Today marks a very important day. I have decided to go back to school–culinary school; online culinary school. “WHAT,” you say? That’s right; I have enrolled in the future of food through Rouxbe.com. I have started my first unit in a 27-unit course entitled Professional Cook’s Certification Course. It is a six-month course that according to the company, “…charts a new path for cooks that want to learn to develop their craft. Equally suited for culinary students wanting to enter the industry, working cooks looking for professional development, or even serious home cooks that want to develop their culinary skills, this course introduces and reinforces fundamental techniques and knowledge needed in today’s kitchens.”Along with taking this course, I plan on jotting down my overall thoughts, detailed opinions, and good, bad, and ugly experiences over the next six months. So let’s get started…

Today, I waited not-so-patiently for my class to become available. I had received an email yesterday letting me know that by the end of today, I would be granted access. And true to their word, at approximately 1:45pm PT today, I was in! I actually had butterflies in my stomach as I signed in. I really take this seriously.

While I have received no monetary compensation from Rouxbe.com, I have been an avid supporter since I first became acquainted with them in 2008. I was on holiday in Victoria, BC enjoying a relaxing late-night dinner at the Fire & Water Fish & Chop House. Along with receiving our receipt after dinner, we were also given an business-sized card with in free trial on a online cooking website. I was intrigued and pocketed the invite. Upon getting back the States, I put the card my to-do pile and actually forgot about it for a month or two. But when it resurfaced, I took the plunge. I signed up and really liked what I saw. There were areas that were still under construction, but the tutorials that were there, were in-depth, easy to follow, and relevant. I was hooked. I bought a membership for myself and my daughter. After just a few lessons on techniques such as braising, brining, and butter sauces, I had gained so much confidence in the kitchen; it was quite liberating.

Since that time, I have taken 20 of the 79 lessons available (to date) on various cookery subjects and have never been disappointed. I like the format and the video instruction, and well as the testing component that helps with retention. At some point, Rouxbe’s business model evolved, funding followed (I assume), and development ensued. I was lucky enough to be take part in the beta testing and could not wait for the new courses to become available.

I know I sound like a salesperson for this company, but really I am more like a salesperson for cooking real food–at home. Rouxbe just happens to be the tool that propelled my confidence in the kitchen. And with its new full-blown courses, I am now inspired to advance my culinary skills. And who knows where that will take me…