ICE

ICE and CIA I even hate to write about these two schools, as if by writing about them I might jinx going there. These schools are, for me, the epitome of learning the basics of cooking. Let me drool over ICE first. CIA will come on later posting. ICE (The Institute of Culinary Education) has Fine Cooking I and Fine Cooking II.

Fine Cooking I: Each class culminates with a student-prepared meal. Each course consists of five five-hour classes. Fine Cooking 1 is a prerequisite to Fine Cooking 2. Lesson 1: Knife Skills, Sauteing, Sauce Vinaigrette; ex: Sauteed Lamb Chops Lesson 2: Stocks, Roasting, Working with poultry; ex: Roasted Tarragon Chicken Lesson 3: Braising, Storing, cleaning and cooking shellfish; ex: Mussels Steamed in White Wine Lesson 4: Egg Cookery, Souffles; Salad Nicoise; ex: Chocolate Mousse Lesson 5: Grilling
Fine Cooking II: Lesson 1: Sauces, Crepes; Ex: Crepes with Shrimp and Scallops Lesson 2: Boning, Stuffing and Breading Chicken Breasts; Sweet and Savory Tarts; Ex: Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Herb Goat Cheese Lesson 3: Poaching; Quiches, Pastry for Quiches; Ex: Poached Salmon with Three Sauces Lesson 4: Working with Squid, Deep Frying, Handling Shellfish; Ex: Cajun Crab Cakes Lesson 5: Working with Emulsified Sauces, Making Custard; Ex: Filet Mignon with Sauce Bernaise

On the 2-3 days when there are no scheduled Fine Cooking classes there are other 1 day classes : Knife Skills, Essentials of Thai Cooking, Cuban Surf and Turf, ad infinitum.
Where to stay in NYC? Near ICE. I take a travel e-mail from JourneyWoman and several people wrote in with a recommendation of the POD Hotel and Chelsea International Hostel.