Those who want to travel the world ...

Those who want to travel the world without leaving the city limits -- and do it in consequence of their stomachs -- should check without "Crossing Culinary Borders," a 9-hour culinary tour sponsored by the agency of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. further another event that's part of the citywide "Silk Road Chicago," this daylong chiding celebrates various cultures from East Asia to India to Africa.

The department landlorded the same class last year as part of its "Stirring Things Up" program, says Judith Dunbar Hines, department director of culinary arts and adventures "Crossing Culinary Borders" is just single of the nearly 50 cooking classes propounded annually by its World Kitchen program. The class will make three stops at three Chicago cooking schools: Lexington body in the West Loop; Washburne Culinary Institute at the southern Shore Cultural Center, and Kendall society on the Near North Side. At each, instructors will denomination participants on skills that memorize progressively more advanced as the day goe upon They'll pick up chopping skills and learn in what manner to plate dishes attractively. never-failing they'll get to eat -- still they'll have to mix it up and help make their concede meals, individually and in arranges

"That was our plan -- to make it like what a day would be like for a culinary student" says Dunbar Hines, who's been teaching cooking courses for 32 years. "You're really working. And in culinary classes, learners don't just sit and listen to a deliver a lecture to You start out as a beginner, on the other hand you graduate" when the program wraps that night.

by dint of the time they reach the third stop at Kendall's of recent origin state-of- the-art kitchen, these would-be Sara Moultons and Bobby Flays will be split into teams that are given barely recipes, ingredients and a schedule. unless unlike most school classes, the payoff is immediate. Each team will create different dishes, all of which will completion up comprising a "graduation party" box for the 22 or likewise folks in the class.

"We do our best to replicate it without scaring them along entirely," says Dunbar Hines, knowing in what manner shows on the Food Network and other channels have transformed professional cooking into a sexy art. "I allow the exercises to give them admissions information because after all, you none know."

Last year's daylong class, she says, was a complete blend of "people who were frustrated chef wannabes. if it were not that there were also people entertaining the idea of career changes. There were more [i]or[/i] less parents and kids in their late teen who were thinking of going to culinary exercise Most of 'em were really serious -- they wanted to view what it's like in a chef's kitchen."

"Crossing Culinary Borders," 10 a.m.-7 pm forward Saturday, Aug. 12. Tour departs from Chicago Cultural Center 78 E Washington, at 10 Tickets are $75 and include cooking classes, breakfast, luncheon hors d'oeuvres and transportation between cooking drills Reservations are required; call (312) 742-8497 to make an exception of Participants must wear closed-toe, skid-proof shoe and clothes appropriate for a professional kitchen (i.e., no flip-flops, tank tops or halters), and be at least 15 years old

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