To gain confidence in creating a delicious holiday meal—and learn healthy cooking skills you can take into the new year—try taking a class. Local chef Steve Rose of Naples Private Chef offers in-home and outdoor classes for children and adults.
He’s noticed in his classes that many young people lack rudimentary skills. “They don’t teach home economics anymore” in school, he says. “So you’ve got a lot of people, both male and female, who have no clue how to cook.” As a result, he says his basic cooking classes—which cover topics like knife skills, handling meat, and meal preparation—are his most popular.
He’ll also often teach participants how to make healthier versions of their favorite restaurant foods. “We’re taking the complete mystery out of it, and they get confidence,” Rose says. “They come for more classes, and they build their repertoire of foods that they can make.”
Rose teaches specific dishes, too. His specialty is paella, but he’s also adept in Italian and Greek cuisines as well as holiday meals and desserts. Here, the chef shares a recipe for a sweet treat.
Sweet Kiwi and Melon Gazpacho Verde with Crème Fraîche
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1/2 English cucumber
- 1/2 honeydew melon
- 3 kiwis
- Squeeze of lime or lemon juice
- Mint sprigs
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- Crème fraîche
- Crispy cookie of choice, such as Pepperidge Farm Pirouette
Put peeled and seeded cucumber, sliced honeydew, and skinned kiwis in a blender. Add pineapple juice and blend till smooth. Garnish with a teaspoon of crème fraîche, mint sprig, and crispy cookie.
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