What happens when you combine a cooking class with a dinner party? You get The Cookery. The Cookery offers a new cooking class concept to Fort Worth by way of Dallas, where the original is located.
A large farmhouse table is where you enjoy the dishes you make during the class
The Cookery opened up on South Main a few months ago and offers hands-on cooking classes. If you didn’t already know I’m a big fan of many businesses on South Main including Four Sisters, Game Theory and Hot Box Biscuit Club.
These interactive classes are meant to go beyond a cooking demonstration. Participants literally have a hand in making different aspects of the three to four course meal.
Hands on cooking station
What to expect at The Cookery
When you walk in you are greeted by the instructor or assistant. Usually you are offered water, tea or wine. The menu is hand-written on the chalkboard above the cubbies where you stash your stuff. You then grab an apron and are given hand washing protocol. Ie. If you are like me and tons of photos on your phone or camera, wash your hands after.
During the course of the class, the instructor casually explains the dishes, ingredients and techniques. The intimate setting and class size make it feel like you are almost in someone’s kitchen.
Cooking Class Structure
The structure of the class and the courses change depending on the theme of the class. Some class themes include Sushi, Elegant Dinner Party, Pasta, Indian and Farm to Table. I’ve taken the Caribbean Vacation class and the Farm to Table class.
Generally you prepare your first course and perhaps an accompanying cocktail and then sit down and enjoy that before moving on to the next courses. The intimate and collaborative structure of the class ensures that you will get to know the folks you are taking the class with. So, by the time you sit down you will get that “dinner party” feeling. The class-prepared dishes are shared family style.
Family style dining
Through the course of the evening the instructor drops a few cooking tips related to each dish. I’ve taken cooking classes around the world and consider myself a good cook and each class I’ve taken I’ve learned something new.
After sitting and enjoying the first course you get to work preparing the rest of the food. For both the courses I took I was pleasantly surprised that all the dishes were gluten free including the desserts. You then again sit and enjoy the fruits of your cooking labor while getting to know other attendees.
Highlights
I enjoyed the Caribbean Vacation class because it’s a cuisine I’m not familiar with. The dishes were full of unique flavors and easy enough to prepare that they could easily be integrated into a weekday meal or replicated for a dinner party. The Shrimp Asapao Soup was completely new to me and one that I will definitely replicate on my own. The coconut ice cream was decadent and easily made and the rum punch was refreshing.
Rum Punch
The Farm to Table class took simple farm fresh ingredients and elevated them to comfort level cuisine. The seasonal root vegetable bisque was simple and sublime and the crispy chickpeas were a revelation. The apple and pear pecan crumble along with the vanilla bean whipped cream was a delicious ending to the whole experience.
Seasonal Root Vegetable Bisque
The Cookery takes your traditional cooking class and makes it a comfortable, cozy and casual experience with the feeling of cooking in a friends kitchen. This friend keeps the wine flowing and shows you how to make some killer cocktails. This experience is great for couples and girl’s nights and welcoming of all skill levels.
Dining with dignity. What does that mean? For most of us in Fort Worth, it’s what we are accustomed to. We buy our weekly groceries and prepare them for ourselves or our family. Or we go out to eat at a restaurant or save up to eat out for a special occasion. At Taste Project diners pay what they can. It’s Fort Worth’s first non-profit restaurant and pay what you can restaurant.
At Taste Project in the Near Southside, they acknowledge that not everyone knows where their next meal will come from. According to their website, “…in Tarrant County, 36 percent of this food insecure population live above the poverty level and receive no government help”.
Taste Project Mission
Taste Project seeks to address hunger issues from a community perspective with their non-profit restaurant model. They do this by providing a meal for whoever walks in. Unlike any other restaurant in Fort Worth there are no prices on the menu. In this case at Taste Project you either pay what you can afford, pay what you would typically pay, or pay what what you would normally pay plus a little extra.
Chef Jeff Williams at Taste Project
A small staff runs the restaurant with a group of volunteers. In the kitchen, you’ll find Chef Jeff Williams who is also the founder and President of Taste Project. He prepares meals that are healthy, hearty and delicious.
Fall Lunch and Brunch Menu
I got a preview of their Fall Lunch and Brunch menu recently. Their lunch menu focuses on small plates and sandwiches. The turkey burger provided hints of fall flavors with the addition of mushrooms and seasoning to the patty. The soft bun and pomegranate aioli bring the burger together nicely. The Reuben sandwich features a delicious house-made corned beef and sauerkraut filling that complements the toasted rye bread beautifully.
Reuben Sandwich at Taste Project
Additionally, they have a nice selection of brunch dishes served on Saturdays and Sundays from 10AM – 2PM that include French toast, soups, salads and sandwiches. One of the dishes I sample, was the huevos verdes. These small tostadas have flavorful Southwestern influence toppings that include green salsa and queso fresco. The egg, bacon and sweet potato toppings contrast nicely with the crispy tostada shells.
Huevos Verdes at Taste Project
The well thought out menu options are appealing for a variety of consumers in a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere. The pay what you can model may be new to some, but it’s not complicated. Pay what you can and if you can afford a little more go ahead and do that. It’s not often you can enjoy a meal and pay it forward. Taste Project, let’s you do just that.
Taste Project is also hosting a variety of celebrity servers in acknowledgement of Hunger Action Month. Check out their Facebook page to see when the Fort Worth Firefighters or our own mayor, Betsy Price, will be serving.
1200 S. Main Street, Fort Worth, TX 76104, 817-759-9045
Vibe: Casual
Good for: lunch, brunch, families, dates, couples, friends, co-workers
Food: Healthy and hearty comfort food items
Price Range: No menu prices. Pay what you can afford, pay what you would typically pay, or pay what what you would normally pay plus a little extra
Taste Project adds to the growing dining options in the South Main Village. Read my review on Four Sisters: Taste of Vietnam and Game Theory for more options in this area.
Fort Worth’s first gaming lounge offers excellent food options and a fun gaming experience. Game Theory blipped on my radar a few months back when I heard that not only would Fort Worth get its first gaming lounge but that they would be serving food, specifically savory hand pies. We finally got our chance to check them out last month a few weeks after their grand opening and enjoyed everything about the experience with an unexpected surprise.
Game Theory opened last month in the growing area of South Main. Home to several hot spots including Four Sisters Taste of Vietnam. The large bar at Game Theory serves as the focal point for the modern, industrial vibe of the place, you’ll also see shelves of games in the front and back sections of the lounge. You pay a $5 library fee per person to play a game (or games) from their 500 options! If you spend more than $10 on food/drink that fee is waived. It’s easy to spend $10 on food/drink with lots of enticing and affordable food options in addition to a great cocktail selection.
If you don’t know where to start in choosing a game, the games are organized from easiest to most strategic and the game guides can further help you make a choice. On our past two trips we chose games we had never played before, which wasn’t a problem because the game guides can explain to you the basic rules of most games (but not the super strategic ones).
Carcassone Game at Game Theory
Game Theory offers some great food options. They have what I would call heavy snack food and some nice shareable selections. I wouldn’t come here for a full meal unless you wanted to try multiple dishes. My family of two teenage boys and husband were hungry on our last visit so we tried a little bit of everything. We had the Japanese pot pie, the al pastor and the Aussie mini pies, the sausage party, white cheddar queso and the classic popcorn chicken.
Japanese Stew Pot Pie at Game Theory
The pot pies and the the mini pies had a nice flaky and crispy crust with creative fillings and they did not disappoint. The Japanese pot pie was a favorite with spin on a comfort food classic. The mini pies are small enough that you can easily try more than one – the Aussie filling tasted similar to what I’ve had in Sydney and the Al Pastor really worked as a savory pie filling (and kudos for taking this traditional taco filling into new territory).
Mini Pies at Game Theory
The sausage party is just that- 3 artisan sausages served with condiments-you can choose from traditional sausages like bratwurst and andouille or more unique options like lemongrass or beyond meat bratwurst. The popcorn chicken was also a hit at our table.
Popcorn Chicken at Game Theory
Game Theory offers a solid craft cocktail menu. I tried their version of the margarita, the Zarrow Shuffle, which surprised me when it arrived thanks to its purple hue and color changing block ice cube. Just like the food, the drinks are well executed without taking themselves too seriously. They offer a small but curated selection of Craft brews on draft and canned with several Near Southside Breweries represented.
The service is great considering your wait person is also your game guide. There’s a console on the table that is connected to a smart watch your game guide wears. If you need anything you press the appropriate button on the console for more food, drinks, or have a question about the game and your guide will be alerted through their smart watch. Also, they do no accept cash, so make sure you have a debit or credit card for payment.
I’d have to say the most surprising thing about the whole experience was that it’s a great way to engage with people – in other words it’s hard to be on your phone when your trying to dominate a board game. We found a new board game, Carcassone, that we absoluletly love. I love the trifecta of food, connection and fun that Game Theory brings to the table.
