'Top Chef' Season 3 finalist Casey Thompson will teach an Argentinean Steakhouse class at Harrah’s Viking Cooking School
Chef Casey Thompson
Atlantic City casinos have been thinking outside the box in order to draw more non-gaming patrons to their casinos.
For foodies, one of the best ideas for expanding the range of non-gaming amenities has been cooking classes. Phillips Seafood has been presenting occasional classes for over the year.
However, it was Harrah’s Resort that took the cooking theme to the next level with the opening of a Viking Cooking School at the casino last Memorial Day weekend. The school, with various classes each week, is a wonderful experience for both novice chefs and the more experienced home cook.
Photo: The grand opening of the Viking Cooking School.
Monday, Nov. 8, the Viking Cooking School at Harrah’s features a special guest chef, Casey Thompson, who was a finalist on Season 3 of Bravo’s popular culinary competition Top Chef. Thompson will guest-host an intimate Argentinean Steakhouse cooking class in the afternoon and a Terrazas Cabernet wine tasting that evening, followed by a meet-and-greet cooking demonstration.
As the guest instructor, she will help the class to create empanadas, beef filet skewers, chimichurri, and dulce de leche tarts. The 12pm Argentinean Steakhouse class costs $109 a person with limited seating. To make reservations online for the class or the 6pm tasting party ($65 a person), go to the Viking Cooking School online, or call 1-800-242-7724 for more information. Reservations must be made in advance.
Thompson is the U.S. spokesperson for Terrazas de los Andes wines of Argentina. Her stop in Atlantic City is part of a wine media tour. Thompson says, “Argentina is a food and wine lover’s paradise. Dark, rich reds made from the country’s widely popular Malbec variety are a perfect accompaniment to the slow-cooked Asado grilling style of Argentina. I’m thrilled that I will be sharing this with my fans.”
Other upcoming classes at the Viking Cooking School include a turkey workshop with all the sides and desserts, Nov. 13 ($160); a holiday pie workshop on Nov. 15, Dec. 4 and Dec. 13 ($89); southern Italian dinner party on Nov. 19 ($89) and a holiday sweets workshop on Nov. 22 ($89).
As an aside, one Italian dude to another, if you’re gonna name a dish after your momma it better be this good. Or else you’re in trouble when you get home.
I was flipping out recently as an eager student at the Viking Cooking School at Harrah’s Resort, which has been open since Memorial Day weekend in Atlantic City.
Harrah’s Resort has opened a branch of the Viking Cooking School and is welcoming everyone from amateur cooks to passionate foodies into its gleaming, stainless steel classroom to hone their cooking skills from the professionals. There hasn’t been anything like it in the market since legendary Las Vegas chef Nat Hart had a branch of his gourmet cooking school at the former Caesars Boardwalk Regency in 1980.
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1. Daniel Wright said... on Mar 23, 2011 at 10:54AM
“Hello chef casey thompson im here on behalf of the boys and girls club and i would like to know if you are intrested in participating in the the boys and girls club of atlantic city chilli cook-off we could really use the support from you or any other chefs you could provide or could you sponsor us so if you could just give me a call at 609.453.5614 or gmail me.
Thanks,
Daniel Wright”