Business & Tech
Cooking Up Ideas at Bullfinch's Restaurant
Chef Scott Richardson hosting weekly classes.
Bullfinch's Restaurant has been heralded as one of the jewels of metro west dining.
The casual, classy environment, the legendary Sunday brunch and the warm, welcoming nature of Peg and Scott Richardson all combine to make Bullfinch's one of the few urban foodie destinations west of Route 128.
For the past 30 years, the Richardsons have kept the business thriving by giving patrons a reason to come back: a new menu item, live jazz music and, for the past couple years, Chef Scott Richardson's weekly cooking school.
Every Tuesday night at 6:30, Scott hosts up to 16 diners into Bullfinch's spacious banquet room for a night of tasting, talking and learning. A different multi-course menu is planned every week (this week's courses included mussels with herb & citrus, potato crusted salmon, chocolate chip bread, and butter pudding).
The cooking school is aimed at regular folks with cooking skills of any level.
"We've been doing this for close to three years," Scott Richardson said, "and my end result has always been to teach people how to cook. I'm a self-taught chef. Most of my learning was gained by doing, experimenting. That's what I want the people who come here to leave with: the idea that experimenting in the kitchen with ingredients that most folks have on hand can lead to a new discovery and a new level of enjoyment.
"It's always a terrific, different crowd. Some nights the room is mostly people who have never met but tend to become fast friends through the experience and other nights it's a corporate outing designed to let co-workers enjoy each other's company outside of the office. I think the most important thing is that you don't need any specific skills. You just need to know how to eat. And drink."
The menu for Bullfinch's weekly cooking school can be found on its website at http://www.bullfinchs.com/school.htm. Make reservations in advance as some sessions fill up fast. Due to the limited space, non-refundable credit card reservations are required. Call 978-443-4094 for reservations.
