Private Cooking Classes in France

Alex Miles is the only chef who offers PRIVATE COOKING CLASSES in Burgundy tailored to your desires and needs, in English and French. Based in Dijon, the historic capital of Burgundy, Alex has lived in France for 30 years and has an intimate knowledge of French Culture and Cuisine.

The day begins at the Market, (le marché), where you get a cooks tour of all the fine fresh products on display. At le marché you will be able to choose your menu, with the help of Alex, from all the ingredients available. Then you go to the kitchen to cook, talk and enjoy. The day begins at 8:30 AM and finishes up at around 4:00 PM.

FRENCH FAMILY FOOD

The cooking course is called “French Family Food”. People love this class because it shows what French people really eat at home. Alex worked with the world famous chef, Gaston Lenôtre, where he did the finest in cooking, catering and baking. He now prefers the more rustic, people friendly approach to making food and will explain clearly in a relaxed atmosphere what French home cooking is all about. The idea is to share with you his experiences in France as well the knowledge he’s attained through working with the top restaurant chefs as well as his own bakeries in New York. Because he has interviewed many of the 3 star chefs in France for his radio show about books and food, he can also recommend the best places to enjoy a fine meal for dinner or lunch.

Alex has become something of a local celebrity on TV, radio, magazines and newspapers, being the only American who is a pastry chef, chef de cuisine and has been a professor and lecturer in the area of the Sociology of Food at various schools and institutions throughout France. So you get not only a cooking lesson but a wide ranging cultural approach to France, the French and their food habits.

CULINARY TOURISM

This is Culinary Tourism at its best where you get the recipes you’ve always wanted and the cultural introduction to the French life style. Alex will answer all your questions about the French and their food without inhibition, frankly and clearly and with bit good humor thrown in for good luck.

Whether your voyage to France is for business or pleasure, or both, you and your travel companion could take the time to learn some cooking techniques and recipes you can bring home with you. You can take a full day seasonal cooking class which includes a starter, main dish and dessert or you can do a full day of pastries which can include doughs, tarts, savory items and even chocolate desserts.

Look at Alex’s résumé* and you will get a glimpse of the man you will cook with. Contact him by e-mail so he can give you all the details of his cooking and baking classes for your French vacation.

CONTACT ALEX: alexmiles47@gmail.com

** Noted in Fodor’s Guide to Travel Experiences in Burgundy

Also see > Teacher, Lecturer, Consultant

Teacher, Lecturer, Consultant

Business, Gastronomy, Sociology, Special Events Management

Domains of Expertise

Teacher Trainer

• Definition and elaboration of pedagogical programs

• Create training videos

• Evaluation and follow up of personnel

• Lecturer, jury member for diploma

• Classes in Gastronomy and Identity, Sociology and History of Food, Food Safety and Consumer Behavior, Restaurant Business, European Union and International Culture

Manager

• Experience in management and human resources

• Managed production, sales and distribution personnel

• Development and follow through of new ventures

• Communication and public relations

• Wrote commercial sales manual

• Liaison between the American Embassy and the company

Sales

• Development of wholesale service

• Opened stores in New York City

• Managed chain stores and franchises

• Collaboration with architects on concept and image

• Realized marketing and packaging projects

Pastry Chef

• Creation of French bakeries in New York

• International desserts at the United Nations

• Produced a line of “Light” frozen desserts

• Consultant for: Cointreau America, Lenôtre Paris, Chocolat Valrhona, Disneyland Paris, SEB, Cassis Boudier, Danone, Lacanche, Tupperware.

Initiator/Organizer of Special Events

• Thanksgiving Dinners for 250 people as a Benefit in several cities in France.

• Conference on French and American Culinary Historical Relations at the American Ambassador’s Residence in Paris with food and wine tastings.

• 4-14 Festival: Celebration of the Music and Food of France and America. World famous musicians and starred chefs from both countries shared their talents with an enthusiastic public in Dijon. www.4-14-festival.org

• Public & press relations, raise funds from the public and private sector.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER: 1978 – 2009

• Organizer of the 4-14 Festival 2009 in Dijon www.4-14festival.org

• Professor and Lecturer: Burgundy School of Business, Dijon; Université de Bourgogne, ENSBANA; ISIPCA; ENSIA; ISAB; EHESS; Sciences Po Paris; Université de Toulouse, CETIA, ERIT; New York University; and the American Embassy in Paris.

• Member of Pilot Committees, “Dijon Ville Santé”, for Dijon and “Bien dans Mon Assiette” for the Burgundy region

• Culinary instructor in classic French and international cuisines

• Researcher for the European Commission on “Animal Welfare”

• Research Associate, Sociologie: Université de Toulouse, Mirail

• Writer : « Arts & Gastronomie Magazine »

• Radio Show Host: interview authors of books about food on RCF Parabole

• Sales Trainer: Ecomarketing, Chenôve

• Regional Director: Société Cjys, Gevrey-Chambertin

• Owner Operator: La Bonne Pâtisserie, New York City

• Pastry Chef: United Nations Hotel, New York City

• Commercial Administrator: Lenôtre Paris, Plaisir

• Sous-Chef & Pastry Chef: Domain Chandon, Yountville, California

EDUCATION:

1983 Certificates in Human Resources Management and Management Communications – ESSEC, France (IMHI, Cornell University)

1982 Certificat D’Aptitude Professionnelle, French Government Certificate in Pastry Arts

1982. Certificat Escoffier- Ecole Hôteliére Jean Drouant, Paris

1980. Certificates in Pastry, Cooking, Catering, etc. Ecole Lenôtre

1970. Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Education, City University of New York

Publications : « Ces hommes qui cuisinent », éditions Agnès Viénot, 2005, « On Baking », Labensky, (contributor), éditions Pearson, 2005.

Préface « A La Découverte des aliments » de Charreau, Etienne et Ingagriola, Educagri, 2006. « Scènes Gourmandes », J-J Boutaud, (contributor), J-P Rocher, 2006. Articles in « le Bien Public » and « Papilles ».

Birth Date: August 27, 1947 Marital Status: Married

Nationality: American and French

Meryl Streep at the US Ambassador's residence in Paris

I had the great honor to go to a private screening of the new film "Julie & Julia" with the new American Ambassador to France, Charlie Rivkin, and a host of dignitaries who had all been at the conference I organized in November 2008 on Gastronomy in France and America.
The woman next to Meryl Streep is the niece of Simone Beck with whom Julia Child wrote her famous book," Mastering the Art of French Cooking"...now in its 46th printing.
It was a great evening catered by the Cordon Bleu Cooking School of Paris. The film was a great success.
At the next 4-14 Festival we will be showing films among which "Julie & Julia" will certainly be included.
I've restarted this blog...maybe someday someone will notice...perhaps just like Julie!
Love to All,
Alex Miles
www.4-14-festival.org

Food & Music in Dijon at the first 4-14 Festival

America’s Independence Day, July 4, and France’s Bastille Day, July 14, were jointly and joyously celebrated in Dijon, capital of Burgundy, this year – the first annual “4-14” Festival of the city, showcasing the music and cuisines of both great countries.
And not only food and music brought these two cultures together, but a real desire on on both sides of the Atlantic to share and discover at first hand who are the French and who are the Americans, and what they have to offer each other.
Why music and food you may ask? Because Americans don’t realize that the French can play music! And the French don’t know that Americans can cook!
The great steel and glass central market, built by Gustav Eiffel, Dijon’s native son, in 1870, housed 60 stands with regional products, and 20 stands where top chefs from France and America offered exquisite tastings for only 3 Euros each. The organizers had hoped for 5,000 visitors but were overwhelmed when 15,000 happy people eager to discover new tastes and sounds thronged the events.
All the three star chefs from Burgundy were present, Lameloise, Lorain and Bertron,as well as other starred chefs from Dijon and the region. The State of Vermont was this year’s American partner, with Amy Chamberlain and Michael Gunyan showcasing their fine farm foods from home. The festival welcomed the renowned Chicagoan chef, Martial Noguier, from the Sofitel Water Tower. He was joined by Chicago native, Daniel Rose, chef/owner of Restaurant Spring in Paris. Daniel came to France 10 years ago, transforming himself from an art history and philosophy major into a fine cook, whose restaurant waiting list is the longest in all Paris. And from Washington, DC, Bill Yosses, pastry chef of the White House, graced the festival with his prized desserts.
The music was a real triumph of Franco-American entente. Americans Kirk Lightsey, one time pianist with Chet Baker, and Sarah Morrow, former trombonist with Ray Charles, enchanted the large audience and finished the soirée with jam sessions accompanied by their newfound French friends on stage, Eric Prost and Daniel Fernandez.
Alex Miles, the American initiator of The 4-14 Festival, resident of Dijon and French citizen since 2004, developed the concept with a small team of enthusiastic folks from Dijon and the States. The 4-14 instantly became the biggest event of the summer in the Burgundian capital. Many companies with international interests happily sponsored the festival which was also supported by the U.S. Embassy in Paris, the Burgundy Region, and the City of Dijon. Check out their site www.4-14-festival.org
The organizers are setting their sights on the City of Chicago for their next American partner for the 2010 edition. They plan to meld The 4-14 Festival with The Taste of Chicago and attract even more curious music and food lovers next year.