Bardonia Business Hosts Celebrity Chef at Cooking Class (VIDEO)

Leek and Potato Fritata. Bruschetta of Fresh Ricotta and Spicy Kale. Strawberry and Lemon Curd Parfait. 

Sound good? A small group got a chance to taste these dishes and more at the special cooking class at the in Bardonia this past Tuesday. Peter Berley was the guest chef leading the session called "Fast and Fabulous Dishes for Spring. 

The meals came from his recipe book, which was available for attendees to peruse and purchase: Fresh Food Fast. Berley is the former executive chef of the world-renowned Angelica Kitchen restaurant in New York City, he is Chef at The Culinary Loft in NYC, holds classes at The Institute of Culinary Education and The Natural Gourmet Institute in Manhattan. He has contributed to Edible Brooklyn, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, Everyday with Rachel Ray, Natural Health, Cooking Light, and Fine Cooking magazinee and he can be seen in Vegetarian Cooking segments of Conscious Cuisine series for the Food Network.com.

“He teaches at the National Gourmet Institute, where I graduated from. He’s one of the teachers I really enjoyed, so I invited him here to do a class,” said Marcella Guglielmo, who now works at the Food Evolution. “He leans more toward vegetarian and healthy options and that’s how we cook here at the Food Evolution.”

Also on the menu was Spring Borscht with Dill and Caraway, and Pea Shoot and Sprout Salad. 

“I’m glad to be here,” said Berley, adding that he advocates forward thinking about food and strongly supports farmers markets. "I just think that what (the Food Evolution) is doing is great." 

The Food Evolution is a nutrition and cooking center designed to teach people how to prepare delicious and nutritious “whole foods” for themselves and their families. They teach students the general knowledge and skills necessary to shop for, prepare, and serve healthy and beautiful meals, according to its website.