I’m on the other side — standing behind the chef’s table at Roth’s Sea and Steak stirring a wagyu beef ragù that I’m making from scratch. Well, Executive Chef Ricky Biswas is definitely walking me through the process, letting me know just when to add the carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, red wine and a whole lot of other ingredients that are sending a mouthwatering aroma into the quiet of the morning at Roth’s.
I’ve got to admit I was a little nervous coming in. I have never cooked beside a Michelin-trained chef. But as it turns out, Biswas is a natural teacher who seems to relish walking us through this Pasta Fresca master class. He’s also a natural storyteller.
“My cooking is based on storytelling,” Biswas says. “I will always tell the story of how I made this. For me, cooking becomes much better when you attach a story behind it. I always teach my chefs a story will go farther than just food. So if you have a dish and you have a story behind it, guests get to enjoy more.”
Those stories and Biswas’s culinary expertise come together in the new series of Chef’s Master Classes, which Roth’s is rolling out as it nears the anniversary of its opening last year. The first is the Pasta Fresca class on Oct. 17, and the series is planned to continue monthly. With room for only eight people, it’s an intimate setting to make and eat some delicious fare with the entertaining Biswas. And, yes, you go home with the recipe, so you can impress your friends and family at a later date.
Here’s How It Works
The Saturday morning class starts with a welcome drink, probably Biswas’s homemade chai that he drinks every morning. It’s a personal taste of his childhood home in India. And you’ll likely hear some stories about:
His journey from India:
“I come from India, so in my own country butchering a cow is — you’re probably going to die if you touch it. In India, if a cow walks in front of you, the whole traffic stops. That’s how serious it is.”
Food history:
“A little knowledge about where pasta came from, who made it [first] — we all think the Italian did it. If you guys are Italian, I’m really sorry. They did not.”
Rising through the ranks of a Michelin Two-Star French kitchen:
“Working in France is the most toughest work you will ever do in the kitchen life. If you can survive those kitchens, nothing else will bother you. People are ready to sabotage you. People are ready to take your job. People are ready to screw you with your sauces. When you’re making a sauce, you better have all your eyes on that sauce. I won’t lie: I got promoted because somebody messed up. All you do is take your things, move to the next station. You don’t say nothing. Nothing.”
Traveling around the world to learn new culinary skills:
“There’s a reason why I learned. I traveled the world. I learned in Singapore how to make Singaporean noodles. This is how deep I want to learn. For me to get all this knowledge and not be able to share, what’s the point of that?”
To pass it on and build community is all part of the journey for Biswas, and he wants to take guests on that journey for a few hours on a given Saturday morning.
“I want it to be like guests are in my home like when you invite friends and family to your home,” Biswas says. “This is why this Chef’s Table [at Roth’s] is very, very attractive for me. This is why I want to invite guests from this community. I want them to have a better knowledge that restaurants can be more than just come, eat, pay, get out of here.”
The pasta making class is a truly hands-on experience that includes separating egg whites, hand rolling pasta dough, running it through a pasta roller, shaping different types of noodles and plating it for the perfect presentation. And, of course, you get to eat and savor the results of your labor with new friends, including one entertaining chef.
“I’m going to teach you a beautiful dish for sure,” Biswas says. “You’re going to enjoy it forever. And I’m going to ruin your palate also — because after this you’ll be like, ‘If it’s not better than that, I don’t want to eat it.’”
Learn More
Watch for future classes that feature pie-baking for the holidays and chocolate-making in time for Valentine’s Day. And get registration details at rothsseaandsteak.com.
