The Secret Sauce
One thing about life during the Covid-19 crisis? You’ll definitely learn something on the internet. Tutorials flood our timelines like never before. Between Instagram reels, YouTube videos and TikTok clips, the web has emerged as the University we never knew we needed. Now thanks to Skillshare, Kelis is the professor we never knew we had!
“When I went to culinary school, some people wanted to say she’s divorced, she’s whack, she’s falling off.”
The Grammy-nominated artist behind hits like “Milkshake” and “Bossy,” famously stormed the culinary world in 2008 when she began training as a saucier at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu. “When I went to culinary school,” remembers Kelis in an exclusive interview with Sweet July, “some people wanted to say she’s divorced, she’s whack, she’s falling off.”
At the time the star was in the midst of a separation from her ex-husband, rapper Nas, while facing contract issues with her label. “I didn’t care what was said! Why would I care about [outside] opinions? It has nothing to do with me.”
“First of all, [this class is] about sauce. And I have a good understanding of sauce as it pertains to culture.”
This signature confidence carried Kelis from culinary school to building a culinary empire which now includes her food and lifestyle brand, Bounty & Full, a best selling cookbook, My Life On A Plate, and the multi-acre Bounty & Full farms.
Now, the pop star turned top-chef is sharing her lessons, wisdom, and innovative cooking style in a class available exclusively on Skillshare.com. “If I’m being honest I never looked to be a teacher,” Kelis says. “They approached me, and I was a little nervous.”
But for the pop star, all of that changed with the freedom to teach her topic of choice. “I was able to do sauce – something I’m super passionate about!”
Titled “Tell Your Story Through Sauce,” the course takes a deep and delicious dive into your memory bank to extract the foundation of your favorite flavors.
Armed with this knowledge you’ll join Kelis on a global culinary journey from Asia to the Caribbean. But of all the regions you’ll discover, Kelis can testify, the most powerful provenance will be: you. “For me,” she shares with a hearty laugh, “I realized I was way more Puerto Rican than I thought I was when I started cooking!”
Delicious self discoveries like this are what this course is all about. So no matter your skill level or goal, just bring your curiosity!
RECIPE:
Kelis' Simple Salad Dressing
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar or white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lime juice
2 tbsp minced shallot or green onions, scallions, or garlic
1 tbsp raw honey or fruit jam or marmalade
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
1 tbsp fresh thyme
2 tsp dijon mustard or brown or yellow mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all ingredients to blender.
- Blend on high for about 15-20 seconds until emulsified.
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
For Chef Kelis, exploring your unique story through flavors makes you more than just a boss at sauce – it empowers you in every aspect of cooking. “People (can) look at food with the wrong foundation, so people are scrambling to create these elaborate recipes,” she adds.
Admittedly, she’s been there. Growing up with a Chef and caterer for a mother gave Kelis a double advantage. “I was a better cook than average [but] I used to cook like my mom. What changed me as a Chef is culinary school,” she reveals. “That is when I found my voice and who I was in the kitchen.”
“We all eat similar things. What defines it are the accessories, the accoutrements, the thing on top. The sauce!”
To unleash your voice, you can learn live with Kelis during streamed lessons or learn at your own pace through a library of videos, articles and archived lessons. “Tell Your Story Through Sauce” is available exclusively on Skillshare’s website. All courses are available for enrollment at $19.99 per month or $199 per year.
