Last week, we were invited to participate with a select group of media in an exclusive cooking demonstration/class led by Chef Rory Dunaway at La Cocina Gourmet located at the luxurious Dorado Beach, A Ritz Carlton Reserve. As you can imagine, we were beyond excited to participate in this event. It was a gorgeous day as you can see in the pictures below, which made me regret not bringing my bathing suit along for the ride.
La Cocina Gourmet is a small shop filled with delicious goodies ranging from coffee, wine, champagne, beers, gelatos, and a myriad of snacks. Once you walk through the shop, you see a glass and behind it, La Cocina Gourmet’s kitchen.
The experience is centered around a cozy kitchen with a single communal table that seats ten guests. The charming Chef Rory made us feel like we were at his home just sitting in his kitchen. During the demonstration, guests are invited to step up and help Chef Rory cook while he explains the preparation of each dish and tips on how to replicate it at home. The best part? You get to eat the food being prepared during the class and enjoy it with the appropriate wine pairing.
On this occasion, we started off our meal with a Cantaloupe Carpaccio topped with Serrano Ham, Arugula, a red onion and cilantro relish, and a classic vinaigrette with a side of goat cheese mousse. I am proud to say that I got the chance to plate the dish myself with Chef Rory’s assistance. The creamy and smooth tasting goat cheese was the perfect complement to the sweet flavors in the fruit and light saltiness of the Serrano ham. Each bite was scrumptious and refreshing. An ideal dish to fight off the summer heat.
For the main dish, we had a New York Steak with a caramelized onion crust (the onions had been cooked in low heat for 6 hours in copious amounts of butter… YUM) with a side of sautéed vegetables and Chef Rory’s out of this world silky white truffle whipped potatoes. NOM NOM.
Finally, for desert, we had a Mango Meringue Tart and a chocolate macaroon.
As you can see from the pictures, we had a great time with Chef Rory and all of the other guests at the cooking class. I left the class with a full belly and completely inspired to put into practice everything I learned.
Insider tip: Not only does Chef Rory teach the cooking classes at the Culinary Center, but he also hosts wine theme dinners on a weekly basis on the premises. The dinner includes five courses with wine pairings. The exclusive culinary classes and the wine theme dinners are open to both resort and non-resort guests. Want a private chef for the evening to cook the cuisine of your choice? Chef Rory can take care of you. Just gather a group of eight people and give him a call. Make sure to bring as many bottles of wine or bubbly as you want, since he does not charge a corkage fee. As if that were not enough, every Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Chef Rory hosts in the Culinary Center’s kitchen a Fresh Market that features fresh fruits, vegetables and bread.
