Turkey may be America’s default holiday centerpiece, but there’s a whole world of festive alternatives waiting to be discovered. One of my personal favorites is Beef Wellington — a show-stopping beef tenderloin wrapped snugly in golden puff pastry. Most people think of it as quintessentially British, yet its roots trace back to a classic French dish called Filet de Bœuf en Croûte. The two recipes are nearly identical, though the French version is traditionally served with (naturally!) a red wine sauce. For Thanksgiving this year, I cooked a version inspired by Paul Bocuse’s recipe. I streamlined the method so it’s very doable at home: sear the beef, brush it with Dijon mustard, then wrap it in prosciutto and a savory mushroom duxelles before rolling it all up in store-bought puff pastry. The hands-on prep took just 30 minutes (plus a short chill), and it baked to perfection in about 45 ( see the full recipe ). Serve the roast with ultra-cr...

   With the recent opening of H-Mart in Urbana, the food landscape of our little town has changed once again. Their food court was irresistible, and their French bakery rivals the quality of what you get in Paris (seriously!). But when I saw their seafood counter, I was floored. The incredible display of their offerings rivaled the largest fish markets I have seen, even in New York City's Chinatown. In fact, the closest thing I can compare this display to is the night market in Bangkok, where the fishmongers are nestled next to restaurants that serve the most incredible variety of the freshest seafood available.  In addition, next to the fish counter are shelves and shelves of pre-packaged seafood. But what attracted me was a selection of salmon trimmings and bones. Typically thrown out at other grocers, H-Mart has decided to sell these scraps for "pennies" and I couldn't resist. What can I make with "leftover salmon"? Salmon chowder, of course. Despi...

Residents of Champaign-Urbana (people living within the boundaries of the Urbana and Champaign Park Districts) receive discounted tuition for all Park District programs, including my FLAVOR PRINCIPLES OF ETHNIC COOKING series. The lowest tuition is the "early bird" tuition of $40 for all my cooking classes, but only if you register 2 weeks before the class. So today is the last day to register for the FRENCH CLASSICS class on February 20. Starting tomorrow, the tuition goes up to $50 for residents. So if you want to enjoy a three-course French dinner for $40 and also learn how to make it at home, register today! Full menu and details are here:  www.cooking-with-paul.com/classes For future reference, here is the tuition schedule and the registration deadline for our spring classes: French Classics (Feb 20) - $40 (before Feb 5) - $50 (after Feb 5) Vietnamese Cooking (Mar 3) - $40 (before Feb 27) - $50 (after Feb 27) A Taste of Palestine (Mar 27) - $40 (before Mar 13) - $5...

I often refer to my cooking classes as "cooking parties." That's because they're fun events where you get to cook and eat and learn all at the same time. I always remind students to come hungry and thirsty because there's always lots of food at my classes, and I never let you walk away hungry. So think of my cooking classes as an alternative to eating out at a restaurant, or maybe an interesting twist for "date night" ( see more pictures ). So what happens at a "cooking party"? Starting last year, we converted our classes from cooking show "demonstrations" to 100% hands-on classes where all students will participate in the preparation of the dishes on the menu for that evening. Starting at 6pm, we'll slice, dice, and chop our way to a multi-course dinner. I get to share how I cook at home, and you get to participate in a unique cooking party where we'll eat everything that was prepared that night.  This spring, my long-runni...

  It's been a while since Chambana had a French restaurant, so if you wanted to explore French cuisine, you'll have to drive to Chicago. Or go to France, which is what we did last year. Sure, Paris is full of amazing Michelin-starred restaurants, but if you want to get the most bang for your buck, head to Lyon (aka the gourmet capital of France). Even better, forget Paris or Lyon and book a CroisiEurope riverboat cruise instead. CroisiEurope is a French company specializing in European river cruises. I've never been on an ocean cruise and will steer clear of those insane 7,000-people environmental hazards. But a river cruise is a completely different story. With a capacity of 80 people or so, CroisiEurope boats are small, intimate affairs designed for French vacationers. Last year, we booked a six-day cruise from Lyon and there were only four Americans aboard (plus two other English speakers from England and Singapore). Where the boat went was not important to us...

I've been cooking a lot of French dishes since our trip to France last year. I've been busy fine-tuning new recipes in my home kitchen, and now I'm ready to share a new dessert recipe for FRESH BERRIES IN COULIS SAUCE. Perhaps the simplest of French sauces, coulis is simply pureed fruit or vegetables. For our dessert dish, we'll be blending fresh strawberries with something sweet, then adding a splash of cognac to make it really French. Serve the sauce with fresh berries and a scoop of ice cream, and you've got a beautifully simple dessert that can be made in minutes without cooking. Arguably, French gastronomy is the most influential of European culinary traditions. Tonight's menu also features a classic Julia Child-inspired Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew) and a fabulous roasted beet salad with goat cheese. Come hungry and thirsty because we will be making and eating a classic three-course French dinner tonight. Our cooking party starts at 6pm on Thursday,...

Welcome to the 10th season of my long-running Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking classes at Urbana Park District. Since spring 2022, we have traveled around the world and sampled cuisines from Greece to Inida to Jamaica. This spring we're going to France, Vietnam, and Palestine to taste what each country has to offer.  This spring, I will be joined by two guest chefs who will share their personal recipes. With these upcoming cooking classes, our goal is to show you that making great-tasting ethnic dishes is not hard at all. Here's the schedule: French Classics (February 20) : Arguably, French gastronomy is the most influential of European culinary traditions. The French invented haute cuisine, then turned everything upside-down and re-invented itself with nouvelle cuisine — a simpler, lighter approach with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and presentation. Tonight's menu features three French classics.  Vietnamese Cooking (March 3) : Influenced by the flavors of neigh...

Located just east of Paris, the  Bourgogne  region is known for its rich and full-flavored dishes, creamy cheeses, Dijon mustard, and of course its world-class vineyards. Join us as we do a deep dive into French cuisine and survey all the deliciousness that France has to offer, region by region. At our first stop on Wednesday, September 11, we'll cook up a multi-course French dinner featuring all French classics made famous in Burgundy wine country. Of course, each course will also be paired with imported French wines from the region. Here's what's on the menu: Escargots à la Bourguignonne (snails in butter) Coq au Vin (chicken braised with red wine) Selection of cheeses Crème Brûlée (baked custard) This  Classic Burgundy Wine Country Cuisine  class is the first in a series of three "deep dive" French cooking classes in Harvest Market's modern demonstration kitchen. A couple of months ago, we ate our way through France and I'm now a huge ...

Arguably, French gastronomy is the most influential of European culinary traditions. The French invented haute cuisine, then turned everything upside-down and re-invented itself with nouvelle cuisine — a simpler, lighter approach with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and presentation. All of this tradition and innovation was supported and promoted by another French invention: the highly influential Michelin Guide and its star-rating system. Even in our everyday language, French words like  cuisine ,  gourmet ,  récipé , and  bon appétit  are universally understood and associated with good food. This fall, join us as we do a deep dive into French cuisine and survey all the deliciousness that France has to offer, region by region. We'll start in Burgundy wine country where we'll learn how to cook with wine. Next, we'll taste the Mediterranean-style Provençal cuisine from the south of France where bouillabaisse and ratatouille were invented. Lastly, we'll head ...

A couple of months ago, we visited France for the first time. Of course we spent some time in Paris, but we also visited the Alsace region and the city of Lyon -- also known as the gastronomic capital of France. But the highlight of the trip was a week-long riverboat cruise with a French company called  CroisiEurope  where we ate amazing French food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Hanging out with French people meant that we also indulged in wine for lunch  and  dinner. And since this was a French boat, all the champagne and cognac we could drink was also included. This was indeed foodie heaven! One of my favorite pastimes is to recreate dishes I've enjoyed when traveling and eating out, and this trip was no exception. I've already started experimenting and testing recipes, and by this fall, I will be ready to share the results of my research. So join us as we go on a deep dive into French cuisine at Harvest Market's demo kitchen . and survey all ...

Last week, Heather Roberts  invited me back to do another cooking demo on her locally produced lifestyle show called  ciLiving  on WCIA. I chose to showcase a new French recipe I developed based on a dish we ate on our recent trip to France (also see my France travel blog ).  On this trip, we booked a 6-day riverboat cruise with a French company called CroisiEurope and they had a great chef onboard. We ate the best gourmet French food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for a week. And we wine for lunch and dinner. And all the champagne and cognac we could drink. It was foodie heaven! Our onboard chef was a big fan of nouvelle cuisine,  which has been all the rage in France since the 1970s. Popularized by Chef Paul Bocuse of Lyon, this cuisine is more of a philosophy than a style of cooking. Using high quality ingredients, simple cooking methods, and beautiful presentations, every dish we ate on the cruise was artistical...

What is the ultimate dinner experience? Some say it's the classic French gastronomic meal which starts with an apéritif (drinks before the meal), ends with a digestif (after dinner drink), and contains multiple successive courses in between all paired with specially selected wines. It is a festive meal bringing people together for an occasion to enjoy the art of good eating and drinking, emphasizing togetherness, the pleasure of taste, and the setting of a beautiful environment. Since 2010, this traditional French ritual has been inscribed as one of UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity." We're going to recreate this "formal" French dinner experience with seven courses right here in downtown Urbana for ten special guests. Instead of flying to Paris and paying $360 per person (without wine) at a fancy Parisian restaurant like Le Cinq , you can have the same experience for $90 per person (with wine pairings for every course). Best of all, y...

If you're going to have a dinner party, the ultimate starter course could be a well-designed charcuterie board which requires no cooking -- just assembly. These days charcuterie boards are all the rage and there are no more rules as to what you can or can't add to your own special creations. But if you're going to respect tradition and give credit where credit is due, perhaps the most authentic charcuterie spread should be of French origin.  Not surprisingly, it was the French who coined the word  charcuterie  in the 1400s to describe a butcher shop specializing in dressed and cured meats (the original French term chair cuite simply means "cooked flesh"). So it makes sense that the first course in each of my upcoming "A Taste of France" cooking classes will feature a different regional charcuterie board. If you're attending all three of these classes, you'll get to taste a wide variety of delicacies from the Basque country (June 27), the Medi...

French deserts are world-renown for their decadence, elegance, and creativity. Therefore, it goes without saying that a dessert course is required for each of the three classes. If you attend all three sessions, you'll learn how make a lemon tart, a flambéed Crêpe Suzette, and a baked custard called Crème Brûlée (shown above). Yes, making Crème Brûlée involves using a blow torch, but kitchen-size butane torches are only about $10 these days on Amazon and the investment is well worth it. My recipe is the easiest, most efficient, and fastest way to make this dish.  Learn how to make this dessert at the "A Taste of Basque Country" class on June 27 at the Common Ground Food Co-op. This class is the first of a series of three classes called "A Taste of France" which is part of my ongoing "deep dive" cooking series. Later this summer, we'll be tasting the Mediterranean flavors of Provençal cooking (July 25) and cooking up classic dishes from the Burg...

Due to a recent knee injury, there's a date change for one of the French "Deep Dive" cooking classes. The new schedule for this summer series is as follows: June 27: A Taste of Basque Country July 25: The Mediterranean Flavors of Provençal Cooking Aug 15: Classic Burgundy Wine Country Cuisine (note new date) All classes are on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8:30pm and will take place at the Common Ground Food Co-op in Urbana. These unique dinner party-style cooking classes are part demonstration and part hands-on participation. Like a Food Network cooking show, you get to see how each dish is made but with one major difference -- you also get to eat it when it's done! In each class, you get to make at least one dish yourself as well. So come hungry and be prepared to feast on a three-course dinner before class is over. Since we'll be immersing ourselves in French culture this summer, each dinner party will start with a regional charcuterie board and a champagne toas...

We'll be serving this classic wilted salad on two upcoming occasions: the upcoming French pop-up dinner experience on April 16 and the first French cooking class on May 30 at the Common Ground Food Co-op.  This simple "brunch salad" was invented in the city Lyon (a.k.a. "the gastronomic capital of the world") and our version is based on Paul Bocuse's recipe, but updated and streamlined with a "secret" method for poaching egg found on Youtube.  Here's the recipe . The April 16 pop-up dinner event is called "Dinner + A Movie: France" and will feature a four-course classic French dinner with Boeuf Bourguignon as the main course, followed by Salade Lyonnaise as the salad course (yes, the French like to eat their salads after the main course), and Crêpes Suzette for dessert. The dinner experience will also include champagne toast, wine pairings, aperitifs, and digestifs. Only eight people will be invited to join us. Details are here:  c...

Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Burgundy) will be the main course on two upcoming occasions: the upcoming French pop-up dinner experience on April 16 and the first French cooking class on May 30 at the Common Ground Food Co-op. This infamous classic French stew is based on Julia Child's recipe, but has been updated and streamlined to reflect today's home kitchen. But the ingredients remain the same -- tender beef is soaked in a rich red sauce and finished with a touch of cognac. Here's the recipe . The April 16 pop-up dinner event is called "Dinner + A Movie: France" and will feature a four-course classic French dinner with champagne toast, wine pairings, aperitifs, digestifs, and of course -- Boeuf Bourguignon and Crêpes Suzette. Only eight people will be invited to join us. Details are here:  cooking-with-paul.com/popups-france.html . The May 30 cooking class is the first of a series of three classes that is part of my "deep dive" series at the Common Groun...

Crêpes Suzette will be the dessert course on two upcoming occasions: the upcoming French pop-up dinner experience on April 16 and the first French cooking class on May 30 at the Common Ground Food Co-op. This infamous French dessert is flambéed (flamed) at the end with Cointreau, an orange-fused French liqueur which magically transforms all the flavors in an alchemical reaction. Here's the recipe . The April 16 pop-up dinner event is called "Dinner + A Movie: France" and will feature a four-course classic French dinner with champagne toast, wine pairings, aperitifs, digestifs, and of course -- Crêpes Suzette. We're using this pop-up dinner experience as an excuse to practice cooking up some new dishes and eight people are invited to join us. Details about this very limited seating event is available here:  cooking-with-paul.com/popups-france.html . The May 30 cooking class is the first of a series of three classes that is part of my "deep dive" series at...

Here's an exclusive presale offer for subscribers of my monthly email newsletters: Starting today, you can be the first to register for my new summer French cooking class series. This secret registration link will be made public on Monday, March 27, 2023, so act fast. These classes sell out fast, so if you have any interest in French cooking, don't delay (psst: you have my permission to share this link with your friends). For those who have attended my cooking classes before, you already know that all my classes are "dinner party" style events. For new students, please come hungry and thirsty because you will be served a two-course dinner complete with wine pairings. Because we are doing French this summer, you can also expect tastings of imported French wines and a dessert course at the end of each class.   Arguably, French gastronomy is the most influential of European culinary traditions. The French invented haute cuisine , then turned everything upside-down ...

After two highly popular Ukrainian pop-up dinner experiences, my friend Marina and I have decided that we're going to France next. Our third event has been scheduled for Sunday, April 16, 2023 from 6 to 8pm and the theme is “Dinner + A Movie: France.” This two-hour private dinner experience starts at 6pm and will include a four-course classic French dinner complete with wine pairings featuring imported French wines. This event will be hosted by Marina K and Paul Young and will take place at Marina’s home in Champaign. The cost for joining this event is $75 per person. With these dinner party experiences, our goal is to bring you culinary experiences not typically available in Champaign-Urbana. As with our previous pop-up dinners, we're proud to partner with  Eatwith.com  as their first event hosts in Illinois outside of the Chicago area. With hundreds of food experiences in every major international destination, Eatwith has become the Airbnb for unique culinary adventures....