KaTom Chef Supplies cooking class – Out and About in Sevierville

Grilling at KaTom with Randall Jolley and Barbara Tenney

May 14, 2018May 14, 2018outandaboutinseviervilleLeave a comment

I get excited when I see the announcement pictured above because it means there is going to be a lesson and dinner at KaTom. This one involved one of my favorite cooks in East Tennessee, Barbara Tenney. Supported by master griller, Randall Jolley, this dinner was especially enjoyable. Here is the menu for the class on May 9th:

Menu

Mandarin Pasta Spinach Salad with Teriyaki Dressing

Firecracker Chicken

Gordon’s Marinated Asparagus with Pecans

Banana Pudding with Meringue

Randall Jolley and Barbara Tenney are ready to begin. Take your seats, please!

Randall begins with a lesson on the Firecracker sauce. I found it exactly as I like it, but with a little bit of ‘heat.’ You can see the overhead mirror and video screen. Consequently, every seat is a good one for these cooking classes.

We went outside to see the grill and the sauce. The grill was on sale for a great price too.

We were all ‘foodies’ at this demo and were happy to go outside to see the tools for master grilling.

A view from the overhead screen of Barbara in action.

After eating this wonderful dish, I had to go to the store and buy more asparagus for home. It was fabulous! The sauce complimented the food without overpowering it. In addition, I had not thought of adding pecans to asparagus, but it added a nice crunch and nutty flavor to the dish. Classes like this are good in that they expand my thinking as a cook.

It was the ideal plate for a spring or summer dinner. Salad, veggie, and protein. Perfect!

I love to watch people make meringue and bake it. We could not wait to try the banana pudding.

This was fabulosity!

Yes, we agreed that it was probably the best banana pudding that we had ever tasted. Divine!

I was lucky to be seated at a table with some Morristown fans of Barbara Tenney. What fun they were! It is always a pleasure to sit near Faye Andrews at a KaTom class as well. I have been lucky to sit with her several times now. I saw other friends from Morristown, the Lynches, who happen to live across the street from my sister. I was hoping to run into them again. Other attendees were from Knoxville and Alcoa.

KaTom cooking demos are truly a fun time and one of my favorite ways to get out and out in Sevierville. Follow them on Facebook to see events or call them to receive email updates for classes. https://www.facebook.com/KaTomRestaurantSupply/

Here are the next events on the KaTom calendar:

June 5th Warren Weiss from Knox Mason

June 20th Neil Green from All Occasions Catering

Save me a seat at the table!

A Summer Vegetable Supper by Barbara Tenney at KaTom: August, 23,2017

August 24, 2017August 24, 2017outandaboutinsevierville1 Comment

Vegetables are in abundance now so it was the perfect time for a vegetable supper cooking demonstration by culinary expert Barbara Tenney at KaTom Chef Supplies. I am a BT groupie and knew that it would be good so I hurried up highway 66 to make it to the 6:00 class. It did not disappoint!

Cucumber and Onion Salad

Sour Cream Cornbread

Southern Green Beans

Fresh Tomato Pie

Blackberry Peach Cobbler

Laura Dickerson introduces Barbara Tenney to class participants. Barbara is an award winning recipe creator, caterer, cook, culinary teacher, and, often, a cooking presenter for WBIR. With all that experience, Barbara has stories to tell and cooking tips for the novice or the expert. I like the stories the best!

The first course was a cucumber and onion salad that was both refreshing and cool. Certainly, this dish would be perfect for picnics and cookouts too.

Charlotte Tatum enjoyed the evening with her mother, Nancy Hayes. I always enjoy seeing them here!

The tomato pie was a crowd pleaser. Not really like pizza, but the pie shares many of the same ingredients.

Sherry and Samantha Moore are also from Sevier County. They, also, have attended other classes at KaTom and look forward to the events. I recognized them from the David Pinckney cooking demo a few months ago. They work at Catlettsburg and Boyd’s Creek schools in our county.

You have had green beans and new potatoes before, but I assure you that these may be the best ever! So tender.

Pam Parker and Jani Chollman are from Strawberry Plains, just a couple of exits up the interstate. They, also, have attended classes before at KaTom and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere while learning something new. They are high school teachers and enjoy learning news things, like cooking delicious dishes.

Barbara prepared the blackberry cobbler and instructed us to be careful about not placing the dough too close together. In the meantime, she also told a funny story about a couple try to make chicken and dumplings…but ended up with a 5 pound dumpling.

Time to bake and a few minutes to shop. We walked around the store and look for good things to bring home. There is always something for sale. Also, you can sign up for email alerts for upcoming cooking classes.

Can you say cornbread with Cruze Farm butter milk? And sour cream? Divine!

Voila! Dinner is served.

Blackberry peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Amazing!

Barbara talks with my table mates. Pictured left to right: Nancy Frolio, Milford Blair, Shirley Blair, Barbara Tenney, and Geraldine Jinks. I love to see Shirley and was delighted to find out that I was assigned to her table. Nancy, from Dandridge, spends part of the year in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. That is a summer haunt for my friends and I. How fun to hear that Page’s Okra Grill in Mount Pleasant is a favorite for Nancy, Shirley, and my group of beach friends.

I found my Christmas wish list items!

What a great evening with nice foodie friends and one of my favorite culinary rock stars in East Tennessee, Barbara Tenney. Follow KaTom on Facebook and look at the ‘events’ category to see upcoming cooking demos. They are a favorite way to get out and about in Sevierville.

Cherokee Country Club Executive Chef David Pinckney Returns to KaTom With the Best Menu Yet

June 28, 2017June 28, 2017outandaboutinsevierville1 Comment

Always a crowd pleaser, Cherokee Country Club Executive Chef David Pinckney brought it again to the KaTom cooking demonstration Monday evening. His relaxed manner and elegant recipes make for an effortless, gourmet evening. Here is what we experienced during the cooking lesson on Monday, June 26th.

The first reason that people sign up for this class is chef name recognition. The second thing may be where he works, Cherokee Country Club, because we imagine the food is so good there! The third reason is the menu planned for the evening—and it didn’t disappoint. (Oops…I forgot to get a picture of just the chef so I’ll use the one above.)

The Menu

Gala apple salad with English Claret cheddar, mixed baby greens, apple cider vinaigrette, toasted walnuts and Benton’s 2 year country ham

Boursin chicken with herbed panko bread crumbs

Yukon gold potatoes and mushroom stock sauce

Chocolate Ganache with pecan crust and salted caramel sauce

Executive Chef David Pinckney leads the kitchen at Cherokee Country Club after working 25 years at the Orangery. (He started there in high school.) With that kind of professional pedigree, you can bet that he is one of the best chefs in East Tenneessee. When he comes to KaTom, always make sure you reserve a spot!

This time, I made some new friends at my table. Pictured right is Faye Andrews. I have met her several times and enjoy her perspectives on cooking, restuarants, and travel. She is a delight at these events. New friends, Vickie (pictured left) and Dan Lynch are from Morristown—and, coincedentally, live almost across the street from my sister Suzanne. They also enjoy these events. This is the second time that I have seen them so it was fun to meet them and share their table. Vickie’s sister, Janet Benett, sat beside me. She drove from Greeneville for the event and was a very nice table companion.

Benton’s two year country ham is ready for the salads.

These attendees are from Knoxville, Dandridge, and from out of state. They had great seats!

Preparations for the chocolate ganache.

I was so happy to see my colleague, Nancy Hayes (pictured left), and her daughter, Charlotte Tatum.

We had a great view from our table as well. Sound and screen technology are excellent so you see and hear everything with no problem.

There was a moment of excitement when the brandy was ignited. It made quite the impression!

Mushroom stock sauce.

More colleagues from Catlettsburg, Sevierville, and Pigeon Forge Primary Schools. Pictured are Denise Barnes, Sami Moore, Sherry Moore, and Rebecca Smock. It was their first demonstration at KaTom and they enjoyed it thoroughly.

This is an effective way to make salad dressing. I am going to try to make the apple cider vinaigrette tomorrow with my Cuisinart.

Preparing salads for service.

The Gala apple salad with English Claret cheddar, mixed baby greens, apple cider vinaigrette, toasted walnuts and Benton’s 2 year country ham. The perfect summer salad.

Boursin chicken with herbed panko bread crumbs served on top of Yukon gold potatoes and mushroom stock sauce. Divine!

Preparing the chocolate ganache for service. These were, by far, the largest blackberries that I have ever seen. They came from North Carolina.

You can probably tell by looking at the picture how rich, satisfying, and decadent this dessert was in each bite. One could never have a better dessert than this chocolate ganache with pecan crust and salted caramel sauce. We could have stopped with two bites…but no one did. It was one of the best desserts that I have ever had at a KaTom cooking event. We applauded the chef.

I enjoy the presentations by David Pinckney for several reasons. First, no matter what preconceived notions you may have about him because of where he works, Pinckney is very friendly and approachable. He is happy to answer any questions and stopped several times so I could take a picture. The executive chef is very comfortable in the kitchen and doesn’t worry if everything is perfect. He works in a ‘flow’ and it is relaxed, laid back, and well timed. Finally, his selections for KaTom demonstrations are rather elegant, but anyone who has some cooking experience could attempt these recipes. It is a nice combination of things and we hope that he returns soon.

If you are interested in KaTom cooking events then look them up on their Facebook page and click under the ‘events’ category. Here is a link. https://www.facebook.com/KaTomRestaurantSupply/

Or, just call them (865) 225-1559.

It is an enjoyable way to get out and about in Sevierville. Save me a seat at the table!

Barbara Tenney and Randall Jolley Cooking Demonstration at KaTom

June 5, 2017June 4, 2017outandaboutinsevierville1 Comment

I have been so busy that I am just now finding time to write this story about the cooking class by Barbara Tenney, my culinary hero. She was joined in the KaTom kitchen by Randall Jolley for a meal to remember. Look at what we enjoyed that evening.

Randall Jolley’s expertise is clearly strong in the grilling department. He showed us how to use one of KaTom’s best outdoor grills. I was amazed that it only uses charcoal; yet, Randall can get the temperature within 5 degrees of where he needs it.

I had never seen a Primo grill and was quite impressed.

Even better, this grill is made in America.

Voila!

Not sure how I missed getting a picture of the Twice Baked Potato Casserole, but it was unbelievably good.

The Settlers Beans were actually a complete meal. I’ll make this recipe in the coming weeks.

We enjoy watching the action from the overhead screen. You won’t miss a thing.

That was really a lot of food! I was glad that my friend brought 2 to-go boxes.

The piece-de-resistance was the banana pudding. Divine!

The crowd was mainly from Morristown and Dandridge that evening. As it turns out, Randall Jolley is from Mo’town himself. And his wife, Lisa. In a ‘it is a small world’ moment, I met Lisa Jolley at the end of the event. Turns out that she was my younger sister Diane’s best friend in high school. Currently, the Jolley’s live in the same neighborhood as my other sister, Suzanne. It is certainly a small world at KaTom classes!

Randall and Lisa Jolley after dinner.

Always get a picture with your hero!

Barbara is busy cooking in Knoxville at the Butler and Bailey market and does cooking segments on WBIR TV. She caters and does more things than I can list here. When she comes back to KaTom Chef Supplies for a cooking demo in the future then don’t miss it. It will be the best thing about your week. It is one of my favorite ways to get out and about in Sevierville.

Chef Jeff Ross of Blackberry Farm Cooks Christmas Dinner at KaTom: A Meal to Remember!

December 8, 2016December 8, 2016outandaboutinseviervilleLeave a comment

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It was the best cooking class of the year! All my friends agreed. We were so thrilled to attend the last class of the year at KaTom, instructed by Jeff Ross of the famous Blackberry Farm. Read on and I will share the delights!

A cool, damp evening was considerably cheered up by festive lights and regalia at the KaTom Chef Supplies store. I couldn’t wait to get inside!

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Our favorite table was decorated and ready to go. We loved the centerpiece. Here is another view. We certainly missed Harriet and Sarah, but look forward to seeing them next month.

Little ramekins held good things ready to spread. KaTom sells jars of these: pumpkin butter, strawberry butter, and rhubarb marmalade. So good! One of my friends may have bought some.

Jeff Ross is a chef at the Blackberry Farm luxury hotel and resort. He was very friendly and glad to answer any questions during the evening. His delivery is comfortable, informative, and humorous. In his introduction, we learned that Jeff started in the garden at Blackberry Farm and now creates wonderful meals in the kitchen as well. “Horticulture to kitchen.” We are glad! He also gave us a lot of tips about cooking that I had never heard before. Also, good restaurants and stores that he, himself, likes to visit. That says a lot.

We received full recipes at our tables to take home. Here is the special Christmas Dinner menu:

Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Benton’s Sausage and Pepper Jam

Fig Simmered Benton’s Holiday Ham with Fig Mostarda

Steamed Puddings with Tennessee Hard Sauce

The KaTom cooking demonstration experience is very comfortable and fun. Notice the large screen TV over the kitchen area so every seat has a great view.

Getting ready.

Benton’s Holiday Ham.

A good tip for me to remember: slowly simmer the ham in water for a couple of hours to reduce the salt.

A good view from the overhead screen. Preparing the steamed puddings, which he explained would be more like moist cake. Oh my!

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A view from the back of the room during class.

We were getting excited at this point. Below are the ingredients for the Tennessee Hard Sauce. Divine!

Brussel sprouts will roast in the oven soon.

Dinner is served! Barley is on the upper left of the plate to give a winter crunch and balance out the flavors.

The piece de resistance!

Serve the steamed puddings like this…

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Or this!

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In summary, my friends were delighted with this class and the dinner. In fact, we believe it was one of the best that we have ever had anywhere. When Jeff Ross comes back to KaTom for a demonstration/class then we will be there. This was the best of the year!

It was an extraordinary gastronomic adventure while we were out and about in Sevierville.

To see more pictures, go to the Facebook page where I post pictures.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1254469567899261/

Babalu Tapas and Tacos Cooking Class at KaTom

November 17, 2016November 17, 2016outandaboutinseviervilleLeave a comment

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Babalu Tapas and Tacos Executive Chef Warren Weiss conducted a cooking class at KaTom yesterday afternoon. I have visited the restaurant several times with friends and knew that this demonstration was not to be missed so I booked the class several weeks ago. Here is what I saw…

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The KaTom store and complex is already decorated beautifully for the holidays, inside and out. I was happy to enter the store to see my friends Harriet and Sarah Berrier. We had a front table with a great view. I went up to meet Chef Weiss and his restaurant assistants, Teagan and Sara. Babalu Tapas and Tacos is located in Knoxville on Gay St., just a few doors down from the Downtown Brewery. It is a fun, lively place to eat so go there soon! Click this link to go their website. Nice!

Babalu Tapas & Tacos – Knoxville, TN

They were excited to be there and cook for an audience of ‘foodies’ in a state of the art demo kitchen. I enjoyed talking to them a few minutes before the class began. Chef Weiss trained in a culinary school in Hyde Park, New York.

We were delighted to see 4 courses on the menu. Plus, complete recipes on the following pages.

Great view of kitchen techniques from the KaTom overhead TV. No bad seat in the house.

At the restaurant, they use two avocados to make each tableside guacamole. The most guacamole sold in one day at the restaurant: 300 orders.

Extra Babalu Guacamole served with chips.

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Guacamole on grilled country toast points with radish and micro cilantro.

It was fabulous! A secret to their guac is that they use sundries tomatoes rather than salsa, pico de gallo, or chopped tomatoes. It is creamy beyond belief.

I forgot to take a picture of the tuna ceviche. It was excellent—and I don’t usually do ceviche. Above, you can see the chopped salad. We all agreed that the lime vinaigrette was sublime! The Anaheim peppers gave it a little spicy ‘kick’ and complexity. I get tired of my own salads at home, but could eat this one every day.

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A nice version of paella!

Mexican Fudge with pepitas. Looks like pistachios, but they are crushed and toasted pumpkin seeds. Delightful!

A crowd pleaser that concluded the class with applause.

I enjoy all the cooking classes at KaTom, of course, but enjoyed this presentation very much due to the relaxed and informative delivery provided by Chef Weiss. He told us interesting things about the Babalu Restaurant. There are several locations: Jackson, MS; Charlotte, N.C.; Overton Square in Memphis, TN.; Atlanta, GA, and Knoxville.

Chef Weiss answered questions from the audience throughout the demonstration. For example, his favorite food is macaroni and cheese. His favorite restaurants in Knoxvegas are the Northshore Brasserie, Stock and Barrel (best hamburgers), and Jig and Reel (fish and chips). He enjoys living and working downtown.

Chef Weiss gave us cooking tips for chopping onions and putting them in the fridge for 30 minutes before cutting them to prevent eye irritation. Put avocados in a paper bag for a few days if you need to ripen them. Trader Joe’s sells frozen cubes of garlic that are great value and taste for cooking.

The next cooking class will be on Tuesday, December 6th with a chef from Blackberry Farm. There were only a few seats left for that class so you need to call and book today if you want to get in on that one. Harriet, Sarah, and I already have our spots reserved. Melinda should be joining us too. There isn’t a better way to spend a couple of hours learning new recipes and dining with friends while you are out and about in Sevierville.

Save me a seat at the table!

For more pictures, click this link to go to the blog Facebook page for photos.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1254469567899261/

Cooking Class at KaTom with a Chef from Blackberry Farm!

August 10, 2016August 12, 2016outandaboutinsevierville2 Comments

With great pleasure we attended a cooking class at KaTom Chef Supplies presented by a chef from the famous Blackberry Farm. I was really looking forward to this event and it did not disappoint!

Chef Jeff Ross and his wife present the cooking demonstration.

The theme of the lesson: using the bounty of summer gardens.

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I entered the building and was delighted to sit near my Sevierville friends, Harriet and Sarah Berrier. We had great seats at the first table near the cooking station.

Every seat is a good seat in KaTom due to the overhead TV projecting all the action from the stove and chopping areas. See Chef Ross below talking about summer vegetables. Above, you can see the TV screen projecting all the ingredients for the next dish.

Menu:

Buckwheat Groat Succotash

Tea Smoked Trout

Sauteed Greens with Smoked Onion Jam

Cocoa Bark with Popped Grains

Caramelized Dessert Cheese with Grilled Fruit

Chef Ross has worked at Blackberry Farm for 11 years. He also has roots in Sevier County because his grandmother lived in the North View area. From her, he learned many things in the kitchen and the garden. For example, you don’t need to cook a lot in the summer. “Let the garden tell you what to cook,” advises Chef Ross.

Don’t throw away rosemary stems because there is a lot of flavor there.

Do you have a lot of zucchini in your garden? Then you can appreciate how much chopping it took to fill up that container!

Chef Ross presented many cooking tips and techniques during the demonstration. (Use coconut oil and kosher salt). I also learned tidbits about geography and history in regard to culinary things. (Sunburst trout from North Carolina and sweet potato leaves first used in Africa due to dry conditions and lack of other greens to eat.)

Who knew that Georgia has the best olive oil? Chef Ross prefers cherry tomatoes. The plate of heirloom tomatoes was so appetizing, we all agreed.

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Leaves from the sweet potato vine are very good cooked liked ordinary greens. Harriet said that she noted a sweet potato taste in them too. They were good! If you can’t find them from a farmer then go to the Sunrise Asian Market at Walker Springs Rd. in Knoxville because they sell large bags of them. Chef Ross also recommends the asian restaurant next door for a meal. Very authentic!

It was great to see Wendy Atchley at the presentation! She was recently able to enjoy a dinner at Blackberry Farm to celebrate an anniversary. A dream dinner!

Chef Ross smoked the trout in several ways. The Darjeeling tea used to smoke it gave a nice flavor; in addition, it smelled great when he lifted the lid.

Chef Ross and his wife loved using the demonstration kitchen in KaTom—a chef’s dream—and were very happy to answer questions, chat about food, Blackberry Farm, etc. I know that they will come back again and again.

The set up at KaTom is very comfortable. You can move around, shop, chat, eat, meet fellow foodies. Other people there were from Sevier County, Knoxville, and Talbot.

Plating the meal!

They let me take a spoon to try the smoked onion jam that they make themselves. Divine!

Voila!

Patricia Bible, owner and CEO of KaTom, enjoying the evening!

We were waiting in great expectation for the piece de resistance—cocoa bark with popped grains. (You can use Rice Krispies.)

A smear of sorghum makes the dessert ‘hyper local.’ My grandparents would have approved!

Incredible!

Sarah Berrier noted that the torched cheese had a flavor of cheesecake. I noted a ‘brûlée’ taste as well. It was unbelievable.

Patricia Bible praises the efforts of the chefs and the meal. Bravo!

Sarah Berrier and Chef Ross trading cooking tips.

Harriet and Sarah Berrier talking to Chef Ross.

Wendy Atchley talking to Patricia Bible after the meal.

I love the nice touches and table settings.

I knew that the evening would exceed my expectations and that was proved true. What a wonderful evening with friends, food, top line culinary tools, and chefs from a nationally renowned Relais & Châteaux property. Does it get any better?

KaTom is presenting classes that I used to have to drive to Knoxville to attend. What a joy to have these classe so close by now. This is the best kept secret in Sevier County, and in my opinion, one of the best things going here. I already signed up for the next class on Wednesday, August 24th with Jeffrey DeAlejandro, Chef and Owner of OliBea in Knoxville. What a great place to go when you are out and about in Sevierville!

See you at the table!

For more information on events please contact Chef Supplies by KaTom at 865-225-1559. Or contact them via Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/KaTomRestaurantSupply/

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