Setlock teaches gastronomy

A chocolate mocha torte baked in the oven. On the stovetop, a pot of vegetable soup simmered, couscous boiled to perfection and a chicken curry with coconut milk and fresh vegetables bubbled away. Home cooking? Almost.

On a recent Monday evening, I was in the Dodge-Osborne kitchen with the Wilson College Cooking group. Six students, student leaders Nelson Reveley '05 and Marco Fossati-Bellani '07 and Randy Setlock, Administrator of Wilson College, have gathered to master and enjoy the ancient art of cooking. This is one of three sessions offered each week. Describing the nuts-and-bolts of the meetings, Reveley explained, "Basically, people come in at 7 p.m., and Mr. Setlock will give some instructions as to what we'll be making that night, then he'll demonstrate what we're going to make, and we'll usually make two or three things."

One can expect to get a lot more out of attending one of the WCCG sessions than from watching the Food Network. "Hands on is a good word," Setlock said. "We intersperse demonstrations with food science, culinary philosophy, techniques, kitchen equipment, things that work well for what were doing, things that don't work well in my experience."

The group is not only about having fun, but becoming self sufficient as a cook. Reveley said, "We focus on things students can prepare quickly and easily that are healthy. The idea is that people learn enough that they can go back into kitchen with friends and make sit down dinner or get them to the point where comfortable doing easy things." "It provides a creative venue," Setlock added. Imagine the satisfaction of being able to cook your parents a delicious meal during winter break, wooing your loved one with mouthwatering cuisine or eating something besides Ramen for dinner. Some of the recipes WCCG prepares have a holiday twist. For example, Pierce said, "When it comes up on Christmas or Thanksgiving, we do seasonal things. We made mustard from scratch."

The group leaders plan several special events for WCCG members. For example, at the end of the semester, students participate in a cooking contest akin to the "Iron Chef" judged on technique, style of preparation and variety. "After the teams are drawn, they have 10 minutes to come up with a menu. Then, they have to work it out amongst themselves who uses oven, how to figure out how long the soup will take, the cake, all that," Setlock said.

Students also have the chance to go to on field trips to cooking shows and restaurants. At least once a year, the group attends a food show, usually held in New York or Philadelphia. "We're planning in the spring to go to the international chocolate and candy show in Philly," Setlock said. He added, "We've tried to give students a broader taste of local area restaurants. We visited one of the Indian restaurants in Princeton and the owner came out and gave a little lecture on where recipes came from and how they were made."

So just who are the brains behind this operation? Randy Setlock works in conjunction with the student leaders of the organization and is supported by the Wilson College Master, M.A. Browning. Setlock has a rich background in the culinary arts, including over 30 years in the hospitality industry and a degree from the Culinary Institute of America. He emphasized the student leadership: "It's a student club, student managed. The three managers have become proficient enough to teach their own classes." The three student managers are Nelson Reveley '05, Zack Pierce '05 and Marco Fossati-Bellani '07. Together, they plan the menus, do the food shopping, set up for class and then email the WCCG students the recipes.

Even if you can't join the WCCG, here are some words of advice from the culinary masterminds themselves: To become a good cook, it takes "practice," Reveley said, and "dedication and commitment" Pierce advised. Setlock added, "Students have to be willing to taste things that they hesitate tasting. Push the envelope." Well put.