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What's Cooking looks to its expand business hours

Reminder Publications photo by Natasha Clark
By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



EAST LONGMEADOW What's Cooking, Kids? opened in October with a goal of providing culinary experiences for young chefs. Those experiences have been so positive, parents have been clamoring for an opportunity to attend classes as well.

At the Dec. 4 meeting of the Board of Selectmen, Jennifer Mathews and Jodie Foster, founders of What's Cooking, Kids? asked for permission to host adult cooking classes once a month past regular business hours and for those attending to be able to bring their own beer or wine for refreshment.

Town Counsel James Donahue said that as long as having the alcohol was permissible in the zoning codes, the expansion of classes would not be an issue.

"As long as the operators aren't charging for the beer or wine, I have no objections to the allowance," Donahue added.

Board of Selectmen chair Jack Villamaino said the board had no issue with the classes either.

"We wanted to get involved in a Ladies' Night early in the new year," Mathews said, "but the desire for adult classes has been so great, we decided to hold one this month."

What's Cooking, Kids? offers cooking classes for children aged three to 18 years old, hosting three classes a day, five days a week, as well as special Saturday classes and birthday parties. Each week, the classes have a different theme, both in cuisine and in technique.

During the week of Dec. 3, children attending classes cooked with a Hannukah theme, making matzo ball soup, braiding and baking challah and frying latkes. Last week, there was a focus on baking, specifically on cookies.

"The kids' classes are doing great," Mathews said. "Our afterschool classes are all full." The afterschool classes are for children aged five and up and host 12 to 16 students each.

The first Ladies' Night is scheduled for Dec. 18 from 7 to 10 p.m. with Chef Pengyew Chin instructing. Chin is a chef with PY Catering, based in Amherst. He specializes in regional southeast Asian cuisine and teaching Asian cooking techniques. Chin also creates contemporary Asian fusion dishes as well as certain Western classics.

Mathews said Chin would be teaching the first adult class a total of five Asian recipes.

"We're still in the process of developing different programs for the months ahead," Mathews stated. The tentative program for January will be Italian cuisine. The classes will be capped at 25 participants so they stay intimate, according to Mathews.

"If it's successful we may expand it to more frequent classes," she said. "Open it up to all parents, not just mothers."

The beer and wine the budding adult chefs are allowed to bring along will not be used for cooking purposes, however.

"We're allowing them to sip on a glass of wine while someone else cooks for them," Mathews explained. "It's a little bonus."

What's Cooking, Kids? is open for children from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, with a teen class taking place until 8 p.m. on Thursdays.

For more information on child and adult classes, call What's Cooking, Kids? at 224-1208.