The French Technique: Art of Sauces (Complete 6-week Series)

Join Chef Douglas J. Weber, CEC, an esteemed graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, on a flavorful journey through the art of sauce making. In this engaging series of courses, Chef Weber will introduce you to the world of sauces, highlighting their significance in enhancing flavor, moisture, and presentation in culinary creations. From classic French "mother sauces" to contemporary favorites like hot sauce and barbecue sauce, each session offers hands-on learning opportunities and delectable tastings.

Week 1 kicks off with Espagnole sauce, also known as brown sauce, where Chef Weber will demonstrate the foundational technique of thickening with roux. Following this introduction, subsequent classes delve deeper into sauce making, with Week 2 focusing on Veloutés and Week 3 on Cream sauces. Each session provides a blend of theory and practice, allowing students to hone their skills while enjoying delicious dishes like beef stroganoff, chicken supreme, and mac and cheese.

As the series progresses, students will explore Tomato Sauces, Butter Sauces, and Contemporary Sauces, broadening their culinary repertoire under Chef Weber's expert guidance. From mastering the art of reduction in tomato sauces to perfecting emulsions in butter sauces, participants will gain invaluable insights and techniques to elevate their culinary creations. The series concludes with a celebration of contemporary sauces, where students will indulge in a tasting buffet and savor an assortment of mouthwatering sauces paired with delectable dishes and desserts. Don't miss this opportunity to embark on a flavorful culinary adventure with Chef Weber!

Week 1: Espagnole Sat, Feb. 1, 2025, 11:00 AM

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We kick off with espagnole, or brown sauce, which employs roux for thickening. Through a demonstration and lecture, Chef Weber will lay the groundwork for the remaining classes, which will be hands-on. Students will see demonstrations of many of the skills they will execute in future classes. You’ll cap off the evening with an excellent version of beef stroganoff.

Week 2: Veloutés Sat, Feb. 8, 2025, 11:00 AM

We’ll begin class with a short discussion about the different types of veloutés. Students create a basic sauce with roux and chicken stock and then build from there. By adding cream, we’ll create classic sauce supreme. We’ll plate this dish with chicken, rice pilaf, and a vegetable, giving us a chance to practice our plate presentation skills. Our goal is to create the experience from start to finish—and enjoy the results!

Week 3: Cream sauces Sat, Feb 15, 2025, 11:00 AM

Cream sauces can be challenging because milk or cream, which forms the base of the sauce, can break down if too much heat is applied. We’ll learn the proper technique for making béchamel, then add cheese to make a cheese sauce, which can be spiced up in any number of ways. For class, we’ll make mac and cheese and create several garnishes for a mac and cheese bar.

Week 4: Tomato Sauces Sat, Feb. 22, 2025, 11:00 AM

Tomato sauces are thickened through reduction—and patience! This very popular sauce has many uses, from spaghetti and meatballs to veal parmesan and chicken cacciatore. We’ll make stuffed pasta shells and eggs baked in tomato sauce, served with crusty bread.

Week 5: Butter Sauce Sat, March 1, 2025, 11:00 AM

Butter sauces, thickened through the emulsion, have a reputation for being tricky. You’ll gain the skills and confidence to create hollandaise from scratch, then sample it with eggs benedict. We’ll modify the hollandaise into bearnaise and taste that with grilled salmon. Chef Weber will also demonstrate how to make classic beurre blanc.

Week 6: Contemporary Sauces Sat, March 8, 2025, 11:00 AM

After mastering the mother sauces, we will explore contemporary sauces. These include salsas, coulis, hot sauce, barbecue sauce, peanut sauce, and chimichurri sauce. We will assemble a tasting buffet using chicken to dip into the various sauces and celebrate the end of the series with an awesome dessert.

• You will be standing, cooking, and working for most of the class
• Please wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes and have long hair tied back.
• If you need to cancel your class booking, you can do so up to 48 hours before the class to receive a refund or class credit.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Mitchell Hall, 250 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, United States