Welcome to "Cook A Fish, Give A Fish". In this online cooking class, you will learn to cook delicious local seafood dishes alongside some of the finest chefs from Long Island to Rhode Island and everywhere in between! In this unique class, fisheries experts from Eating With The Ecosystem and Cornell Cooperative Extension's Marine Program will teach you everything you want to know about the fish, the fishermen and the many benefits of choosing local seafood while expert chefs teach you how to turn fresh fish straight from the sea into fabulous meals you can share with your friends and family!
The best part is that 100% of the ticket price goes towards providing local seafood for families in need (20 meals per ticket)!
The November 29th online class will be led by Chef Eric Brown of Thick Neck in Providence, RI as he shows you how to prepare Chicken Fried Monkfish.
MEET CHEF ERIC of THICK NECK
When Eric Brown was 16, his dad asked him to make a choice: play high school sports or get a job. He chose the latter. He found a dishwashing gig at a local sandwich joint, and after a couple of months, was moved up to breading cutlets and other prep tasks. It wasn’t until he worked at a fish fry and grill in his hometown of Wakefield, Massachusetts that he found his real calling. Every new experience, like watching a whole fish getting broken down, reinforced Brown's desire to be in this industry for life. He enrolled at Johnson & Wales' Providence campus, and during his sophomore year, began working at the French fine dining restaurant, Gracie’s, quickly rising to executive sous chef. After graduating in 2015, Brown needed a change from the New England coastline, so he relocated to Chicago and took a position at the Michelin-starred restaurant Elske under Rising Stars alum David Posey.
After a year, Brown left the restaurant to start his own pop-up project, Pinky Ring, operating in coffee shops and warehouses in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, while rolling pasta at an Italian restaurant on the side to pay the bills. In 2019, he was presented with a chef’s counter space in Logan Square, which he turned into an underground atelier. And while the operation wasn’t properly zoned (strictly speaking), it was a smash hit. After three years, it was time to close up shop. Brown returned to Providence, with the initial idea of creating a refined fish fry pop-up, but when the elegant restaurant space in the Dean Hotel was offered to him, he pivoted to a more composed, progressive concept called Thick Neck. The residency is driven by dishes that highlight local fisheries and farms and his background in Nordic and coastal New England cooking, like his Point Judith fluke crudo with sweet potato, pickled shallot, apple vinegar, and preserved lemon relish.
What to expect at a "Cook a Fish, Give a Fish!" class
1. A few days before the class, you will receive a recipe with a list of ingredients and tools you will need to prepare the meal from home, as well as the link to join virtually via Zoom.
2. You are responsible for sourcing all of your own ingredients, including the fish. Fisheries experts from Eating With The Ecosystem and Cornell Cooperative Extension's Marine Program are available and happy to provide advice on sourcing the fish (and substitutions, if needed).
3. On the evening of the event, gather your family, partners, roommates, friends, or pets (or kick them all out and enjoy some well earned time to yourself). These classes are also a great way to connect with fellow seafood lovers from the comfort of your own home. Assemble your ingredients, grab your favorite beverage and log into a Zoom video class.
4. Classes are facilitated by Kate Masury of Eating with the Ecosystem and Kristin Gerbino from Cornell Cooperative Extension. Culinary instructions are provided by an expert guest chef (Eric Brown of Thick Neck). This is a social setting, and you are invited to relax and interact!
5. As the chef cooks in his kitchen, you follow the same steps in your kitchen. And voila! Your local seafood meal is ready to eat!
6. 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales are used to purchase local seafood for people in need though East End Food Institute in Southampton NY, African Alliance of RI, Women's Refuge Care, Narragansett Indian Tribe, Refugee Dream Center, Sunrise Forever Inc., George Wiley Center and the Commercial Fisheries Center of RI. Over 11,000 meals have been provided so far!
What you’ll get: guidance on buying local fish ahead of time, a delicious recipe, step-by-step guidance through an intimate group video with the chef and seafood experts, and an overall unique and fun experience!