The Zero George Cooking School: Dining At Charleston’s Best Hotels
The Daily Meal: All Things Food and Drink has listed Zero George as a hotel that offers more than just a lovely room. It is rather “a hotel that celebrates the local culinary flair and provides a chance for guests to cook, tour, and taste in a variety of settings.”
Along with a concept that strives to use fresh, indigenous ingredients, Zero’s Executive Chefs instruct students on how to think their way around the kitchen like a chef, teaching techniques and proper ratios for well-balanced dishes.
“Food is a focus at the property,” DM writes. “They offer hands-on cooking classes with chef Randy Williams, who shares with guests how to use local ingredients in popular Lowcountry dishes.” Another primary focus is Zero Café + Bar lead by Chef Vinson Petrillo serving contemporary American cuisine concentrated around farm-to-table ingredients.
Like Zero Café+Bar, the ZG Cooking School prides itself on its close relationship with the Charleston community. That means using locally sourced, responsibly farmed ingredients that shift with the season.
Summer brings us a new, fresh Cooking School menu, beginning with a Chilled Honeydew Puree, Pan Roasted Quail with a succotash made with all local vegetables, and finishing with a tasty Berry Cobbler.
Currently, our summer chefs-in-training will cook with fruits and vegetables sourced from farm partners Ambrose Farms, including honeydew, shishito peppers, corn, heirloom tomatoes, and butter beans.
Can’t make it to a class? Try making our Berry Cobbler at home. Perfect for a backyard barbeque, this tasty dessert is inspired by the warm weather and sun ripened fruits that make summer so special. We hope you enjoy!
Berry Cobbler
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Filling;
2 Pt Blackberries
2 Pt Blueberries
1 C Brown Sugar
2 T AP Flour
Crumble Topping;
½ C AP Flour
½ C Oats (not instant)
¼ C Brown Sugar
¼ C Pecans Chopped
¼ C Butter, Small Cubes, Softened
1 t Salt
Basil Whipped Cream;
1 C Heavy Cream
1 ½ T Basil Simple Syrup
MOP:
Filling:
Place the berries in a large mixing bowl, add the flour and mix thoroughly. Next add the sugar and mix. Place a heaping pile of the berry mixture in to individual ramekins.
Crumble Topping:
Mix all ingredients by hand until it forms a crumbly dough. Crumble on top of the berry mixture in ramekins and bake at 350 for one hour. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Basil Whipped Cream:
Add ingredients to a mixing bowl and whip with a wire whisk to stiff peaks. Quenelle and top the cooled cobblers.