Amelia Island Culinary Academy

We had a great time with Chef Bill! We first went on a tour of the farmers market to get food for our class. It included a mini history tour of Fernindina Beach which was great. The class was wonderful. Chef Bill is a great teacher and showed us how to make delicious dishes out of local finds! I cannot express how much we loved this experience!

Trying to find a cooking class in the area was challenging. I was looking for a hands on class but for the weekend that I wanted, nothing was available. I settled on a demonstration class with Chef Thompson.
The menu for that Saturday night was «Low Country Cuisine», which included a roasted butternut squash salad with goat cheese, smoked bacon, and pickled red onions; Mayport shrimp and Carolina clam perlou; and a winter citrus «french toast» with pear coulis and limoncello whipped cream.
Given that my friend is allergic to seafood, I asked about a beef or chicken option substitute and the chef was very accommodating! He added skirt steak to the menu.
When we arrived around 5:30 pm for the Saturday class, a group of three was already there. The chef offered wine and water as we settled into the counter-​height directors chairs to watch him prepare a delicious meal.
Chef Bill is a natural teacher. He seamlessly cooked, talked about the food and the inspiration behind some of the dishes, and interacted with us. The smells, the tastes, and the whiffs of food were incredible! He definitely knows what he’s doing!
About 2 hours later, we were ready to eat. Chef Thompson set up a buffet for us and we were encouraged to fill our plates and to get seconds. There was more than enough food.
This was definitely a five star experience but my OCD with germs drops it down to four stars. I’d have just liked to see a little more hand washing as he was touching his face and other items around the kitchen as he was cooking. But, that was a minor issue and one that I’m sure only I noticed.
If you’re looking for a little something different for a dinner date or for an activity with friends, check out this culinary institute. You’ll be in for a delicious meal that night and with the recipes and tips that you’ll get, you can recreate the meal at home too.

We had a great time with Chef Bill and the Culinary Institute. Though the menu seemed to be a run of the mill dishes, he put an outstanding spin on them. Even though we are foodies, we learned new techniques, wonderfully tasting dishes and all in all had a fabulous time. Chef Bill did a great job. I would highly recommend the Culinary Institute to anyone, be you a novice cook or a sophisticated foodie.

Informative, entertaining and delicious 2 hours. We got to sit right with Chef Bill Thompson in a small demonstration kitchen and learn several recipes, cooking techniques, and then got to eat! Really different and unique experience!