Chef Eric's Culinary Classroom

Knives selection, use, sharpening, & care of knives. How to use knives, especially French knives, professionally. How to sharpen knives following Professional Chef's guide. We will cut or shape vegetables, how to cut julienne, mince, chop, & dice.

Learn the secrets of flavorful stocks. Starting with the standard mise en place, sharpen those knife skills by slicing, chopping & mincing mirepoix for stocks. Vegetable, Chicken & Beef Stocks called Bone Broths. Seasonings & aromatics used in stocks.

Discover the refined potency of clarified butter and roux, and how they enhance hollandaise, béchamel, and velouté sauces. These sauces are fundamental to many dishes. We'll make roux to thicken Sauce Bechamél and Sauce Velouté.

Learn to prepare eggs in various ways for breakfast and beyond. Discover the fine herbs omelet and Eggs Benedict, featuring poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, Canadian bacon, and an English muffin. Eggs are incredibly versatile in sweet & savory dishes.

Knowing your vegetables is a must in any chef's education. They are used as main dishes as well as side dishes. We learn about vegetables & the unique cooking techniques that serve them best. We talk about product quality, freshness, and storage.

Potatoes take their place in the spotlight in this episode. Several cooking techniques include potato purée and sautéed potatoes. Most restaurants utilize a variety of potato side dishes for every menu, and you will learn those cooking techniques.