Oceania Riviera Culinary Class Question

[Sny]

We have taken a half dozen of the culinary classes, as a couple.  It's a fun activity to do together and we always learn something. My husband took the knife skills class and was pleased with the certificate he received.  He did learn a great deal in that class.  The classes are "eat as you go" - you can eat as much or little of the various dishes you make as soon as they are done.  So, it's not like you sit down and have a meal.  Actually, you don't sit down at all = the two hour classes can put a strain on the back and feet.  I see all the new classes are only 90 minutes.  I assume you will do fewer dishes in each class and/or more of the prep is done beforehand by the culinary staff helpers.  We have had Chef Annie Copps as an instructor and felt she was a superior teacher.  In my experience, every class has been sold out, with a line of "standbys" waiting by the door, hoping someone is a no show.  

[Hawaiidan]

14 hours ago, CintiPam said:

We indeed made the pasta dough during our Riviera pasta class a few years ago.  I am surprised that they vary.

Thats interesting.....I was taught that you need to let the dough rest several hours or over night....   like pastry dough.     Since the class is more about fun than cooking I don't  think it matters in the scope of things...it ain't at CIA or Cordon Bleu....Come for a laugh and to socialize and you will be happy even if you  are taught how to boil water..... attitude is everything.

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, Sny said:

We have taken a half dozen of the culinary classes, as a couple.  It's a fun activity to do together and we always learn something. My husband took the knife skills class and was pleased with the certificate he received.  He did learn a great deal in that class.  The classes are "eat as you go" - you can eat as much or little of the various dishes you make as soon as they are done.  So, it's not like you sit down and have a meal.  Actually, you don't sit down at all = the two hour classes can put a strain on the back and feet.  I see all the new classes are only 90 minutes.  I assume you will do fewer dishes in each class and/or more of the prep is done beforehand by the culinary staff helpers.  We have had Chef Annie Copps as an instructor and felt she was a superior teacher.  In my experience, every class has been sold out, with a line of "standbys" waiting by the door, hoping someone is a no show.  

Went to the  90 min one some years back..... you learn to cook one thing,  not a dish or complex production  of the 90 min 60 are taken up with talk jokes, questions and drinking;  30 actual hands on..  fish... A piece of fish   or 2 scallops     or  make a cup of  linguine and a tomato sauce basic.  Not a lot and no nibbles

[Hawaiidan]

On 6/24/2019 at 8:57 AM, wren777 said:

My husband and I just completed our 4th Oceania (Regatta) Alaska cruise and booked a March 2020 Caribbean cruise on the Riviera while onboard.  We're thinking of signing up for one of the culinary classes and wondered if anyone can comment on how they liked them.  We're specifically thinking of taking either the "Jacques' Family Kitchen" class or the "If It Swims" class (focusing on fish).  The brief description of the classes doesn't say what dishes are prepared.  Also, is a meal prepared during the class that the students then eat?  Any info would be appreciated; thanks!

NO  meal,...... just a small taste...  2 to 4 bites like a tasting menu..

[Hawaiidan]

On 6/24/2019 at 9:49 AM, clo said:

Do you actually learn anything or is it 'just' fun?  (And there's not a darn thing wrong with 'fun.!)  We're doing Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina and some of the classes have those cuisines and the Jacques is about knife skills.  I'd say I'm a somewhat above average home cook so not sure I'd really learn much/anything.  Wow, I hope that doesn't sound arrogant.

No probably not..   Not arrogant.   These classes are really food socials  for fun.   If you know zip about cooking maybe you will learn a little something  but the classes are too short for anything of substance.   Better come for the wine and watch a You-tube video or go to a real school course.

[Mura]

Looks just like mine ... I wonder if it tastes the same!  (Not that it really matters.  DH loves mine because it's so much better than the commercial product.  Home made pasta is a much fresher taste, and only takes a minute or so to cook.)

 

Mura

[clo]

3 hours ago, Mura said:

Looks just like mine ... I wonder if it tastes the same!  (Not that it really matters.  DH loves mine because it's so much better than the commercial product.  Home made pasta is a much fresher taste, and only takes a minute or so to cook.)

 

Mura

I make her Bolognese sauce in 4x/5x portions and freeze.  And it's still an all day job.  Bob helps when I'm rolling it out.

[Mura]

Deleted ... I decided I'd gone off track and was hijacking the thread, so it's gone ...

 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2019 by Mura
Deleted

[clo]

1 hour ago, Mura said:

Deleted ... I decided I'd gone off track and was hijacking the thread, so it's gone ...

 

 

 

How does one delete - or can one - after the fact?  I did the same 🙂

[Mura]

Let's see if I remember!  If you hit "edit" you should find the option.  In my case I took out what I'd already written in answer to you (I can always write privately) and added a sentence, then found delete.  You start out by editing the original comment.

 

Bear in mind that the window for editing or deleting is VERY narrow.  I'm guessing it's something like 20 minutes.

 

Mura

[clo]

2 minutes ago, Mura said:

I'm guessing it's something like 20 minutes.

That's kinda what I figured.  I've seen and then not seen the "edit" button.  When it comes to food/cooking I'm rather inclined to get off-topic 🙂  Best, Cath

[CintiPam]

21 hours ago, clo said:

That's kinda what I figured.  I've seen and then not seen the "edit" button.  When it comes to food/cooking I'm rather inclined to get off-topic 🙂  Best, Cath

We foodie Oceania posters (hopefully) never mind any discussion relating to food! 

Edited June 27, 2019 by CintiPam

[clo]

1 minute ago, CintiPam said:

We foodie Oceania posters (hopefully) never mind any discussion of food! 

Oh, goody gumdrops 🙂  I regularly peruse their sample menus 🙂  I may ask for two orders of seared foie gras and one or two of escargots.  Actually the entire hot apps on the Jacques menu would make a lovely dinner for me.

[Shawnino]

A different experience but one not to miss (at no charge) is the cooking demo on a sea day in the theatre.

On our Riviera TA it was the executive chef from France and the chef-de-cuisine from Sicily doing a bunch of Italian dishes while constantly bickering like an old married couple. The comic timing in their schtick was absolutely priceless.

 

Recipe sheets were passed out to follow along but I couldn't take my eyes off them. If you've ever seen "Wok With Yan" it was a cross between that and "Married With Children".

[wren777]

29 minutes ago, Shawnino said:

A different experience but one not to miss (at no charge) is the cooking demo on a sea day in the theatre.

On our Riviera TA it was the executive chef from France and the chef-de-cuisine from Sicily doing a bunch of Italian dishes while constantly bickering like an old married couple. The comic timing in their schtick was absolutely priceless.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed the cooking demo you're describing on our first Alaska cruise on Regatta 4 years ago, but there was no demo on any of the next 3 cruises we did on Regatta so we thought Oceania had done away with them.  When did you take your cruise on Riviera?  I hope they've brought these fun demos back!

[Shawnino]

Nov '18. They had either done it 100 times or rehearsed the lights out of a script. Maybe both.

[wren777]

13 minutes ago, Shawnino said:

Nov '18. They had either done it 100 times or rehearsed the lights out of a script. Maybe both.

 

Great to know -- that's at least 2 years after we saw the cooking demo on Regatta.  Maybe they're only doing them on the larger ships now ... at any rate, I hope they offer it on our March 2020 Caribbean cruise.  You're right, it was a lot of fun!

[LHT28]

they have been doing the skit at least 10+ yrs  they should have  it down pat by now