You know that saying, "I learned from the best"? Well now, when someone compliments your exquisite homemade bread or your pan-seared salmon, you can actually use that phrase and mean it. The French Culinary Institute and New York Magazine are hosting the foodie event of the season entitled The New York Culinary Experience. Please note this event is not for the timid, nor the budget-conscious. This is a two-day event, where participants will submerge themselves in the food world by taking master classes with the city’s most highly acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs, all for the price of $1,395. During the afternoon breaks, special Q & A sessions will be held with restaurateurs Donatella Arpaia (Anthos, DavidBurke & Donatella), Danny Meyer (Gramercy Tavern and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group), Drew Nieporent (Nobu and founder of Myriad Restaurant Group), and Joe Bastianich (award-winning restaurateur & winemaker). It’s quite the lineup. This from the French Culinary Institute site:
"You’ll learn techniques and creative approaches to preparing dishes, then create and eat the dishes you have learned. In addition, you will enjoy in-depth, intimate tasting workshops featuring limited-edition and rare wines, as well as specialty, hard-to-find foods."
Did I mention that there is breakfast, lunch, and a champagne toast included each day? For that price it better be Dom Perignon. But hey, if you’ve got the extra cash and want to rub spatulas with New York’s hottest chefs, I say go for it. Some of those scheduled to appear are Dan Barber, David Bouley, Terrance Brennan, Wylie Dufresne, Johnny Iuzzini, Eric Ripert, Marcus Samuelsson, and Francois Payard, among others. For a full list, click here.
This event will be held on September 20th and 21st, 2008. Tickets are on sale now, but seating is limited to keep class sizes intimate. For tickets, click here; and if you purchase tickets with your Amex, you receive complimentary admission to a private wine event – cheers!