George Washington students, faculty and staff who are interested in cooking have the rare opportunity this summer to pick the brain of the university chef himself.
A non-credit course, called The Chef & the Garden, will meet on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May 30 to July 11. Participants will learn about seasonal cooking, gardening, using herbs and spices, food preservation and basic knife skills. You must be able to attend at least four of the six classes, and space is limited. Most classes will take place at the F Street House, 1925 F St. NW.
“I want to get everyone’s hands dirty,” said Rob Donis, university chef at the F Street House. “Because once you get involved in cooking, you feel more comfortable.”
The new course aligns with the focus Mr. Donis and the university have on cooking with healthy, fresh and local ingredients. Class participants will use some ingredients from the F Street House’s garden, and may even make a trip to the farmers market.
Those who aren’t able to take the course will still have the opportunity to learn from Mr. Donis, too.
In a new “Ask the Chef” series, anyone will be able to query Mr. Donis with their food-related questions. The sky is the limit. How do you cook scallops? What’s your favorite go-to recipe when you’re pressed for time? “They can ask anything about cooking,” said Mr. Donis. “Maybe it’s even something I might have to do a little research on.” Questions can be sent on the Urban Food Task Force’s website.
Later in the summer, Mr. Donis will also lead a fundraiser class for alumni. The Urban Food Task Force’s website will have more information when it’s available in May.
Mr. Donis—who received a degree in political science before choosing culinary school over law school—said the new initiatives will be a highlight of his job. While he’s worked in restaurants across the country, he’s happy to be at GW mixing food with academia, he said.
“I’m passionate about food,” he said. “I really am. And I get to share that. That’s what it’s about.”