Cooking with the International Culinary School

Let’s play house. Better yet, let’s play restaurant. We’ll find a location, decide on the concept, and learn to cook. Then we’ll throw a big party with lots of tasty food.

Sounds like fun? Maybe it’s time to hang out with the students of the International Culinary School, Rosslyn campus, where they do exactly this every semester. And at the end of the year, after they’ve learned cost control, sanitation, menu management, nutrition, oh and how to cook – well, then they do their graduation project, which involves cooking lots of food and feeding journalists, the in-the-know public, and prospective employers. It’s a glorious afternoon of noshing, listening to restaurant managers quiz student chefs, and learning the stories and dreams of said chefs. Melizabeth Padron makes beautiful cupcakes – and plans to put her skills to use by opening an American bakery in Italy, where she’ll be moving with her military husband this year. Zac Warner sears a mean scallop, and is excited about the sous chef job he already has lined up. Troy McIntosh infuses fish eggs with the gaudy colors of sriracha, wasabi and soy sauce and plans to open a seafood joint.

Want to sample their wares? The student restaurant is open year-round (it’s popular, so you might want to make a reservation) – you just might be served by DC’s next trendy chef.

Feel inspired? Ambitious, even? Searing-sea-scallop-ambitious? Brilliant – here’s how to do it (without going to culinary school):

Instructions

• Start with your favorite number of dry-packed scallops (if they’re not available, don’t bother – wet-packed are full of icky chemical fluids).


• Each one should have a little ‘foot’ (the muscle they use to stick to things) – twist it off and discard – it’s rubbery.


• Heat a tablespoon of butter in a non-stick pan until it is extremely hot, then place the scallops flat-side down – don’t crowd them, or the temperature will drop and they’ll end up steaming rather than searing.


• Leave them for 1.5 – 2 minutes (they should be caramel-y brown), then flip. If they start smoking and turning black, flip immediately and lower temp slightly. And turn the fan on.


• Cook for another 1.5 minutes. They should still be springy – if they get firm, they’re overcooked. In other words, do NOT walk away. No, not even to pour yourself another glass of wine.


• Flip onto a plate (spinach leaves make a nice bed for these beauties; store-bought polenta will also do quite well), pour that glass of wine, and enjoy the buttery happiness of the sea.

Or, just go to the student restaurant: Culinaire, 1820 N Fort Myer Dr, Arlington, VA,

703.247.3841 [Call: 703.247.3841] http://welcome.aiwsites.com/culinaire/

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