Join Chef Irv Miller of Jackson’s Steakhouse as he leads a series of cooking classes on the third Wednesday of each month. Classes cover everything from shopping to preparation to presentation. Two classes are scheduled for each month. The first class begin promptly at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m. The second class begins at 7:30 p.m. and concludes at 9:00 p.m. Each class costs $45 per person, which covers the cooking demonstration, tastings of the recipes, wine pairings, and a take-home recipe booklet so you can try your hand at Miller’s recipes in the comfort of your own home. Reservations are required, so be sure to make yours by calling Maria Goldberg, Director of Marketing, Public Relations and Special Events at 850-217-2347.
Gulf Coast Oyster Classics, Wednesday: January 18th
The world may be our oyster, but for a few of us, “The oyster is our world!” During class we will celebrate a love of oysters that may qualify as obsession. Chef Miller will share favorite articles, recipes, stories, as well as sharing expert tips and thoughts on our beloved bivalve! Chef Miller is an advocate of Gulf wild oysters and new off-bottom aquaculture along the Gulf Coast, and has been a judge for the Hangout Oyster Cook-Off in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and works closely with oyster farmers in Alabama and Apalachicola. Chef Miller has been featured as Guest Chef for Outstanding in the Field, a nationwide Farm to Table event held at 13 Mile road oyster processing house along the Apalachicola Bay.
Southern Comfort Foods, Wednesday: February 15th
Chef Irv is a proud Southern transplant of three decades. He has committed his talent to the Northwest Coast of Florida and is recognized from Pensacola to Seaside as one of the Gulf Coast’s best chefs. Chef Irv will walk you through some of his favorite Southern-inspired dishes. His regional dishes include ingredients that he has enjoyed and found remarkable as both traditional and nontraditional Southern foods. He will share information and prepare treasured locally available foods and recipes in a 4-course sampling for you to enjoy. Some of his favorite tastings, from small growers and local farmers to the waters of our very own Gulf of Mexico, include pork, local seafood, C & D Mill yellow corn grits, and an array of seasonal ingredients.
A Taste of Louisiana, Wednesday: March 15th
Inspired from the many New Orleans chefs (including Susan Spicer, John Folse, Paul Prudhomme, Emeril Lagasse, John Besh and Leon Galatoire, to name a few), Gulf Coast Chef Irv Miller will celebrate the flavors of Louisiana cooking at its finest. Chef Irv will re-create many of the regional specialties they have become recognized for, both Acadian and Creole. Chef will be using all local ingredients to replicate unique tastings from the French Quarter to the Bayou Country. And for dessert Chef will prepare an ole-time street food, sweet “Calas,” the rice-filled, deep-fried dessert rice ball rolled in sugar. These dishes and similar likings will inspire you to take a trip to NOLA and seek out some of their best local favorites.
American Spice, Wednesday: April 19th
Chef Miller will be featuring and demonstrating America’s favorite dishes using world spices. He will create a variety of recipes introducing spice rub combinations and marinades for both fish and meat. Many of the ingredients used will reflect different geographical areas around the world and reflect the particular regional culture and climate’s ingredients. The recipes are easy-to-replicate dishes not necessarily centered on hot spices, but rather more aromatic spices and their proper application to American foods. Chef will prepare pork, chicken and seafood along with a few of his favorite vegetable sides.
International Favorites, Wednesday: May 17th
Some of Chef Irv’s favorite cooking techniques and dishes hail from the Mediterranean and surrounding regions. Of all the bold ingredients and cooking styles of the sun-drenched region, the foods of Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Africa, India, Egypt and Israel inspire Chef Irv the most. He will prepare authentic regional condiments and foods, and re-create specialty dishes from within the Mediterranean and surrounding region. Chef Irv will prepare four tastings and discuss food similarities and differences of the area’s many regions. Chef Irv will focus on the coastline seafood specialties, cheeses, country regional dishes and familiar global favorites to expand on his sun-drenched menu tastings.
Fresh Florida Catch, Wednesday: June 21
Chef Miller will take you on a seafood adventure, discovering the bounty of regional offerings from the Florida Panhandle Gulf estuaries, and fingers to fathoms. Chef Irv will share tips for purchasing, storing, preparing and cooking fresh seafood and shellfish. He will discuss basic marinades and demonstrate several of his favorite dishes. With a bit of preplanning, a trip to one of the local seafood markets will inspire you to use the freshest seafood available by purchasing over-the-counter seafood fresh off the boat. Locally prized seasonal catches include red snapper, grouper, scamp, cobia, pompano, triggerfish, swordfish, wahoo, mahi mahi, amberjack, sheepshead, speckled trout, flounder, yellowfin tuna, king and Spanish mackerel and the invasive lionfish species.
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