The Knife

Ask The Knife: Help! I can't cook!

Dear Ask The Knife:

Cooking classes? Since I can't cook A THING.  Was wondering if you could recommend a good place to take a cooking class.

-- Can't Make Diddly

Dear CMD:

First rule of learning how to cook: Find a class that lets you cook. You're a food voyeur, demonstration classes are entertaining. You want to cook, they're virtually worthless. This is especially true in early days, when you're learning how to hold a knife without requiring stitches.

There's a couple of ways to approach this. One is the Cooking 101 route: Student Meets Knife, Chicken, Hollandaise. The advantage of this slower, step-by-step approach (in theory) is this gives you a good perspective on basic skills. In practice, you can wind up frustrated, baffled and bored as you face down dishes you'd never want to eat because you're not making them to eat; you're making them to learn.

Eating more fun than learning, so here's my advice: Look for hands-on cooking classes that let you make things you want to eat. The downside to this method (in theory) is you don't learn all the basics before plunging in. In practice, so what; you learn what you need as you need it. Granted, this method may also leave you baffled, and possibly frustrated, but never bored. And if it's all too much, you can always start over with Cooking 101.

Epicurean School of Culinary Arts, 8500 Melrose Ave. (310) 659-5990 In addition to the basic cooking skills sequence, there are a dozen-plus workshops that focus on everything from curries to desserts to pasta. There's also a class on knife skills and the sooner you can get comfortable with a 10-inch knife, the happier you'll be. 

New School of Cooking, 8690 Washington Blvd., Culver City; (310) 842-9702 Two sets of basic cooking classes (one vegetarian, one not) and a bunch of single-topic classes that include paella, Peruvian food, fresh pasta and pizza.

California Sushi Academy, 2835 S. Robertson Blvd. (310) 559-0777. Make your own sushi = Instant bragging rights. And being able to take advantage of all that sushi fish at Matsuhisa is a wonderful thing.

[Photo: The late Chef Paul, aka Victor Paul Fraser Kuforiji, personal chef to Jack Nicholson and resident chef at Helena's and Smashbox Studios. Photo by Peter Duke, shared via Flickr under Creative Commons license.]

Ask The Knife: To Spago or not to Spago?

Q: I am planning to host about 30 guests at a private dinner on June 25th when I am in LA at a conference. I am staying at the Biltmore, and I want this to be the best event these people have ever attended. Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the “scene” in LA, but some suggested Spago. Are there other “celebrity upscale” restaurants that you would recommend. I’m sure I sound extremely naïve, but I appreciate your advice. Thanks. -- Brad M., Georgia

A: No worries, Brad. Sometimes we have a hard time figuring out these things ourselves.

There are many other restaurants that could impress your guests. There's Providence, where chef Michael Cimarusti is a delicate genius with seafood. There's Sona, which has some of the most innovative cuisine in L.A. and flawless service. And downtown (where you'll be staying), there's Patina, Jochaim Splichal's home base that features a lovely outdoor patio.

This is by no means a complete list. It's not even a listlet. But I'm not going to waste any more of your time discussing other options because, the truth is, Spago is probably your best bet. Los Angeles has the Hillcrest and Wilshire country clubs, but those are for golf. For dining, Spago is Hollywood's country club.

Introducing: Ask The Knife

Q: We've got family coming into Playa Del Rey and if it's not steak or seafood, they're not eating it. Is there a steakhouse on the west side? -- Candice M.

A: What? Impossible, I huffed; in Los Angeles, places that serve cow breed like rabbits.

Turns out the westside could use more love motels.