lifelong learning Eat, Drink, Learn
Professional Culinary Training and Foodie Classes in Prince William County By Rena Malai
O
f all the things that can happen in a day, one inevitable daily occurrence is breakfast. Or, a much needed glass of wine. Perhaps an even much more needed cookie. Whichever sustenance is the favorite contender, learning how to go from ingredients to plate, bottle to glass and cookie to crumbs like a pro can be found right here in Prince William.
Eat It Because green produce contains chlorophyl, acid and salt can enhance the flavor. This is one of the many gastronomic principles taught by Chef Culinary Instructor Hugh Cossard at Stratford University. The Stratford campus in Woodbridge offers degree programs in Culinary Arts with concentrations in pastry and hospitality. Each culinary program is based on the Escoffier method, named for French chef George Auguste Escoffier. Stratford students learn the techniques of expert food preparation under this method, which is present in all accredited cooking institutions across the world. “The Escoffier method is based on a French technique that provides the fundamentals to prepare any type of cuisine,” Cossard said. “It is the common language among all formally trained chefs.” The culinary programs at Stratford are not recreational. Instead, they are for those who are looking to become professional chefs and pursue careers in the gastronomy and hospitality fields. Classes are taught by trained professionals like Cossard, who grew up in the food trade and is a third-generation French Charcutier. “Recreational teaching and formal teaching are totally different. If someone wanted to take one of our Stratford culinary classes just for fun, it may not be very interesting,” Cossard said. “What we teach professionally in Stratford, students stick to a program, and reach competencies. That is very important.” Stratford University has a structure of five terms per year. Students can register at any time and begin their culinary program of choice at the start of the next subsequent term. Stratford offers a variety of associates and bachelor’s degrees in Culinary Arts, including degrees in Hospitality Management for those who may want a career in the food business without having to do any actual cooking. “Culinary is a trade, a crossroad between technique and science,” Cossard says. “The classes at Stratford are driven by technique and
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February 2021 prince william living
The Stratford campus in Woodbridge offers degree programs in Culinary Arts with concentrations in pastry and hospitality.
students gain an understanding about all areas of the food trade. They can be anything — a baker, butcher, cheese monger, fish monger, pastry chef, if they want!” Visit stratford.edu for more information and to connect with an admissions counselor. Under COVID restrictions, all students and instructors are required to wear a mask while on campus as well as sanitize their hands regularly.
Drink It Denise Ormsby, owner of The Spot on Mill Street in Occoquan, says she and her co-owner (and husband) Dennis, aren’t wine snobs. They just like to drink. The wines they sell at The Spot reflect their love of community, as they carry brands unique to the region that wine aficionados can’t find anywhere else. “Be ready to explore different things here,” Ormsby said. The Spot’s wine tastings offered on Saturdays and the first and third Wednesday of the month give fellow drinkers the opportunity to do just that. Whether someone is new to the world of wine or an expert, Ormsby says people will have the chance to discover something new and maybe learn a thing or two at their wine tastings.
