Want to know a little more about the Cookology team?
Our two classically trained chefs couldn't be more different (one loves Rammstein while the other is a self proclaimed chick music lover), but together they make one dynamic duo in the kitchen! Check out this fun Q & A.
Chef Ian Douglass
Ian is a 1995 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He's worked at several top notch kitchens across the country. He's worked with chef Emeril Lagasse, and was named one of DC's top chefs of 2008.
Ian is a 1995 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He's worked at several top notch kitchens across the country. He's worked with chef Emeril Lagasse, and was named one of DC's top chefs of 2008.
Q: Do you have a favorite comfort food?
A: I love chicken pot pie. Or any pot pie really.
Q: Favorite local restaurants?
A: The Tabard Inn is one of the best restaurants in DC. The chef produces some amazing charcuterie items, the ambiance is a great and quirky representation of a historic DC building. I feel comfortable there and the food is top notch.
Q: Who was your cooking influence?
A: I was introduced to cooking by my mother, but I loved food from a very early age. There are pictures of me breaking into the fridge when I could only crawl.
Q: What is the best meal you've ever cooked?
A: My most memorable meal was the first time I cooked an entire 5 course dinner party. It was for my parents and some friends when I was a junior in high school.
Q: What are your favorite ingredients to work with?
A: I love working with seafood. There are so may flavors, colors and textures. I think my favorite part is that you really need to understand seafood to cook it well.
Q: Have any least favorites?
A: I hate raisins. As a kid I used to pull them out of my Raisin Bran and hide them under my place mat. I guess I thought my mom wouldn't find them there.
Q: Have any favorite music to cook by?
A: I like to cook with different kinds of music but in general it needs to be loud and have a fast pace. Bands like Sepultura, 16volt and Rammstein.
Q: What's your favorite type of cuisine to cook?
A: The kind you can eat. I have no favorite. I think if you say you don't like a certain type of cuisine you probably haven't tried enough of it. No cuisine in the world is singular enough to dislike it as a whole.
Q: What is your favorite dessert?
A: I love ice cream. Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby. I am not a big dessert person, I usually opt for a cheese plate or a simple sorbet.
Q: What would you want your last meal and beverage to be?
A: I would have to have my own buffet. But if I really had to pick one meal it would be a loaf of fresh bread, an assortment of cheeses accompanied by some force meats, good mustard and beer.
Q: When you're at home do you cook for yourself or order out? Have any go-to recipes?
A: In the past I always ordered out, but I have recently started cooking at home. Pasta dishes are the easiest for me because they are fast, easy and there are endless items to add so it doesn't get boring.
Q: When you're not cooking, what are your other hobbies?
A: I am a nerd. I build and take apart things to see what's inside. I build computers and fabricate custom cases for them. I also read a lot.
Q: Is there one recipe or skill you think everyone should learn?
A: I think everyone should learn to use a knife properly. It makes cooking much more enjoyable when you know how to use the tools involved well. (Ian teaches the Knife Skills class at Cookology, so you can learn from the master!)
Q: Is there a food trend you are sick of?
A: I think foams look disgusting and unappetizing. I am not sick of them, I never liked them.
A: I love chicken pot pie. Or any pot pie really.
Q: Favorite local restaurants?
A: The Tabard Inn is one of the best restaurants in DC. The chef produces some amazing charcuterie items, the ambiance is a great and quirky representation of a historic DC building. I feel comfortable there and the food is top notch.
Q: Who was your cooking influence?
A: I was introduced to cooking by my mother, but I loved food from a very early age. There are pictures of me breaking into the fridge when I could only crawl.
Q: What is the best meal you've ever cooked?
A: My most memorable meal was the first time I cooked an entire 5 course dinner party. It was for my parents and some friends when I was a junior in high school.
Q: What are your favorite ingredients to work with?
A: I love working with seafood. There are so may flavors, colors and textures. I think my favorite part is that you really need to understand seafood to cook it well.
Q: Have any least favorites?
A: I hate raisins. As a kid I used to pull them out of my Raisin Bran and hide them under my place mat. I guess I thought my mom wouldn't find them there.
Q: Have any favorite music to cook by?
A: I like to cook with different kinds of music but in general it needs to be loud and have a fast pace. Bands like Sepultura, 16volt and Rammstein.
Q: What's your favorite type of cuisine to cook?
A: The kind you can eat. I have no favorite. I think if you say you don't like a certain type of cuisine you probably haven't tried enough of it. No cuisine in the world is singular enough to dislike it as a whole.
Q: What is your favorite dessert?
A: I love ice cream. Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby. I am not a big dessert person, I usually opt for a cheese plate or a simple sorbet.
Q: What would you want your last meal and beverage to be?
A: I would have to have my own buffet. But if I really had to pick one meal it would be a loaf of fresh bread, an assortment of cheeses accompanied by some force meats, good mustard and beer.
Q: When you're at home do you cook for yourself or order out? Have any go-to recipes?
A: In the past I always ordered out, but I have recently started cooking at home. Pasta dishes are the easiest for me because they are fast, easy and there are endless items to add so it doesn't get boring.
Q: When you're not cooking, what are your other hobbies?
A: I am a nerd. I build and take apart things to see what's inside. I build computers and fabricate custom cases for them. I also read a lot.
Q: Is there one recipe or skill you think everyone should learn?
A: I think everyone should learn to use a knife properly. It makes cooking much more enjoyable when you know how to use the tools involved well. (Ian teaches the Knife Skills class at Cookology, so you can learn from the master!)
Q: Is there a food trend you are sick of?
A: I think foams look disgusting and unappetizing. I am not sick of them, I never liked them.
Chef Tabetha Martinez
Tabetha, or Tabi to her friends, graduated as Valedictorian of her LeCordon Bleu class. She's worked in several top restaurants in the DC area. She's got a big personality and is great with kids! She teaches many of our kids and teens classes and birthday parties.
Tabetha, or Tabi to her friends, graduated as Valedictorian of her LeCordon Bleu class. She's worked in several top restaurants in the DC area. She's got a big personality and is great with kids! She teaches many of our kids and teens classes and birthday parties.
Q: Do you have a favorite comfort food?
A: Baked Mac and Cheese. With the really yummy bread crumbs on top!
Q: Favorite local restaurants?
A: Hmm... I have a mild addiction to hibachi style cooking. I used to eat at Benihana's at least once every two weeks.
Q: Who was your cooking influence?
A: My mom cooked a lot because we had a huge family. That's where the desire came from.
Q: What is the best meal you've ever cooked?
A: Seared Swordfish with a Lemon Beurre Blanc sauce. I had come home from school for the weekend, and invited over my WHOLE family to eat dinner. My grandparents had never really seen what I could do before. The look on everyone's face said it all.
Q: What are your favorite ingredients to work with?
The versatile egg. It amazes me that you can go from scrambled eggs to creme brulee using one main ingredient.
Q: Have any least favorites?
Brussel Sprouts. Gross.
Q: Have any favorite music to cook by?
A: Anything with a beat so I can dance around and cook at the same time. Chick music.
Q: What is your favorite type of cuisine to cook?
A: Italian by FAR.
Q: What's your favorite dessert?
A: MMMMMMM Cheesecake!!!!
Q: What would you want your last meal and beverage to be?
A: Good Question. I would start with a Lobster Bisque, then probably a 6 oz. fillet of Kobe Beef and Truffled Potatoes. Then a HUGE piece of cheesecake. I think that would do it. Throw in a bottle of white wine and I would be good to go.
Q: When you're at home do you cook for yourself or order out? Have any go-to recipes?
A: I love take out chinese, but I cook way more than I order out.
Q: When you're not cooking, what are your other hobbies?
A: Cleaning!
Q: Is there one recipe or skill you think everyone should learn?
A: Knife Skills. If you can't use your knife properly, that can hold you back from more than you think.
Q: Food trend you are sick of?
A: I think a no carb diet is a sin. Not really, but it is REALLY silly.
Q: Anything else you think we should know about you?
A: I am a junk food junky!
A: Baked Mac and Cheese. With the really yummy bread crumbs on top!
Q: Favorite local restaurants?
A: Hmm... I have a mild addiction to hibachi style cooking. I used to eat at Benihana's at least once every two weeks.
Q: Who was your cooking influence?
A: My mom cooked a lot because we had a huge family. That's where the desire came from.
Q: What is the best meal you've ever cooked?
A: Seared Swordfish with a Lemon Beurre Blanc sauce. I had come home from school for the weekend, and invited over my WHOLE family to eat dinner. My grandparents had never really seen what I could do before. The look on everyone's face said it all.
Q: What are your favorite ingredients to work with?
The versatile egg. It amazes me that you can go from scrambled eggs to creme brulee using one main ingredient.
Q: Have any least favorites?
Brussel Sprouts. Gross.
Q: Have any favorite music to cook by?
A: Anything with a beat so I can dance around and cook at the same time. Chick music.
Q: What is your favorite type of cuisine to cook?
A: Italian by FAR.
Q: What's your favorite dessert?
A: MMMMMMM Cheesecake!!!!
Q: What would you want your last meal and beverage to be?
A: Good Question. I would start with a Lobster Bisque, then probably a 6 oz. fillet of Kobe Beef and Truffled Potatoes. Then a HUGE piece of cheesecake. I think that would do it. Throw in a bottle of white wine and I would be good to go.
Q: When you're at home do you cook for yourself or order out? Have any go-to recipes?
A: I love take out chinese, but I cook way more than I order out.
Q: When you're not cooking, what are your other hobbies?
A: Cleaning!
Q: Is there one recipe or skill you think everyone should learn?
A: Knife Skills. If you can't use your knife properly, that can hold you back from more than you think.
Q: Food trend you are sick of?
A: I think a no carb diet is a sin. Not really, but it is REALLY silly.
Q: Anything else you think we should know about you?
A: I am a junk food junky!
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