By: Jane Black of the Washington Post
At 12:30 p.m., seven cooks circle a large stainless-steel table. In front of each one is a platter of ingredients: a clove of garlic, a slice of onion, basil, spinach, feta cheese and tomatoes. In the next 30 minutes, they will mince, slice, chiffonade and saute their way to a lunch of pasta with fresh tomato sauce and spinach.
The skills are basic, and, even with the clock ticking, the vibe is relaxed. That's the goal of classes at Cookology, a culinary school that opened last month. The bright storefront in the Dulles Town Center mall offers lessons in knife skills, baking and 30-minute meals, all for between $40 and $60 each.
"The old standby of going to a really expensive restaurant doesn't work anymore," says owner Maria Kopsidas, a former public relations and marketing consultant. "At a class, you're in there getting some skills, a glass of wine, talking to the chef and eating your creation."
At a time when consumers are cutting back on just about everything, entrepreneurs are betting that cooking classes are the way food lovers…
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