Culinary Boot Camp at The Biltmore

If you’re trying to up your culinary skills, forget those 1-hour classes that you randomly drop into. It’s time for boot camp – culinary style, and this one will be as good as it gets. That’s the only way The Biltmore works. Lourdes Castro, author of Simply Mexican and Eat, Drink, Think in Spanish, instructor at New York University’s Food Studies department and also the academy’s director, will teach the maximum of eight students in each class basic training in knife skills, pantry, herbs & spices, Italian techniques, cold kitchen, meats, seafood and poultry & grains.

During the week-long boot camp, attendees might enjoy hands-on  cooking instruction in the morning, followed by lunch of what they just created, followed by a break to prepare for their afternoon of wine tasting or perfecting their knife skills. Intimate class settings, personalized attention and getting over your fear of tackling what you might have thought of as an impossible culinary task are all part of your week-long education. This week is perfect for the beginner and the aspiring star chef, and upon completion, you will have a new found love for your kitchen.

Cost is $750 for the week-long camp or $450 for the weekend camp. Not bad, compared to the usual $110 cost for a 3-hour class. If you want to use this as a mini-vacation, you can book an all-inclusive package that includes hotel accommodations, 3 daily meals with beverages, tax and gratuity for $2,995 for the week or $1,740 for the weekend.

The next week-long camp takes place next week March 15-19 and another class take place in May from the 17-21. Weekend camps are scheduled for April 16-18 and June 4-6.

If the boot camp is not for you, the academy also offers classes for children, corporate team building classes, private classes and 3-hour signature cooking classes.

All classes will take place at The Biltmore Culinary Academy located at The Biltmore, 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables 305.913.3131

Photo Credit: Marco Veringa @ flickr