Class with Chef: The official press release.

First there was this:

Local joys of cooking at Every Day Fresh.

Then there was this:

Foodie foreshadowing & denouement: Class With Chef.

Now there is the official press release. The notion of cooking classes held in a bookstore with a fully functional kitchen is entirely logical, isn't it? It's also fascinating to watch as businesses evolve, seeing as I have a stake in just such a transformation.

Take it away, Class with Chef.

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CLASS WITH CHEF CREATES HAPPY COOKS

NEW ALBANY, Ind. – Southern Indiana is rapidly becoming a hotbed for culinary entrepreneurs and starting next month, home cooks (and wannabe cooks) can join in the excitement.

Every Day Fresh, the food consultancy of Chef Gina Brown, is launching “Class with Chef” in a space once occupied by a popular New Albany soup and sandwich shop. Group classes on kitchen and culinary skills will begin on Thursday, June 5, at 6 p.m.

Brown, a veteran of professional kitchens and a long-time New Albany resident, spent more than a year looking for a kitchen where she could offer hands-on instruction. “We want to show people how much joy there is in cooking great food,” she said. “The best way to learn about food is to get your hands messy and with a Chef Instructor on hand to help, we think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

The chef is already offering meal planning and food shopping excursions to private clients. “We wanted to expand those services into a group setting,” she said, “and now we think we have the perfect place to do that. We’re excited to extend the Every Day Fresh concept to a more social environment.”

Class with Chef will launch in the former Dueling Grounds Café space inside Destinations Booksellers, 604 E. Spring St. in New Albany. Landlord Randy Smith said he and his wife had been looking for the right tenant and have always envisioned the kitchen, built in 2009, as a perfect incubator space. “Gina and I have talked, and we think there is still room for one or more part-time tenants,” he said, inviting inquiries from other food entrepreneurs looking for a chance to “prove a concept.”

For the time being, Chef Brown will be the sole instructor, with classes planned for Thursday evenings and Saturdays during the first month or so.

Brown is a graduate of Sullivan University with an A.S. in Baking and Pastry Arts and has more than two decades of experience in professional kitchens. She is currently a Chef Instructor at Ivy Tech Community College in Sellersburg, Ind., and has previously taught at Sullivan University in Louisville, Ky., and the Prosser Career Education Center in New Albany. She is also a ServSafe Instructor/Proctor.

Classes are by reservation only and fees will run from $35 to $75 a person, depending on the class description, and includes all materials and equipment use. Customers can also purchase classes as a gift for a friend or loved one. Each class is limited in size to ensure adequate instructional time for each customer. Group rates are also available.

The June 5 class is Pie Making 101 and includes instruction in making the perfect flaky crust. Each class member will make a classic Spring pie and a galette (rustic tart) to take home.

The Saturday classes on June 7 and June 14 are called “Follow Me to the Market,” and features a guided trip to New Albany’s Downtown Farmers’ Market where Chef Brown will guide the selections for each class member to make a seasonal, locally-sourced meal.

For details on classes and to reserve a spot in an upcoming class, call Chef Brown at (812) 697-0266 or visit classwithchef.com. Every Day Fresh can also be contacted on Facebook and Twitter.