United Givers of Southwest Mississippi introduced its own version of a cooking school Thursday night as the organization got “Cooking for a Cause” at the St. Andrew’s Activity Center.
The event, the first of its kind, gave participants the chance to prepare a portion of their three-course meal while receiving tips and guidance from chef Clay Russell.
Russell, an honor graduate of the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, has worked as a private chef before working for Maria Shriver and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The menu included soy marinated pork tenderloin with green tomato chutney, crispy brussel sprouts with spicy honey, roasted parmesan potato fingerlings, mixed lettuce, pear and goat cheese salad with a citrus vinegarette and pumpkin and pecan cobbler.
Participants prepared the chutney, mixed the ingredients for their pumpkin and pecan cobbler, cut potatoes and coated them for their roasted parmesan potato fingerlings and made their vinegarette and cut pears for their pear, goat cheese and citrus vinegarette salad.
They were also given a menu book and place where they can make notations during the demonstration.
In between preparing the meal and meeting new people, they snacked on grapes, cheese, peanuts and crackers as Russell walked them through preparing their meal.
Each participant received a bag with pre-portioned ingredients and small mixing bowls and sat at a table with a cutting board, paper towels and a knife before them.
“If you’re a cook, ignore me and do it the way you want,” Russell told the class.
Attendees learned tips: It’s easier to cut an onion when leaving the root intact, mustard can be used as an emulsifier for oil and acid while making a vinegarette — and cooking should be fun.
The participants included those who know their way around the kitchen as well as some who just don’t cook. They all had a chance to learn new tricks and techniques to take back to their families and friends.
As participants prepared parts of the meal, United Givers board members would take the items food back and mix it all together.
“If we have any hiccups with time, we are not professionals and we apologize,” United Givers board member Kristin Ratliff told participants before the event began.
For United Givers board members, it was a hands-on training as well, but a fun event for all.
Self-proclaimed foodies Steve and Robbi Cox said the event is something unique for the area.
“I think it’s a great event,” Steve Cox said.
He said the couple has been to the Viking Cooking School in Greenwood and enjoy cooking and trying new things.
“I hope that more events will come to our area like this,” Cox said.
After participants made their salads, they were able to sit down and enjoy the meals they helped create while enjoying music by Jackie Bankston.
United Givers Executive Director Molly Johnson called it a success.
“I think it was a great night and our participants enjoyed themselves,” she said. “... This is something that has never been done and it’s something unique and different.”
Johnson said she and the board thank everyone who participated in the event and the sponsors who supported it.
Ratliff said for the first year, she was very pleased with the turnout.
“The main goal is obviously to raise money for United Givers, but I’m glad that everyone had such a good time,” she said.
Ratliff said putting on an event for the first time can be scary, but the overall turnout was well received.
“The community is so supportive of lots of nonprofit organizations here. They came and showed out and showed up. I was very pleased,” she said. “I’m so thankful for everyone that came and helped, the board and everyone that took a chance and participated in this dining experience.”
