold here, although local dealer names can be provided upon request. An outdoor kitchen is also part of the mix. It includes all the essentials for a backyard bonanza: multiple grilling stations, a heavy-duty wok, rotisseries, warming drawers and even a beer cooler. Baby back ribs, anyone? It’s the demonstration theatre, however, that is the flagship of the Center. Here one finds a presentation stage complete with PowerPoint capabilities, television monitors for optimal viewing and a 40-person audience capacity. “In the cooking world, we do it all with smoke and mirrors,” McKenna quips. This facility allows for examples and training sessions, and can be booked for corporate seminars or even birthday parties. “We try to help other people do other things,” McKenna adds. “The demonstration option can add a little something extra for the business meeting. The team building can be followed by a pasta class or a wine tasting. We’ll do whatever you want to do.” “We can do anything you want to learn,” McKenna continues. “We take all types, from ‘I can’t boil water’ to ‘I am the greatest.’” Viking aims to take the mystery out of cooking and turn it into an enjoyable process, even a form of entertainment. I’m going to sign up for a class today. The Viking Culinary Arts Center is located at 1745 Peachtree Street. They are open M-F from 10-9; Saturday 10-6; Sunday 12-6. They can be reached by calling (404) 745-9064 or visit them online at www.vikingrange.com. |
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| from top: Appliances, utensils and cooking classes provide an ample foray into the art of cooking at Viking Culinary Arts Center. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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