Core Techniques Helps Cooks Trust their Inner Chef

Many of the best cooks are self taught.

Over the years they have mastered recipes, created their own menu of
dishes that they serve regularly and have the basic skills required to
be accomplished in the kitchen. They enjoy cooking and entertaining,
but perhaps want to take it to the next level without the intense time
commitment and cost involved. KitchenCUE, a new interactive DVD
series, feeds the mind and imaginations of the self taught cook, by
simply empowering them with the core techniques needed to free them
from recipes and allowing them to trust their inner chef. From the
comforts of home, a professional chef will help inspire even the most
seasoned cook.

Kevin Higgins and Chef Shellie Kark, a husband and wife team,
developed the series to teach the fundamentals of cooking through
innovative and interactive methods. Chef Kark has a culinary education
from the California Culinary Academy and extensive experience as an
instructor at Cook Street School of Fine Cooking in Denver. Higgins
brings to the table entrepreneurial skills and a long history of
developing successful businesses.

“The DVD was designed with every level of cooking expertise in mind,
“said Chef Kark, KitchenCUE co-founder. “The core instructional
section is threaded with valuable tips and advice. We also have
components that give added value to the viewer such as knife
sharpening section, how to pair wine with your meals, even charts that
enable the viewer to visually align proteins with additional
ingredients. These well matched charts can also inspire new recipes
from ingredients already in your kitchen pantry or refrigerator so
that viewers’ menu choices expand exponentially. KitchenCUE was
created to enhance the skill level of the self taught cook.”

KitchenCUE’s three step formula draws from three different styles of
learning – visual, audio and kinesthetic to help build the culinary
skills it takes to be a “good cook.” Each DVD begins with a training
recipe to help coach viewers through the techniques. Twelve flavorful
recipes are featured in a booklet that accompanies the DVD and are
printable from a computer. These dishes reinforce the techniques
learned while executing the training recipe.

Additional content includes essential information on kitchen tools,
knife sharpening, how to prep the work area, and interviews with
notable professionals in the industry. The wine section includes an
interview with a sommelier, which will help viewers understand how to
pair their courses with wine. Viewers can also use the wine charts and
fail-safe wine pairing tips to increase their beverage knowledge.

In addition to debuting Sautés and Pan Sauces, KitchenCUE will launch
two additional DVDs this year, Soups and Stocks and Roasting. Other
titles to be included in the first releases are: Knife Sharpening,
Grilling, Flavor Infusion: Marinades and Rubs, Braising and Short
Dough: Sweet and Savory Pastries. Kark and Higgins’ goal is to
develop 24 volumes including a series dedicated to cooking for various
holiday events.

Step by step and piece by piece, KitchenCUE will help develop viewers
culinary confidence because good cooks are made, not born.