COOK Masters Program: Now Accepting Applications For The New Semester

The first class of the COOK Masters Program has officially graduated now. They’ve done their lessons, learned how to make sauces, break down pigs, bone out chickens and handle everything from pickling and charcuterie to a dinner service under the direction of Michael Solomonov. And now, with the first class barely released back into the pond, we’re ready to start putting together a new semester.

The COOK team has instructors chosen and a syllabus put together (both of which you can check out after the jump). And the first class of the 8-week session will be on May 6, which is coming right up. So what we need next are students. And that’s where you come in.

As before, the COOK Masters Program will be completely free for the 10 students we choose. If selected for the new semester, you’ll be put in front of some of the best chefs in the city for intensive, hands-on training in everything from cheese making and fish cookery to nutrition and butchery, with one class a week for eight weeks. Obviously, we’re heavily favoring working cooks–with the intention of training up Philly’s next generation of big name chefs–but are not limiting the student body to professionals. If you’re a genius home cook (or caterer, or personal chef or food writer or whatever) who thinks you’ve got what it takes to make the cut, by all means apply. And if you are a working cook, no matter how early you might be in your career, this is an opportunity you can’t afford to pass up. I mean, where else are you going to get to spend hours sitting with Jean Marie Lacroix while he teaches you to make French sauces?

Anyway, here are the details and the schedule. The application link is at the bottom of the page. And the deadline for getting your applications in is April 8 so, you know… Get on it, huh? Last time around we got more than ten times as many applications as we had spaces for students, so being early certainly can’t hurt.

COOK Masters Program 2013 Schedule and Syllabus

Monday, May 6: Fish Cookery with Jon Cichon of Lacroix

Tuesday, May 14: Health and Nutrition 101 with Katie Cavuto Boyle

Monday, May 20: Cheese Making with Patrick Feury of Nectar

Tuesday, May 28: French Sauces with Jean Marie Lacroix

Monday, June 3: Advanced Pastry with Christina Diekwicz

Monday, June 10: Butchery with Nick Elmi of Rittenhouse Tavern

Monday, June 17: Charcuterie with Nick Macri of Southwark

Tuesday, June 18: Preserving and Canning with Guillermo Tellez of Square 1682 and The Red Owl Tavern

Things to Remember:

• Everyone is welcome to apply–not just professionals. But working cooks will likely get the most out of these classes.
• We need ALL applications submitted by April 8.
• There will only be 10 students for the semester and competition will be fierce. If you applied last time around and didn’t make the cut, feel free to try again.
• We’re asking for an 8 week commitment, with one class per week. Make sure you can swing that if you get one of the 10 spots.

COOK Masters Program application [Official]