Chef-in-Training Cooks for Audience

Lights. Audience. Cooking.

Horsham resident Lauren Bissig, an Eastern Center for Arts and Technology culinary arts student and Hatboro-Horsham High School senior, assisted with a recent event at COOK, Philadelphia’s premier demonstration kitchen. Entitled “A Modern Seven Fishes Feast with Yianni Arhontoulis, Lauren, who is interning at Mica Restaurant in Chestnut Hill, helped with food preparation at Mica.

She transported food to COOK, which is known for elaborate cooking demonstrations by Philadelphia’s established and aspiring chefs. Throughout the evening, Lauren helped Chef Arhontoulis plate the food and serve it to guests. 

This event was limited to 16 people due to the size and uniqueness of the venue. COOK is an intimate dining experience, so each guest had the opportunity to ask the Chef questions while he was preparing the food. COOK has a new chef scheduled each night – usually a Philadelphia-based Chef. These events are booked months in advance. 

“This was my first time doing one of these special dinners. You are cooking in front of a live audience – similar to a cooking show,” Lauren said in a press release provided by Eastern. “If the opportunity ever arises, I would certainly volunteer again. It is a great way to refine the skills.” 

This meal was made especially for seafood lovers. For this special fish feast at COOK, Chef Arhontoulis served a menu consisting of octopus, scallops, tuna, mussels, bacalao, wild striped bass and lobster tail, and a few land meats as well. 

Chip Roman’s team at Mica welcomed Chef Arhontoulis to Chestnut Hill’s Mica in March of 2013 where the menu showcases his artistic eye while the intriguing flavor combinations highlight his passion for seasonal ingredients. Visit Mica’s Web site at http://micarestaurant.com/.