Cooking Schools in China
China has no shortage of cooking schools. Away from the major metropolises, instruction may be in Chinese only, but five schools of culinary note have opened their doors in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Hubei, Shanghai and Beijing. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Hong Kong
English speakers will appreciate the accommodations of Hong Kong cooking schools. One cooking school that offers instruction in English is Martha Sherpa's, near the Mongkok MTR station. Martha Sherpa's Cooking School opens at 10 every morning and holds classes until 10 at night. Classes teach students whip up restaurant-style Chinese and Thai food, including wok and barbecue dishes, dim sum and desserts.
Other Hong Kong cooking schools include Chopsticks Cooking Centre, the Home Management Centre and the Peninsula Academy Culinary Experience.
Guangzhou
Located northwest of Hong Kong, the Guangzhou New Oriental Cooking School is among the top in the region. Boasting modern, stainless steel cooking facilities, the school tailors its programs to the needs of students. Students may take one- or two-year programs and focus their studies on Canton cuisine, brine and roasted dishes, or pastries.
Hubei
In central China, the Hubei No.1 Cooking School is just that. A training ground for head cooks and culinary specialists, this school teaches all four of the "big cuisines"--the cuisines of Canton, Hubei, Hunan and Sichuan. Students learn the dishes that made these cuisines famous as well as other pastries, brines and barbecue.
Shanghai
In Shanghai, Flying Chef runs a highly individualized cooking school. Once scheduled, Chef Li will bring all the needed ingredients and utensils to a student's home, teach his selected recipes, and then clean the kitchen afterward. Classes last for three hours and can accommodate up to four students. Although Mr. Li doesn't speak English, students will receive English translations of his recipes.
Beijing
Beijing's Conrad Hilton spins the typical cooking school experience. Dubbed Cooking for the Clueless, the school holds classes every six or eight weeks and caters to aspiring, but yet unskilled, chefs. Under the tutelage of David Chang, students take classes such as "dim sum for the dumb dumb" as they plan and serve a three-course menu.
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