My America Dream – Join Five-Day Cooking Fundamentals course in San Francisco Cooking School

My American dream is inspired by Alice Waters, who change the world through food. Chez Panisse Restaurant is a Berkeley, California restaurant known for using local, organic foods and credited as the inspiration for the style of cooking known as California cuisine. Alice Waters was cited as one of the most influential figures in American cooking over the past 50 years and the 100 most influential people in Time Magazine in 2014. She stated that good food was a right, not a privilege. She started Edible Schoolyard Project and proved that one passionate person can reshape the eating habits of a nation. Simply "local, simple and seasonal"!

My dream is to join Five-Day Cooking Fundamentals course in San Francisco Cooking School. The series is offered for 5 consecutive days, Monday through Friday. The curriculum is designed to arm home cooks with a solid foundation of culinary skills for everyday cooking. It includes the basic techniques like mastering your knife, making appetizers, salads and sauces, soups and eggs. The reason I choose San Francisco Cooking School because it has strong ties to the chef community and one of the United States’ true culinary epicenters. Within 50 hours of training, I will learn 18 amazing meals from America!

Food also represents the culture of a nation. No wonder Clifford Hart enjoyed Nai Yau Chu, Ja Wan Tan and Yu Fu in Hong Kong! I have heard of a love story – when a man comes from cheese nations meets a girl from sushi country and get married at the place of kimchi. Can u guess? The man from Italy met a girl from Japan and married in South Korea. How romantic it is! I really want to explore and taste the American food - gumbo ya ya, slumps, mile-high pancakes, cobblers, corn cakes, jambalaya, coleslaw, barbecued ribs.... I smile when I'm typing about the American food! I just want to get into the American spirit!

Buttermilk-bathed fried chicken, Hotslaw, Mile-high lime meringue pie  Photo: JONATHAN GREGSON

Why I pick San Francisco? It is the cultural center and a leading financial hub of the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California. Captain John Fremont declared California’s independence from Mexico in 1846. San Francisco is home to one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in the U.S., making it an amazing place to visit. The signature landmark Golden Gate Bridge represents the real America which is located in the San Francisco Bay area which is known for its natural beauty, liberal politics, entrepreneurship, and diversity. It first opened to pedestrian traffic in 1937. It celebrated its 75th Anniversary in May 2012. San Franciscans have passionate on every subject and the Art Deco on the bridge represents the spirit of true Americans. United States Postal Service unveiled Golden Gate Bridge commemorative stamp in 1998. The bridge is an engineering marvel and one of the most beautiful walks in the U.S.

I have a passion for food and a craving to learn. I have studied Home Economics cookery stream until Secondary 5. My mom used to sell Chinese traditional food in wet market when I was in primary school. She sold steamed bus(茶果), red bean pudding(砵仔糕), Turnip cake(蘿蔔糕) and Zongzi(粽) for a living. I really admired my mom who can make all these wonderful dishes and greatly appreciated by neighbors. Food brings joy to everyone!

America is a land of change and I hope I can go to United States and bring the taste of America to Hong Kong! I will share my experiences on my blog and make videos about all my learning when I back to Hong Kong. I will create recipes on daydaycook.com, a local website for recipes, with other Hongkongers. I wish my dream come true – not only join the cooking lessons but also enjoy the fine foods e.g. organic meats, mushrooms, pastries, cakes in San Francisco. There are many things to explore! Can’t wait for a journey to seeing the U.S. through food!

San francisco native food from Mari Cheung

Reference:

https://www.sfcooking.com/hands-on-cooking-classes/cooking-fundamentals-cooking-class-5day-daytime-5