Calling all CCKC Cheerleaders

It’s about that time……Time for Chef Matt, Chef Richard and Bruce to turn in their winning dishes!  Come on down to the Royal today anytime after 12 noon, as they’ll be whoopin’ it up and turning in their masterpieces for judging.  They’d love to have some CCKC cheerleaders on hand to give them that extra “boost” and we’re confident that when it comes time for the judges to announce the winners (around 5 or 5:30) that we’ll all hear the CCKC’s name mentioned more than once!

Manager of Merriment Maria

Details: You can either pay to park in the Bottoms, or better yet, take the free shuttle from Union Station.  Here’s a tip, park at Crown Center (FREE parking on weekends) and walk to Union Station.  Not sure if Union Station will charge for parking today, they did on Fri. but not on Sat.  Admission into the Royal is FREE today (according to their printed materials) and you can find our winning team in lot B, booth 836.  Kids are welcome.  Hope to see you there!!

Party with CCKC at The American Royal

Advanced Registration is Closed!

Please Join us at booth #836 at The American Royal BBQ Competition for a great event! The price at the door is $40!

Midwest Barbecue Institute Special Event

FRIDAY NIGHT “SMOKING SCHOOLHOUSE” PARTY!

Join us in our Smokin’ Schoolhouse booth at the biggest BBQ party in the world as we fire up a culinary bash that will represent “recess” at it’s finest. Music, beverages and some of the most unique BBQ fare you’ll find at The Royal.

Booth #836

Message from “The Main Dish” – Our “Smokin’ Schoolhouse” at The American Royal BBQ

School is in session this week!  BBQ School that is!  We’re going for a grade of A+ as our Midwest BBQ Institute competes for the first time in the largest BBQ competition IN THE WORLD – The American Royal BBQ Contest.  What’s really fun is that we have a burnin’ good shot at winning with our fired up team of Chef Richard McPeake (former American Royal Grand Champ) plus his expert team-mate and food guy Bruce Campbell along with our own Exec. Chef Matt Chatfield.   Folks it don’t get no betta than this!  We will be working out of our “Smokin’ Schoolhouse’ booth (#836 – on the corner right across from the judging “turn in” booths).   Isn’t it just like us to push the envelope and explore a whole new culinary adventure?  Just like you at home when you try a new recipe or decide you are going to create your Mom’s famous bread recipe, we challenge ourselves all the time.  This competition by our MBQI program is big stuff for us!  And we LOVE the BBQ folks in general because they are just a little “off-center”….just like us!  (Hey!  Cooking should be fun!)   If you’re interested in joining us at some tasty adult “recess” on Friday night (10/1)  where there won’t be a ”school principal” anywhere around, you can sign up on line (www.kcculinary.com) or we’ll have a limited number of tickets available at our booth.   Remember …  you can’t smell the smoke watching the food channel.  Now get out there and let the smoke get into your bones.  It’s a food lovers paradise!  Repeat after me class —  “SMOK-A-LICIOUS!”

click on our MBQI logo to make it easy

Downtown Dinner Club

Downtown Dinner Club

A Unique Dining Experience

In The Heart of Downtown Overland Park

Can you say “Dinner, Downtown Strolling and Dinero!” KC’s newest dining concept seats you at community tables where you will be served an inspirational chef-prepared meal AND you will be rewarded for strolling through some of the most unique shops and galleries in Kansas City.

Grab some friends, or fly solo, and drop by anytime between 6:00 and 9:00. Have a pre-dinner cocktail in our “Santa Fe Kitchen Lounge,” enjoy some laid-back music and complimentary “bar bites.”

You’ll be issued a “Downtown Clocktower Card,” that can be stamped at some of these funky galleries and shops  (Yes, we are cool and hip down here in DTOP!www.downtownop.org]  to receive a $10 gift certificate toward a cooking class of your choice. Now we’re having some old-fashioned FUN! Kind of a throwback to the good ole’ days where things were simpler, the food was honest and folks gathered “in town” on a Friday night.

Dress casual. We’ll be waiting for you.

This Friday, 9/17/10

serving anytime between 6:00-9:00

Cost is $35 per person

(Includes full dinner with dessert and nonalcoholic beverages; serving anytime between 6:00-9:00 p.m. only on Friday 9/17/10; no advance reservations accepted; this is a “walk-in” event only; first-come, first-served … until the food runs out!)

A.C.F. Greater KC Chefs Association

We’re selling these tickets here at the CCKC, people!  Spread the word!!!

35^th Annual A.C.F. Greater KC Chefs Association

Dinner & Annual Chef’s Event

(This chapter is the 2010 Winner of “Chapter of the Year”!)

The Chef Event of the Year!

Join over 24 of KC’s best Chefs as they show off their skills and pull out the stops to show you

what’s hot and trendy this year in the world of food.

Imagine a bunch of competitive chefs trying to out-do each other.

That’s what I said…it’s a competition!

You’ll also find out Kansas City’s Chef Of The Year, Chef Apprentice of the Year and Culinarian of the Year!

Sunday evening Oct 10^th – Doors Open at 6:00 p.m. (Don’t worry, the Chief’s game ends at 3:30)

Radisson Muelbach’s Grand Ballroom (Across the street from the Downtown Marriott)

Truly an incredible value at $50 per person. (cash, check or credit card*  (*credit card sales will carry a $2 service charge).

Purchase your tickets through The Culinary Center of Kansas City by emailing (shop@kcculinary.com), calling (913-341-4455) or just stop by.

(Tickets are limited so purchase early!)

Party with CCKC at The American Royal

Friday, October 1, 2010

Midwest Barbecue Institute Special Event

FRIDAY NIGHT “SMOKING SCHOOLHOUSE” PARTY!

Join us in our Smokin’ Schoolhouse booth at the biggest BBQ party in the world as we fire up a culinary bash that will represent “recess” at its finest. Music, beverages and some of the most unique BBQ fare you’ll find at The Royal.

Our chefs like to show off their butts … pork butts that is! Hey, we’re all about the education so we’ll have some fun with a“Make-Your-Own-Butt-Rub” Station.

Your registration qualifies you for a drawing that night for a catered BBQ party for 25 people at your home. (Holy Cow!)

Of course there will be the requisite boasting, tomfoolery and impromptu “throw-downs” as well as cameo appearances by the “who’s who” of the BBQ world. Not enough? How about an event T-Shirt or hat and a couple of adult beverages. Wear that shirt or hat proudly – it’s your “hall pass” to the Smoking Schoolhouse Party.

Limited number of tickets available. Reserve early.

Scheduled event time: 5:00-11:00 p.m.

(Includes all listed above plus bragging rights, cool hobnobbing with BBQ stars … and much more!)

Click on our cowboy boot and join us for a heck of a good party  

Classroom Chatter

Chatter from our Dean of Deliciousness, Rachel

Well, what a day at the office folks! Where else can you say that on a Tuesday you learned to roll Sushi? Our Executive Chef Matt Chatfield offered to teach me just this during this Tuesdays’ Japanese inspired staff lunch! Now I know why his sushi classes are so darn popular!

Somehow Sushi always seemed like it would be so complicated, so precise to me.  I’m more of a whirlwind in the kitchen, a tornado of culinary activity.  I can cook like a mad woman, awesome sauces, inventive dishes, but for some reason sushi has always left me stumped.  Apparently what I needed was someone to explain things to me… imagine that?

Chef Matt is great at taking something you might think is intimidating, and breaking down the steps.  He explained the rice, how much to spread, the importance of wet hands, and how much seasoning is nice on the rice, and then he showed me how to roll it all up, all the while I was thinking… “Sure buddy, but you’re the Chef, how many sushi rolls have you made before?   I’m sure MY sushi won’t look like that!”

Then I gave it a whirl… guess what?? It was easy AND it looked like sushi! (I was pretty sure mine would end up looking more like sushi explosion)  OK sure, I’m not going to compete with Iron Chef Morimoto or anything but…. it totally looked at least as good as many a sushi roll I’ve eaten at high priced Sushi joints around town. So then I made more, and more, and then it started to be really fun!

Matt gave me helpful hints on how to make sure my sushi fillings end up in the middle, not off to the side like a couple of rolls were, and told me to practice on veggie rolls at home… veggie sushi can be made for just pennies, instead of the high pricetag you’ll pay to have them at a restaurant, or even the deli counter at the grocery store!  So that’s what I’ll be up to this week, practicing sushi, in fact I think I’ll sign up for Matt’s next Flavorful Weekend Night Sushi Class on July 9th!

What a deal, learn to make sushi, eat a bunch of sushi, and after that I’ll have the skills to host my own sushi party! Hope to see you on the 9th!

Classroom Chatter

by our Dean of Deliciousness, Rachel

It’s almost new season finally!  Summer is unofficially starting this weekend and it really feels like it! My chef coat is starting to get a little sticky when I’m demonstrating at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings…. eww.  I’ll take that over chilly rainy wind any day though.  The weather is new, the heat is on and we have a ton of new things happening as well!

Chef Matt had his very first “Executive Chef’s Private Table” class on Saturday.  I can hardly describe how thrilled all the students were, and how much I would have loved to be in their seat! (Note to self: Go to the next one!!!)  Picture this, an amazing 5 course meal, prepared tableside with the chef demonstrating everything along the way, and creating incredible dishes using things like Foie Gras, Kumquats, and Vanilla Poached Lobster and wine pairings for every course.  Wow! Top that for a date!

It was a small class (intentionally intimate) and the students had such amazing things to say about their experiences!  One said “Chef Matt was over-the-top fabulous! I loved his easy going manner and the tips he shared as he moved along the demonstrations. He had a nice rapport with us and created an atmosphere were I was comfortable asking questions.” another said “In the weeks between signing up and showing up, I fretted about having committed to the event — it seemed so indulgent and decadent; I came close to cancelling more than once. But now I know it was money well spent. I learned SO much; ate incredible food; had a wonderful experience — all of it priceless!” Well, that about sums it up now doesn’t it!

Now for other new things, people have been signing up for so many classes this summer that we’ve had to schedule a slew of new ones! I wasn’t sure if you were all aware of all the great new opportunities to break away from the pool for a few minutes and head to the kitchen but here they are!

• We’ve just added another Master Class with Sara Moulton on June 4th… this is a rare opportunity to hang out with a celebrity chef!
• On the heels of Sara we’ve added a Cupcakes class on June 10th with baker extraordinaire Diana Cooper (nothing is cuter than cupcakes right?).
• June 23rd brings another Ravioli and Filled Pasta class with Chef Cody Hogan, I love pasta’s in the summer time, quick easy and no heating up the house with the oven!
• On to July 6th and I have convinced Lon Lane to come back and give us another session of his wildly popular and very well received Upscale Breakfast and Brunch class!
• Chef TJ Stack has graciously agreed to teach a second session of his “Sensational Salads” class on July 11th, Awesome summer food!
• Executive Chef Matt Chatfield preserves all of your garden and farmer’s market goodies in a second session of Preserving Nature’s Bounty on July 14th
• Lon Lane gives us even MORE show stopping Hors D’Oeuvres on August 3rd
• Cody Hogan returns on August 10th for another Über Extreme Pizza class and on August 17th for another Introduction to Fresh Pasta for all of you interested in rolling dough!

Whew, looks like I’m splitting my time between the pool and the kitchen this summer, and so are a lot of you!

The Winner

Congratulations Chef Matt Chatfield winner of the “Golden Toque Award” at The Culinary Center of Kansas City™. Chef Greg Oliver was runner up. Good show chefs…and fabulous food. Carry on.

“Crumbs from the Floor”

by Connie Miller (CCKC “House Mistress”), a weekly peek into one of CCKC’s special events.

I took “A Little Trip to Italy” last Friday night w/ Chef Matt & venti quattro nuovi amici (twenty four new friends).  It was a wonderful trip!

We began with Chef Matt demonstrating how to create a rice & zucchini crostata.  While everyone enjoyed a large slice of crostata, he went on to show them how to make basil, parsley & walnut pesto.  Next it was time to put on aprons and cook!  Beautiful, thick pork chops were gently browned and removed to a warm plate to await a topping of sautéed onions and garlic AND a thick slice of provolone cheese.  After 10 minutes in the oven the cheese was bubbly & crusty and the smell was out of this world.  While the pork was “resting” the class was cooking tri-color tortellini and tossing it with Chef Matt’s Pesto and he was roasting eggplant to serve on the side.  It was one of the most amazing plates of food I have ever seen.  Apparently the paired wine was a huge hit also.  We went through almost a case of Villa Pozzi Nero D’Avola.  Once this wine has had a chance to breathe, it turns into a smooth, peppery delight.   Dessert this evening was a beautiful sweet ricotta dumplings with strawberry sauce.  A wonderful texture and not too sweet.  What a treat!

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