Chef, culinary stylist, and Related partner Ashton Keefe recently hosted Related Cooking School, a three-part series introducing residents to professional cooking techniques and approachable recipes. Each class focused on a specific culinary skill—knife skills, dressings and sauces, and grilling and searing—while showcasing recipes that put those techniques into practice.
All events took place at Abington House (500 W. 30th St., New York, NY 10001) in the Resident Lounge or on the 7th Floor Terrace. Catch highlights from the cooking school series below.
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Class 1: Knife Skills
Keefe’s first class focused on knife skills, a foundational technique that can elevate everyday cooking. Attendees learned essential knife cuts, proper techniques for cooking with knives, how to invest in quality knives, and appropriate knife care, including cleaning.
Keefe demonstrated how to apply these knife skills in an Italian caponata recipe that called for dicing and mincing. Event-goers also practiced making pico de gallo, which includes everything from rough chopping to dicing to mincing.
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Class 2: Dressings and Sauces
Classic French "mother sauces" like béchamel, velouté, and hollandaise may seem intimidating, but they’re actually pretty simple to make. Keefe’s second class showcased how to make these classic sauces and incorporate them into everyday recipes.
Béchamel sauce can be used for a more gourmet take on mac and cheese, while hollandaise sauce is probably most popularly used in eggs Benedict.
For dressings, Keefe demoed a decadent Caesar salad dressing recipe, as well as a simple salad dressing. A steak au poivre was another recipe that spotlighted a simple sauce.
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Class 3: Cooking With Heat: Searing, Grilling, Braising, and More
The class on searing and grilling focused on creative ways to use different heat-based cooking techniques to elevate everyday dishes. Keefe reviewed grilling, searing, frying, roasting, and braising, and how each method affects a dish’s flavor.
A grilled hanger steak with chimichurri caprese topping showcased searing techniques, while a roasted citrus fish with fennel demoed roasting. Event-goers saw grilling tips in action with a fig and arugula flatbread and a grilled eggplant with tahini drizzle.
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