Cover photo courtesy of The Salty Almond.
There’s always something brewing, shaking or baking at Kathryn Joel’s Get Cooking school in Edmonton. The school is located in the MacEwan student residence behind the Robbins Health Learning Centre at Grant MacEwan’s city centre campus downtown. So, it’s a school on another school’s property but not part of the other school.
Confused? Have a drink—preferably one made by Happy Byrne. That’s right, the guy’s name is Happy and he makes cocktails. Those two words in the same sentence make sense, if you ask me.
A pretty happy Happy
Happy is one of several star presenters Joel employs on any given day/night of the week. If you’re looking for something unique to do, or need a present for that food lover in your life, a ticket to one of Get Cooking’s events is a sound idea.
Take Friday nights for example, when the Kitchen Party kicks into gear. Happy and his merry gang of cocktail shakers get together with Edmonton’s secret culinary weapon, Doreen Prei. Doreen is a Michelin-star trained chef who honed her chops in Germany and Ireland at top rated restaurants including Gordon Ramsay in Dublin.
Doreen Prei
Doreen is Commander-in-Chief for the Kitchen Party, cooking up four courses by night’s end. I accepted Joel’s invitation to take part in last week’s kitchen party to see, first hand, how it all rolls out.
First, you drink. And then you eat. And then you drink some more. It’s pretty straightforward.
Top L: Tama Margarita
Top R: El Padre
Bottom L: Smoking cherry wood for the Black Pearl
Bottom R: Chai Town Sour
Top L: Tuna Tartare
Top R: Warm Lentil Salad with Chorizo
Bottom L: Smoked Duck Breast with Dark Cherries & Butternut Squash
Bottom R: Coconut Creme Brûlée
But, you also learn because when you don’t have a drink in your hand or food in your mouth, Happy and Doreen are instructing guests on the whats and the hows of food and mixology. So, the Kitchen Party is actually a 3 for 1: education and eating and drinking in one four hour session.
Helping hands
I returned a week later to catch Happy and Doreen together again, this time for a Brunch Pop-up. While Happy whipped up a punchbowl of Saturday morning sunshine, Doreen got to work on another four course meal.
Top L: Arugula-topped scrambled eggs in lobster stock
Top R: Quail Egg on pulled pork carbonara pasta
Bottom L: Ricotta fritters w/tomato jam
Bottom R: Chocolate mousse w/berries
This brunch deal might be the best value in the city because you get over 1.5 hours of instruction plus a four course meal plus a buffet of charcuterie, cheese, fruits, scones, smoked salmon, olives and assorted condiments for $45.
Top L: Granola wi/fresh fig and goat cheese
Bottom L: Boulangerie Bonjour’s fresh bread
Right: buffet
If you’re in a rush and just want a plate of food to eat, this won’t work, but if you’re looking for a way to spend a couple of hours relaxing with friends/family over food and drink while receiving some culinary education at the same time, then consider getting tickets for a Saturday brunch event.
Brunch, Saturday; Kitchen Parties, Friday. Check the schedule to find out what’s happening at Get Cooking this month. Need something to whet your appetite in the meantime? Check out Get Cooking’s Instagram feed and read what Athena at The Salty Almond had to say about Get Cooking.