School's In! - Cary Magazine

By Elliot Acosta
Photography By Jonathan Fredin Aug 1, 2024

The Ultimate School of Barbecue

A callback to his work on the Southern Living Ultimate Book of BBQ cookbook published in 2015, Pitmaster Chris Prieto offers students an all-encompassing barbecue education with the Ultimate School of Barbecue. Once a quarter, the grand champion pitmaster hosts this 12-hour class at his restaurant, Prime Barbecue in Knightdale. Designed for students with any level of skill, the all-day event goes through every meticulous aspect of the cooking style.

Chris Prieto, a former professional barbecue grand champion, leads September’s Ultimate School of Barbecue at his restaurant, Prime Barbecue.

“We shut the restaurant down, and it’s all live fire cooking, and we cook on all styles of pits. We cook all the different varieties of meats. We teach about pellet cooking, cooking on a Big Green Egg, vertical water cooking, indirect heat cooking. We do a multitude of meats that demonstrate how you can stretch your thinking. So someone gets a lot of value in one class,” Prieto mentions. “If you spend the next month straight watching YouTube videos about barbecue, you will still not learn as much as 8 hours of my class.”

In the restaurant-turned-classroom, students are privy to all the finer details Pitmaster Prieto has gathered over his vast professional barbecue career.

“I want every person to see the cooking process but (more so) the hands-on details of what I look for in that meat,” he says. “A lot of people just teach the cooking process. But I have everyone come outside and push (the meat) where I push, and (have them learn) this is what I feel and know. I want to get (the meat) to this color and feel. All these things have to align.”

Pitmaster Prieto also makes a point to learn about the students enrolled in each class so he can tailor the lessons to their specific needs. Ultimately, Prieto hopes every student leaves with the understanding “that barbecue is more than they assumed it would be. I want them to know that they have the foundational knowledge to be successful. I’m trying to give them the confidence.”

ultimatebbq-school.square.site

Cocktails & Cuisine

Perched on the rooftop of Glenwood South’s AC Hotel, The Willard gives diners a sky-high lookout over the ever-evolving landscape of downtown Raleigh.

The Willard’s Cocktail and Cuisine class offers students a chance to learn recipes directly from Chef Kyle Teears.

According to Nate Webb, the director of food and beverage at The Willard, “There’s not a design exactly like (The Willard) in any of the AC Hotels in the world. It’s very unique.”

A collaboration with Early Bird Night Owl — the creative team behind other acclaimed eateries such as Peck & Plume at The Mayton in Cary and The Restaurant at The Durham Hotel — The Willard’s concept focuses on skillfully crafted cocktails and chef-driven cuisine.

As the popularity of their panoramic perch grew, guests were looking for more ways to spend time on the captivating rooftop. Heeding the calls from their clientele, The Willard introduced Cocktails and Cuisine classes. Twice a month, the Glenwood South restaurant invites diners to experience a three-course cocktail and food menu focusing on a theme, such as a specific spirit or amore, the Italian word for love. Recipe cards accompany each course with an overview of both the cocktails and the dish.

“The lead mixologist and the executive chef will make themselves available for the attendees of the class. Each course, the chef and mixologist will literally showcase how they are making those courses. It’s kind of like a Q&A session,” mentions Webb.

Ultimately, by augmenting recipe cards with a show-and-tell, the class aims to equip guests with the confidence to recreate the courses at home.

thewillardraleigh.com/happenings/

Cooking with Kids

Flour Power Holly Springs manager Morgan Lehman introduces students to utensils they will use.

In 2005, Susan Caldwell turned the experience of cooking at home with her children into Flour Power Cooking Studio. The family-focused business grew into a franchise and opened locations in eight states, including four in Wake County.

Aubrie Heart, 10, measures flour to make pancakes.

Flour Power’s programming offers a chance for children to tap into their natural inclinations to learn and explore.

“Some children have a natural want to cook and bake. Some kids want to try new things,” says Morgan Lehman, manager of Flour Power Holly Springs. “When the kids do things for themselves, it encourages them to try new things and still be interested in cooking.”

Flour Power offers a mellow environment for kids to meet each other, Lehman says. “Weeknight and Saturday classes, as well as our Kid’s Night Out, are also in more relaxed environments, so often, they are socializing while cooking, and it’s just fun for them.”

The cooking studio doesn’t just focus on little ones. Adult Sip & Stir classes cover various themes like curry or lemon treats. Flour emPOWER camps focus on providing teenagers with not just culinary skills but leadership and confidence as well.

“Cooking is a necessary skill, and it’s one that will last a lifetime,” Lehman emphasizes. “Starting young, with classes for kids starting as young as 2 ½, will become fun when you’re an adult with your friends or on a date. And the best part here is we clean up the mess!”

flourpowerstudios.com

Wynton’s World Cooking School

Written by Erin McKnight

Chef Wynton Mann, center, teaches an Asian-inspired class called “Shiitake Happens.”

At the largest hands-on cooking school in the Triangle, the month of August offers the home cook an explosion of Asian cuisine. From You Dim Sum You Lose Sum to date-night classes with clever names like THAI and Jacket Not Required or Something to Wine About — and with no stress or pressure to perform like a professional chef — fun is the first ingredient on all of Wynton’s World Cooking School classes.

And Wynton’s World has something for every palate, with an impressive variety of classes that attract novice, beginner, seasoned, and even seasonal students. It comes as no surprise, then, that 35% of customers return for new experiences. From instructional basics of cooking to Sushi, Tapas & Sangria; Dim Sum; Delicious Pastries; Cake Decorating; and Senior Cooking … the list goes on, including classes based on seasonal availability and monthly themes. Valentine’s Day, kids’ Summer camps, and even Arbor Day all offer unlimited opportunities for the home cook to practice their skills with professionals in a warm and fun environment.

Alec Fedink and Melanie D’angelo of Raleigh attend their first cooking class at Wynton’s World Cooking School in Cary.

According to owner and lead chef Wynton Mann, “We want our students to learn new skills, have fun in the process, and to go home excited about cooking!” When considering its five-star rating, and the fact that Wynton’s World has been offering culinary education and experiences since 2012, their affordable and completely hands-on classes are cooking with heat.

Utilizing a competency-based approach, Wynton’s World employs first-rate area instructors — who all follow the 3 C’s of teaching: character, competence, and connection — and selects from the best materials and methods available, while making use of innovative technology where appropriate. As Mann explains: “We are dedicated to the premise that without real competency in education there can be little true understanding, and that to be truly effective, education must provide meaningful insight and access into other areas of growth.”

And while the mission of Wynton’s World is to provide excellent instruction in all educational programs — which include parent and teen classes, summer camps for kids, and a teen culinary program — Mann promises “an amazing experience with food and a lot of fun!”

Like in Shiitake Happens, a lesson in the art of building bento boxes, where students create an authentic Japanese meal complete with shrimp and shiitake tempura, miso soup with tofu, filled and rolled sushi with amazing sauces, chicken teriyaki yakitori over rice, and chocolate hazelnut wontons.

Or the popular Date Night for Couples on Friday and Saturday evenings, limited to just six couples per session. During these events, Mann and his team get to witness first dates and marriage proposals, and — as with all of Wynton’s World offerings — participants can look forward to “meeting new friends and having a great time in an intimate setting.”

wyntonsworld.com

Home for Entertaining

Photos contributed by Home for Entertaining
Written by Erin McKnight

In the heart of downtown Cary is a place where people gather to learn and share experiences. The motto of Home for Entertaining is “Enjoy Your Own Party” — and the goal is to encourage others to do just that.

Complementing the retail shop, where you’ll discover unique finds to enhance at-home entertaining, are the curated experiences hosted in the intimate kitchen and sunroom dining areas.

Chef Vinnie Balducci demonstrates how to prepare and plate seasonal appetizers such as short rib sliders, shrimp cocktail, and a fresh summer salad.

Partner chefs and instructors — who share a passion for teaching and cultivating joy around the art of cooking and who all have immense culinary experience — work to create immersive and authentic experiences designed to reach all five senses. A playlist is created for each event, and guests are welcomed with warm towels and cold beverages and the fragrance of fresh herbs and blooming roses from the garden.

“We want all classes to be elevated while still being hands on and approachable,” says Director of Experiences Megan Bradley. “Participants should leave excited about their new skills and can share them with others in their own home.”

Guests get to taste delicious dishes and receive recipes for the included foods after the class. “We have found that guests have loved learning about cuisines that they feel a little nervous to make on their own,” Bradley says. “Our handmade pasta, dim sum, and macaron classes consistently fill up with guests interested in trying these more technical cuisines.”

While many guests consider themselves foodies and are thrilled to learn how to make a new or favorite dish, a wide range of ages and levels of experience are represented. Many people even choose to celebrate their birthday with a class!

Menus constantly change and new classes are regularly posted, so no two evenings are the same. Class suggestions are encouraged, and the chefs and instructors are always thinking of ways to incorporate fresh ingredients and showcase the skills that can make cooking more enjoyable.

Wonderful experiences pepper the calendar leading into the fall: In August, Home for Entertaining will partner with Daniela Waterhouse of Moon Angel Sweets and Cellar Wine Distributing to pair a collection of fine wines with hand-rolled Brazilian Brigadeiros. Guest instructor Coco Pannell will lead a culinary chemistry workshop designed to pay homage to a favorite book, Lessons in Chemistry. After an initial Mahjong at Sunset series with Dana Lange, there will be another Beginner series in October, along with a monthly social night where guests can bring their own game to play with friends while savoring a catered dinner. The Passport Series with Wake Tech culinary instructor Chef Jay is also about to embark on its third stop.

“My hope is that by elevating the art of entertaining and providing an immersive experience, each guest will feel the joy of gathering firsthand.”

https://homeforentertaining.com/collections/events-classes