P = Participation Class

D = Demonstration Class

Hugh Carpenter

Hugh Carpenter is one of the most popular and entertaining cooking teachers in America. He recently received the “Cooking Teacher of the Year” award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals. In 36 years of teaching, more than 100,000 students have attended his classes in cooking schools across America and in his vacation cooking schools in California’s Napa Valley and San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.

Asian Street Food: Sunday, April 29

Spain may pride itself on “tapas” but all across the vast expanse of Asia, street food has been raised to an art form. Walk down any street in China, Thailand, or Singapore, and you see vendors grilling meat on skewers, portable “soup kitchens” serving lemon grass scented coconut soup, and cooks pan frying pot stickers on cast-iron grills. Asian street foods are intensely flavored, quickly cooked, deeply satisfying, and easy to make. Hugh has been traveling extensively this last year in China and Thailand and he returns for a class featuring some of Asia’s most exciting street foods. Take this class and then return home to stage your own Street Food Party! The recipes are: Singapore barbeque chile shrimp; Vietnamese submarine sandwiches; Shanghai pot stickers glazed with citrus and ginger; beef satay on skewers with classic peanut dipping sauce; coconut-chile-shooters; wok seared Vietnamese lamb with mint, lettuce wrapped; coconut ice cream.

1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., $90 per single class/$170 for both

Fast Pasta Sauces for Great Entrees: Monday, April 30

This class is based on Hugh’s best-selling cookbook, Hot Pasta. You will receive a list of great pasta sauces, all of which can be used interchangeably. The class features a selection of easy yet sophisticated pasta. Using a selection of the high quality dried pastas that Draeger’s offers, you will see how easy it is to make easy variations so that your favorite pasta recipes have a new twist. Recipes include: quick wild mushroom pasta; fusilli pasta with mussels, tomatoes, and basil; Thai red curry pasta with shrimp; penne pasta in green peppercorn sauce; bow tie pasta with grilled asparagus and beef.

6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., $90 per single class/$170 for both

Roland Mesnier, Former White House Pastry Chef

Roland Mesnier was raised in Bonnay, France. He completed his apprenticeship at Maison Maurivard Besancon, and graduated second in his class in 1961. He held the position of Assistant Pastry Chef at The Regency Hotel in Paris, the Opera Pastry Shop in Hanover, Germany, and the Savoy Hotel in London. In 1967 Mesnier became the Pastry Chef at the Princess Hotel and Governor’s Palace in Bermuda. He also served as a Pastry Chef at the Hotel Georges V, in Paris. In 1980, Mesnier was hired by First Lady Roslyn Carter to the position of head Pastry Chef at the White House. While there he launched the first Professional Pastry Course at the Academy of Cuisine in Washington, DC. He has served more than 40 queens, kings, princes, princesses and heads of state. He was also responsible for opening the doors of the White House to the best pastry cooks in the US, providing them with the opportunity to display their confectionery pieces in the White House gardens at Easter. He retired in July 2004 after 25 years of service, Mesnier has been the recipient of numerous awards including a Doctorate of Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University, the Gold Medal from Taste of America for President Reagan’s inauguration in 1985, multiple gold, silver and bronze medals Culinary exhibitions around the world, and is a former president of the International selection committee of the World Cup of Pastry making. He can be seen in the film “Inside the White House”, produced by National Geographic Video.

Candy Making with Roland Mesnier: Monday, May 21

In this class Chef Mesnier will cover the art of making chocolate candies. Get a first hand look at some of the candies he made well at the White House. Chocolate galette’s; chocolate kisses; pear brandy truffels; chocolate roches and other surprises.

6:30-9:30 p.m., $95 per single class/$180 for both

Pies, Tarts and Charlottes: Tuesday, May 22

Chef Mesnier will teach you how to make these wonderful desserts to enjoy all spring and summer long. Strawberry and ruhbarb deep dish pies; apple mango charlotte; and crustless blueberry almond tartlets.

6:30-9:30 p.m., $95 per single class/$180 for both