How many times have you fantasised having a fine dining experience at home? Or, fed up with the routine dal-chawal, longed for some melting gnocchi or good ol’ moussaka?
The dream wouldn’t be a far-fetched one after all, if there’s a provision to train your household help in whipping up some refined dishes. Or better, if you could get a hands-on lesson in putting together a three-course meal.
Harnessing this appetite for good food, Delhi-based CAARA (Culinary Arts and Research Academy) has classes designated to help turn your cook into a wizard in four weeks. Participants will be taken through a select menu to create a three-course meal at home in a moment’s notice. There are beginners, intermediate and experienced modules, so your chef’s repertoire will grow while you sit back and reap the rewards.
Liberty Nimmo, who spearheads the classes, says, “Our classes for domestic staff are interactive. They combine practice and theory in cooking Western menus. The focus lies on laying foundations for kitchen hygiene, food handling, storage and freezing guidelines, preparation, time management and presentation. It includes looking at balanced diets and dishes that complement each other.”
The institute will also turn your little ones into master chefs through their Le Petit Chef course. From learning the tricks of baking to making their favourite pizzas, and to making a breakfast of smoothies and eggs, weekend fun for kids will take on a new meaning.
“Le Petit Chef is a four-part introduction to cooking for young enthusiasts, allowing kids to create their dishes with a focus on health. The classes are designed to spark imagination and create confidence in the kitchen among kids,” says Liberty.
CAARA also has classes on ‘Entertaining at Home’ and ‘Health & Wellness’.
Director Ambika Seth says, “We are primarily a gourmet food product and catering company with an emphasis on high-quality ingredients. It was from clients asking us to teach them that we first started the ‘food enthusiast’ classes.”
Co-founder Alice Helme says CAARA’s policy is to work with small classes to ensure each student gets personal attention. “We collaborate with experts from an Ayurvedic nutritionist to a child psychologist to create classes focused on high-quality content and build confidence in the kitchen. It is altogether a fun, enjoyable learning atmosphere,” she says.
The organisation launched CAARA Café at the British Council in August 2015. The café provides a nutritious, fresh and health-driven alternative for the busy urbanite on the go.
The organisation also holds a private members-only Chef’s Kitchen Table. Members gather for curated evenings in the kitchen.
CAARA is also a strong promoter of Indian indigenous foods, with focus on seasonal produce and also on what they grow in their own farms.
On Offer
Domestic
Staff Classes Rs 4,500 per class or Rs 16,000 for four classes
Entertaining at Home
Rs 8,000 per class or Rs 30,000 for four classes
Health & Wellness
Rs 6,000 per class or Rs 22,000 for four classes
Le Petit Chef
Rs 3,500 per class or Rs 12,000 for four classes
Entertaining at Home
The course gives one the confidence to cook seasonal recipes for any occasion, stressing presentation, taste and timing. The recipes focus on ingredients and preparation techniques that consume less time in the kitchen.
Health & Wellness
The series of four classes are tailored to help one understand how best to use food to help restore and revive the body. The focus is on eating healthy and making simple changes in lifestyle to help lead a healthier, happier life.