El Centro really should have a sign that says Chef's Crossing. I see a lot of cooking students crossing the street on the way to daily patisserie practice at the South Pasadena classroom of Southern California School of Culinary Arts. I believe the building is an adjunct to the main campus in Pasadena. The school is one of the few in the country offering the world famous Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Program. (I wonder if they need any guest tasters?)
Monday, May 18, 2009
Chefs in a Row
El Centro really should have a sign that says Chef's Crossing. I see a lot of cooking students crossing the street on the way to daily patisserie practice at the South Pasadena classroom of Southern California School of Culinary Arts. I believe the building is an adjunct to the main campus in Pasadena. The school is one of the few in the country offering the world famous Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Program. (I wonder if they need any guest tasters?)
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You are correct Laurie, the South Pasadena campus of the Culinary school is adjunct to their Pasadena campus. Actually, the school is a bit controversial with some neighboring merchants because of parking. The students take spaces and everyone knows who they are because they are all dressed as chefs. That's the reason for the "No Cooking School Parking" signs in the vicinity of El Centro and Mound.
It's good to hear you and your family enjoyed the Fun Fair this weekend. You missed a good time last weekend - the Chamber of Commerce hosted the Eclectic Music and Art Festival on Saturday night. There were four venues along Mission Street with live music and food. The art galleries and antique stores were all open and business was booming. I understand there were 6,000 people who attended and one shop owner said he had more customers that night than the entire year up till then. There seems to be something going on every weekend in South Pasadena. Next weekend is Memorial Day and there will be a short but meaningful ceremony at the War Memorial Building on Monday at 9 am.
I wonder if they have any chef costumes at Would You Believe? It would make for some fun parking adventures. I often see the chef students at Starbucks.
Is Cordon Bleu cooking out of vogue?
I wish I'd been in town for the music festival last week, DBDub. On of my friends had sent me a flyer about it. He's a member of Double Naught Spycar. He also plays with Mercy and the Merkettes.
Speaking of which, my band, Too Many Guitars, will be at Cafe 322 in Sierra Madre on June 18.
Hey Le Cordon Bleu students, "Come on-a My House." I'd like a chef in the kitchen.
I've always been curious about this place. It seems it would be easy enough to endear themselves to the merchants -- invite them over for a quarterly open house.
Now I have to google that culinary arts program.
Hmmm... buns in a row, rising in the oven!
You know, they used to have a little restaurant where they served up their creations. It was where Brigante's is.
I was sorry to miss the music fest, db. We drove by and it looked like a lot of fun.
Mister E, I've got to get over and see your band one of these gigs!!!
Mr. Earl: some friends of mine had a band called Two Drummers. It was very loud, as I'd imagine Too Many Guitars might be.
But as an old classic rock station in Kansas used to print on all its promo materials, "If its to loud, your to old." (yes, that exact grammar)
I can't imagine the placement rate at chef school is very good these days. If it were me, I'd get a quick minor in 'soup kitchen management' or 'grant proposal writing' or sumthin' practical like that ...
Mmmmm ... cordon bleu ...
For the past coupla weeks, I can't seem to get songs from Annie out of my head. Today, I'm now stuck with this one:
"We got no turkey, for our stuffing, why don't WE STUFF YOU!"
YES!! I'd like to have one here too. Wait, I think I'd rather have a maid. I'll cook and she can clean. :~)
Hmmmmm, guest taster, I think that's right up my alley!!!
the school USED to have a restaurant. Most culinary schools have some sort of tasting arenas---to ensure more than the professors opinion is given.
I'd rather a maid too---I can and do enjoy cooking, but cleanup is not so much my bag.
Don't think you'd need a chef's costume at WYB...just find a supply house and you're set.
We did go to the Eclectic Music and Arts Festival last week-end, dbdubya. We actually found a place to park right in front of the little musueum that says Iron Works. I had no idea that it was a museum. We got the grand tour, seeing the organ that was played at the Rialto before "Talkies" and I asked about The Ostrich Farm and got all my curiosity satisfied about the place and about ostriches. (for those of you who don't know - The Ostrich Farm is a newly built building with lofts to buy). I'd love to have one for a studio! It really did used to be farm for ostriches! I had thought that the term was some derogatory comment about artists - you know - head in the ground.
Then we sat down and enjoyed the music next to the museum.
The other stages had music that was too loud for us , Farmgirl. So I guess we are too old.
It was good to see so many art galleries!! I didn't know they were there.
You picked the right location, Shanna. I volunteered at the eclectic music stage in the bank parking lot. Some of the music was more than a bit odd, but it got better as the evening went along. But, there were lots of people having a great time. I understand the festival drew about 6,000 people.
Ah Shanna, you haven't been paying attention to my blog. I have posted several times about the old Iron Works building AND the art galleries! ;-)
Farmgirl: Yes we do have Too Many Guitars, and we are louder than I would like. I was told that the drummer has a big role in upping the sound, and the guitar players are too loud. I wear earplugs and even those headphones that you use on gun ranges. As the bass player, and a sensitive one at that, I could go for a lot less volume. I may have coined the name in frustration, and it stuck.
Shanna: You don't live in South Pas?
All of you in South Pas: Did you feel the earthquake last night? I didn't. Although I may have felt in and just thought it was my neighbor moving something around.
Mr. Earl, nope I don't live in South Pas - but I confess - in Los Angeles, on a beautiful secluded hillside where I have developed my SKIES. I'm about 5 minutes from Laurie, though, and I had been taking her and Dixie Jane to Wild Thyme forever, way before she even considered living there. I may start a blog on Skies. Stay tuned!
Laurie, I have seen photos of the building on your blog. You have said that it has been many things. You didn't say that it was once a brothel, which the guide revealed in hushed tones. Somehow I missed the fact that it is a museum now.
Shanna, sounds like you live with Pasadena Adjacent. BLT or BTW, your "ck" is in de mail.
If they accept guest tasters, I'm volunteering too! :)
Thanks, everyone. Til tomorrow...
I love your blog, so this post made me laugh - completely random to run across this picture and topic. My daughter attends this program at the South Pas campus. The patisserie students are mainly in South Pas while the culinary students are mostly at the main campus on Green St. They bring home everything they cook on a given day, so that means fresh, warm pastry on a daily basis. Sometimes it is sweet, sometimes savory and the bread unit was kind of like heaven. Oh, the suffering of living with a Cordon Bleu pastry chef. It's just terrible, the very worst.
The school does have a very fine restaurant, as well as a small cafe. The restaurant and cafe are located right around the corner from the main campus in the Playhouse District in Pasadena, just off Green St. It's a great program.
Photos have come really nice..keep going..great work..
Nice photo...wonderful thoughts....
Thanks for sharing...
_________________
Andrew
Entertainment at one stop
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