Bradywine Valley Weekender

May 17, 2002 weekly issue of "Brandywine Valley Weekender"

Celebrity Kitchens:

A new twist on fine dining – and so much more

By Wm. Shawn Weigel

Managing Editor

Do you enjoy great food, fine wines and learning the secrets of gourmet cooking? Would you enjoy eating a full course gourmet dinner and selected complimentary wines while celebrity chefs cook tableside for you? Have you eaten at every typical restaurant and are just dying for something new and innovative?

Well lucky for you, Celebrity Kitchens has a solution for all of these questions.

At Celebrity Kitchens, not only will you end up with a delicious gourmet meal that you may have helped to prepare, you’ll also get to take those recipes home to make them on your own! Or, if cooking isn’t your cup of tea, you can come just to watch and enjoy a first-class meal in a relaxed and open social atmosphere.

When owners Cindy Weiner and Angela Martinez opened their doors to the public back in March, they were calling local restaurants and asking them if they would be willing to lend out their chefs for their new enterprise. Now, just over two months later, the restaurants are calling Cindy and Angela.

“It’s wonderful to have a place where people can have fun and learn to create great dishes with the region’s best chefs,” Cindy explained. “It’s been a dream of mine for years and now it’s finally come true. And I love sharing the passion with everyone!”

Cindy started out with a few ads announcing cooking classes, not realizing that she was missing an entire market of people who enjoy upscale cooking but aren’t cooks themselves.

“What I want people to know is that this is not just another restaurant, but it also isn’t a stuffy classroom where you have to have a serious cooking background,” Cindy said. “You can be as involved, or uninvolved, as you like. You can jump up and help make the meal or just sit back and watch the show. It’s truly a unique experience.”

Celebrity Kitchens offers two different kinds of format for its “classes.” With the Hands-On Format, up to 12 people assist in cooking the entire meal from soup and salad through the main course to the dessert, all under the guidance of any number of master chefs from the areas finest gourmet restaurants.

Not into slaving and sweating over a hot stove all day? You just want to have a fantastic dinner and watch a show? No problem; we have just the thing for you.

In Demo Mode, up to 24 people can gather and watch any one of those same chefs whip up an Epicurean masterpiece (with some minimal assistance from the audience) and then enjoy the meal in charming and welcoming surroundings.

Both formats come complete with full-course meals and a tasty selection of estate bottled wines by Moore Brothers Wine Co., all specifically chosen to compliment and highlight your meal perfectly.

And when it’s all over, you get to take home copies of these great recipes to share with friends and family in the comfort of your home and dazzle them with the skills you’ve learned under the tutelage of Celebrity Kitchens’ many expert chefs.

Since opening in March, Celebrity Kitchens has been host to numerous chefs from all over the region, including Phil Pyle, Jr., owner of Tutti Gusti in Ocean City, Maryland, Susanna Goihman of Azafran in Philadelphia, and Kevin Reading of Espuma in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Menu offerings vary from French, South American, or Italian cuisine to culturally based meals to a day of chocolates.

Celebrity Kitchens also offers kids programs where children ages 6 to 13 can learn about kitchen safety and washing and cleaning vegetables as well as preparing their own pizzas, after-school snacks, baking cookies, and a variety of other fun and educational dishes.

Celebrity Kitchens can also host your next birthday party, corporate gathering, wedding party, or just a private party with friends and neighbors. You pick the date and the menu and all you have to do next is simply enjoy this distinctly different dining experience. Celebrity Kitchens has scheduled a number of Singles events and Cindy is planning on much more to come.

“It’s been said that we’re the hottest concept in fine dining to hit the Delaware Valley,” Cindy said with a grin, barely able to contain her excitement. “Everyone who has come here has given us such a tremendous response that it’s clear that we’re offering something a little different than what most people are used to.”

Celebrity Kitchens is located on Route 202, just north of I-95 in Independence Mall, north of Wilmington. Its quaint, intimate and inviting setting is perfect for couples; families or single people looking for an interesting and first-rate dining experience coupled with social interaction and live entertainment.

Reservations are required and should be made up to a week in advance. For a detailed calendar of up-coming events or additional information, call or check out Celebrity Kitchens website at www.celebritykitchens.com. To make a reservation, please call 302-427-COOK (2665).