I cannot believe another class has concluded at Le Cordon Bleu. It seems that every class is my favorite class, but this class has tapped into my passion of fusion cooking. It was called Cuisines Across Cultures and consisted of studying not only foods from across the globe, but also the history of foods, geography, and climates in each country which helped explain why certain countries cook certain types of foods. For example, in the middle of Germany, it has always been cold and landlocked, so cuisine there has dairy, fat, and meats from livestock raised in fields there. Conversely, in Asia it has always been hot so there has never been dairy or fats eaten and there have always been an abundance of fish and seafood eaten.
Above, is Chef Frankie Ruiz. I have been fortunate enough to have him in two classes. He owned a restaurant in Puerto Rico for many years before moving to the U.S. He has been an unbelievable instructor with such passion for food, an eye for creating gorgeous presentations, and patience with students as he guided us daily to learn. Chef Frankie Ruiz helped me master Vietnamese, Moroccan, Spanish, Indian, French, and Chinese cuisines. He has also become my friend. Thank you Chef for all you taught me. You made me a better chef.
