Welcome to my blog, where I’ll be reviewing Yotam Ottolenghi’s MasterClass and answering all the questions you ever wanted to know about Middle Eastern cooking. Get ready to amaze your friends and family with delicious dishes from Ottolenghi’s kitchen. After taking this course, you will feel like a professional chef who can whip up a culinary masterpiece in no time!
Let’s get cooking!
Introduction
MasterClass is a unique educational platform that offers online classes from world renowned professionals. Their roster of teachers includes celebrity chefs, actors, athletes and business leaders. The course offerings range from cooking to athletics and leadership training – something for everyone. One of the featured teachers is Yotam Ottolenghi, the James Beard Award winning chef and cookbook author. In this MasterClass review, we take an in-depth look at his class, “Yotam Ottolenghi Teaches Modern Middle Eastern Cooking“.
This 20-lesson course dives into the realm of Middle Eastern flavors with signature recipes from acclaimed chef Yotam Ottolenghi. You’ll learn how to use fresh herbs and spices to create food bursting with flavor – whether you’re looking to impress at your next dinner party or just simply want to expand your home cooking repertoire. From roasted vegetables to poached pears there is something for everyone in this comprehensive course.
With several hours of lessons on ingredients, techniques and cooking tips you won’t be disappointed with the content that Chef Ottolenghi has prepared for MasterClass members.
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s Background
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi is one of the leading forces in innovating modern Mediterranean cuisine. Born in Jerusalem, Chef Yotam traveled across the world gaining experience in various cooking styles. It was when he settled into the London restaurant scene that he truly achieved global recognition. His simple but bold variations on classic Mediterranean flavors are now reinterpreted throughout top restaurants across Europe and North America.
Yotam’s cooking style centers around taking delicate and balanced ingredients to form dishes that burst with flavor. This unique approach to combining traditional roots with modern techniques has earned him not only a Michelin star, but also a McArthur ‘genius’ Fellowship from The MacArthur Foundation, as well as a large social media following of over 3 million fans around the world.
Since opening a number of award-winning restaurants, hosting two prime-time television shows and writing several successful cookery books— including his latest offering, ‘Flavor’ – Yotam has gone on to launch an online MasterClass that promises to take you through his entire culinary journey step by step.
Course Content
Yotam Ottolenghi’s MasterClass is an online cooking course created for the home cook. It is intended to provide an immersive exploration in Ottolenghi’s signature cooking style, which combines seasonal produce, vibrant flavors, and global influences.
The course includes over 3 hours of video lessons highlighting 11 recipes from Ottolenghi’s cookbook portfolio. In addition, the instructional material includes 7 online classes on a variety of topics such as knife skills, ratio baking techniques and baking techniques. Furthermore, there are several downloadable worksheets included with the class to help you sharpen your culinary skills.
Yotam guides viewers through step-by-step demos of his signature recipes while offering tips on getting creative with your own improvisations in the kitchen. He also provides guidance and advice on ingredient selection, flavor pairings and cooking techniques that are essential to mastering his recipes.
Course topics range from plant-based sides and main courses to elegant desserts and Italian classics like Bolognese sauce or a decadent tiramisu cake. The MasterClass also includes over 2 hours of bonus videos for cooks who want to take their knowledge even further by learning about food science or product design principles for their own at-home culinary creations.
Course Format
The Yotam Ottolenghi MasterClass is an immersive cooking course for new and experienced cooks alike. The 14-lesson class follows the well-known London-based chef and restaurateur as he takes viewers step-by-step through his process for creating spectacular, flavorful dishes. Throughout the course, Yotam shares his favorite techniques and ingredients, giving viewers the tools to fast track their way to truly delicious dishes.
The class is broken down into three main sections: flavor exploration, recipe breakdowns, and skills lessons.
In the first section, Yotam begins by exploring flavor combinations—teaching viewers how to combine ingredients in ways they never imagined. He then quickly moves into deep dives of specific recipes—breaking them down step by step so that viewers can recreate them in their own kitchens. In addition to discussing ingredients, measurements, and techniques for perfecting recipes such as Shakshuka with Chickpeas & Feta or Israeli Shrimp Gimini Salad with Tomato & Yogurt sauce; Yotam also covers a variety of different topics from the foundations of proper knife handling to fingerling potatoes master classes – so that even novice cooks are leaving with a wealth of knowledge after finishing the course.
Finally, Yotam wraps up with a lesson on plating—showing viewers how they can take simple ingredients and turn them into something stunning & Insta worthy. All in all this course packs tons of value as not only do you leave with enough detailed recipes that you could start cooking restaurant quality meals almost immediately; but you will also learn invaluable skills along the way which make this one course worth it’s weight in gold!
Pros
There are many benefits to taking the Yotam Ottolenghi MasterClass. Yotam Ottolenghi is a Michelin-starred chef and a highly respected restaurateur with an impressive CV – chances are, if you’re interested in learning more about cooking from him, you’ll certainly benefit from his experience and expertise.
The video based lessons provide a unique opportunity to watch, learn and follow along in real-time as he demonstrates various recipes in his own kitchen. You can ask him questions as he cooks, or pause/rewind the videos to get an even closer look at how to make the recipes correctly. Each recipe also comes with step-by-step instructions so that you can practice your skills when trying out each dish at home.
Additionally, the MasterClass on Yotam Ottolenghi provides mealtimes props such as shopping lists, menus, and tools which will help to save time and effort when planning meals for yourself or family/friends.
With over 20 lessons on offer across 4 main categories – Middle Eastern & Mediterranean dishes; Pasta & Dumplings; Vegetables & Grains; and Sweets & Bakes – there’s something for everyone! This means that even if you just want to try some simple dishes there’s plenty of ideas here for you to explore. Furthermore, Yotam’s personal story within this course is inspiring – hearing how he started his restaurant business gives insight into what goes into making it successful and provides advice for those looking to launch their own culinary journey.
Cons
Despite many positive reviews, there have been some critics of the MasterClass. Some of the most commonly cited cons associated with Ottolenghi’s online cooking platform include:
- Expensive – At $90 a class, many users have said that the course is expensive compared to other similar online cooking courses.
- Lacks Depth – Although the content includes videos of professional chefs demonstrating various techniques and recipes, many users feel that MasterClass does not offer profoundly detailed or comprehensive instruction.
- Limited Accessibility – The main downside to MasterClass is that it only offers digital access to each class and there is no option to purchase a physical version or DVD set.
Final Thoughts
After taking the MasterClass, we feel that this course is an excellent investment for Yotam Ottolenghi fans and home cooks alike. The instruction is clear and easy to understand, and there is plenty of detailed information from the chefs and guests to help guide your cooking. Each recipe was fun and engaging, allowing us to learn more about Ottolenghi’s style of cooking as well as our own kitchen skills. We appreciated the range of recipes (from beginner-friendly to more complex dishes) so there is something for everyone.
This course does an incredible job of showcasing the unique flavors and techniques practiced in Mediterranean cuisine. Yotam Ottolenghi brings his signature approach to each dish, with tips on how best to combine ingredients that bring out the most flavor in each dish.
Our favorite thing about this class was how fun it was – we felt like we were being invited into a personal cooking lesson with a great friend! We highly recommend this course for anyone looking to develop their skills in Mediterranean cuisine or become a better home cook!
Conclusion
Overall, we highly recommend Yotam Ottolenghi’s MasterClass on Mediterranean cuisine. It is an excellent way to learn how to create unique and delicious dishes with the key flavors of the region, utilizing both traditional techniques and modern twists. The lessons offer wonderful insight into some of Yotam’s best-known specialties and are backed up by helpful visuals as well as many invaluable tips from the man himself.
There is no doubt you will leave this course with a comprehensive understanding of Mediterranean cooking and its many flavors and textures. Whether you are a first-time cook or a chef in training, MasterClass could be just what your kitchen needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the overall rating for the Yotam Ottolenghi MasterClass?
A: The Yotam Ottolenghi MasterClass has a 4.8/5 rating from its users.
Q: How many lessons are there in the Yotam Ottolenghi MasterClass?
A: The Yotam Ottolenghi MasterClass contains 12 lessons.
Q: What type of recipes are available in the Yotam Ottolenghi MasterClass?
A: The Yotam Ottolenghi MasterClass offers a variety of recipes, including vegan and vegetarian dishes.
- How to Make Your Coworking Space More Engaged Offering Courses - October 23, 2023
- Accelerated Learning through MVP Marketplaces: How Does It Work? - August 11, 2023
- Best Way To Learn Czech - May 10, 2023
