When my kids were little, I’d joke with them as they lay on the changing table.
"I’m changing your diapers now, so you’ll change mine later," I’d say.
I thought of that when I told my son that I signed him up for a cooking class with Chef Paul Smitala so that he could start making dinner and give me a few nights off each week. He laughed at that one.
But, seriously, the 90-minute class, which Smitala holds in the banquet room at Blackwolf Run Restaurant in Kohler, where he runs the kitchen, teaches kids kitchen basics and, despite the fact that the students range in age from 6 to 9 years old, Smitala doesn’t have them cutting corners.
Upcoming classes are Jan. 18, at noon (ages 10-13); Feb. 8, at noon (ages 10-13); and March 15, 10-11:30 a.m. (ages 6-9).
The classes are quite popular and the 20 slots typically fill up fast. So fast that there are waiting lists sometimes, too. At the class we attended (I just watched; parents don’t take part), there were 26 kids, because of overflowing waiting lists, but there were plenty of chefs on hand and there were about six kids per chef.
They made cheesy fries, corn dogs and chocolate cream puffs. All were made from scratch, though the kids didn’t stuff their own sausages or make the puff pastry, of course. That’s probably another class.
But Smitala – who, of course, fired up some of his home-rigged power tool-fueled kitchen utensils, to the kids’ delight – had them make their own cream filling, they cut out and baked the puffs, made the corn dog batter, seasoned and cooked the potatoes and returned them to the oven with cheese on top.
Smitala and his team were great with the kids. They were serious about the hot plates and sharp utensils, but they were friendly, personable and light-hearted with the young ones, too.
The kids worked hard and enjoyed the fruits of their labor. They learned them that they, too, can make delicious food with a bit of work.
It’s a great lesson. Not only do kids learn to cook for themselves in the class, but they’ve now got the tools to cook with mom and dad – a great tradition for families. They also appreciate what it takes to bring food to their table at restaurants. And I’m especially glad that they learn it’s worth putting in a little effort to make a great meal, rather than simply opening the freezer and firing up the microwave.
At $20 a kid, the classes are a steal.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
