Cooking Class - Global Street Food Fusions

One of the best Christmas gifts received this year was a Cozymeal gift certificate which my wife and I used to book the Global Asian Street Food Fusion with Chef RJ. We had lived in Indonesia for 8 years and had grown accustomed to the fresh flavorful food of Asia and have been often disappointed with the toned down Asian food back in the USA. Our experience with Chef RJ was ... WOW. Our entire experience was one bright, flavorful dish after another. Chef RJ prepared each dish with fresh ingredients he had prepped before our arrival, so he was able to demonstrate how to assemble and cook each dish. He explained the background of each dish, shared some of his culinary experiences in each of the countries, and passed along simple culinary tips in prepping, assembling and cooking each dish. Chef RJ started with a mouthwatering gyoza of shrimp, lobster and pork in a broth made from the shells with added ginger, shallots, lemongrass, garlick, coconut milk and fresh squeezed lime juice. The first bite brought back memories of dumplings in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. Chef followed with pork belly bao with an Asian slaw of shredded cabbage, carrots, ginger and lime, with home made quick pickles (a treat in themself) and a Japanese Mayo. These were as good as any we have enjoyed in Hong Kong, Singapore or Brisbane, AU. Chef followed with crispy chicken wings and dipping sauce served with a shredded green papaya salad. These were among the best wings I have enjoyed (wish I had a few dozen of these for the Super Bowl tomorrow). The final entree was the chef’s own take on crispy fried Brussels sprouts with fried Korean rice cakes ... these are not your momma’s Brussels sprouts. Crispy, packed with flavor plus the crunchy yet gooey inside of the fried rice cakes. This would have been a fantastic meal at the best Asian restaurants. But every good meal deserves an encore ... dessert. Chef prepared flavorful sticky rice balls with Champaign mangos dusted with freshly pounded Sichaun peppercorns. Accompanied with a first for us ... cheese tea. It’s not what it sounds like. Chef muddled fresh raspberries and then mixed green tea with pineapple mango juice with ice and then topped with a foam of cream cheese, milk and a little sugar. Fantastic. Asian street food is renown for its mix of sweet, sour, salty and spice. Every dish was spot on authentic. Chef RJ is passionate about his food and his desire to share his passion with you. Within minutes it was as if you had known Chef RJ for a long time. This was a wonderful experience and a joy to be able to savor the true flavors of Asia once again. Thank you Chef RJ for a true culinary journey through Asia. Treat yourself and your friends to a true Asian culinary journey with Chef RJ. David & Stephanie, Denver

Chef RJ was a knowledgeable and friendly guy that made us the most enjoyable vegan meal. We learned quite a lot about the nutritional aspects, and picked up techniques to round up our skill set. Highly highly recommended!

Chef RJ was just wonderful ! We felt right at home with him and loved all the food he prepared . He patiently answered all of our many questions and he was very excited to teach us step by step how to prepare the food.