Grab an apron and head into the kitchen with Mary Cook, owner of Untamed Chef in Chesapeake, where cooking classes are always delicious fun
“Onions have layers, ogres have layers…you get it?”
Three minutes into a recent “Healthy Cooking Made Easy” class at Untamed Chef in Chesapeake and Chef-Owner Mary Cook is already cracking Shrek jokes.
“Did I mention I have five kids?,” she tosses out before launching into lively demo of the checkerboard technique for dicing onions: Cut the onion in half from stem to root, peel it and place it flat side down on a cutting board. Then make a series of parallel cuts, first horizontally then vertically, keeping the root intact.
The exposed root is the part that makes you cry, Cook notes, so the longer you can keep it intact the less tearing is likely. Once your parallel slices have created the desired checkerboard effect, slice a third time, and voilà, you’ll have uniformly diced onion pieces perfect for tossing into your soup pot or sauté pan.
“I always like to start with a practical technique,” Cook explains. “Some people may be familiar with it, but some aren’t. It’s really exciting to see someone exposed to something new that they can bring into their own kitchen.”
Cook previously ran the Casual Gourmet program with Culinary Institute of Virginia and her own in-home chef and catering services. When the pandemic put a temporary damper on just about everything fun, like many, she was forced to find new ways forward.
Eventually, she opened Untamed Chef in a shopping center of Battlefield Boulevard little more than a year ago with the encouragement of her husband: “He is the entrepreneurial spirit,” she explains, “I like security!”
But, when it comes to sharing her expertise and inspiring others in the kitchen, there is no doubt Cook is in her element. She has that magical mixture of seemingly boundless energy and good-humored patience that is the mark of many a great teacher.
After her onion dicing demo and a few other tips and tricks, the chef jumps into the menu items her “Healthy Cooking” students will be making—and later enjoying together at Untamed Chef’s intimate seated dining area, which welcomes visitors when they arrive.
There’s a quinoa and arugula salad with a fresh blueberry balsamic vinaigrette, a roasted turkey breast with sweet potato “noodles,” roasted salmon with Brussels sprout asparagus slaw, and a delicious and “so healthy it could hardly be considered dessert” lemon berry crumble.
Participants are divided into groups of four and dispatched to their prep stations where mixing bowls, cutting boards, knives, a variety of utensils and fresh ingredients have been pre-placed. Any needed gadget or ingredient you can’t find at your station can be quickly located on larger prep tables or storage bins around the open kitchen.
Using their provided recipe booklets, enthusiastic students jump right in, dividing up chopping, grating, and mixing tasks as the chef and her team of assistants move deftly around the room offering guidance—how to chiffonade that basil, massage the kale leaves or slice those asparagus nice and thin on the bias for the slaw.
With the healthy meals prepped, cooked and plated by each team of four, serving platters are transported to the dining area to be shared by all. For most standard classes like this one, all the food is included (doggie boxes for leftovers too), and wine and beer are available for purchase.
Business has taken off at Untamed Chef, with classes frequently selling out—especially Italian or pasta making classes, which are hands-down her most popular. “This has truly been a blessing in disguise,” Cook says, “it’s been incredible.”
Examples of other standard Untamed Chef classes include “Soups, Stews and Chowders”; “Spanish Tapas”; “Quick and Easy Family Dinners”; “Knife Skills”; “Classic French Cuisine”; “Sushi Making”; and “The Art of Sauce Making.” They offer a wide variety of ever-rotating international cuisine courses such as Hawaiian, Greek, German, Chinese and even team-building classes for businesses and corporate outings.
“Date Night” classes are typically hands-on like the standard classes listed here and make great couples’ outings or anniversary presents. The “Chef’s Table Experience” is a sit-down demonstration style event in which the chef cooks for you and you get to enjoy the show and the meal along with paired libations. The format for the latter, Cook says, was inspired by that of the popular A Chef’s Kitchen in Williamsburg, which closed in 2022 following the death of its beloved founder.
For a full schedule of classes and more information, visit untamedchefva.com.
Untamed Chef 2024 Upcoming Cooking Classes
MARCH
6 Greek Heritage Month: Greek Cuisine
10 Brunch Cookery
13 St. Patrick’s Day: Irish Cuisine
16 Chef’s Table Experience: St. Patty’s Day Irish Feast
20 Cooking 201: The Art of Sauce Making
27 Italian Series: A Taste of Tuscany
APRIL
3 Cooking 202: Pastries/Desserts
5 Arab American Heritage Month – Middle Eastern Cuisine
6 Date Night – Sushi
10 Neapolitan Pizza Making
17 German II Cuisine
19 Garden Fresh Pasta – Spring Edition
20 Chef’s Table Bourbon Dinner – Jim Beam Distilling
24 Indian Cuisine
26 Date Night – Sushi
Photo, top of page, by Will Hawkins. Other photos by Leona Baker.
Leona Baker
Leona Baker is the former Editor-in-Chief of Coastal Virginia Magazine. She is a writer, creative, communications professional, food freak, news junkie, nature and travel lover and mom. She holds a degree in English from James Madison University and a degree in Dance & Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. She previously served as Senior Copywriter for Spark 451, Director of Marketing & Communications at Virginia Wesleyan University, and Senior Editor of Port Folio Weekly.
