Q: What is your space like?

A: When a client books Annemarie’s Dining Room, my entire space is at their disposal. Guests often congregate in the foyer for greetings and introductions. It’s an elegant space with a warm, festive atmosphere. Beyond that is a 400 sq. ft. reception room where guests mingle and enjoy aperitifs. This room overlooks the Dining Room, and once guests have been served cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the reception room, they are ushered downstairs. The Dining Room measures 20 ft. by 60 ft., and can accommodate up to eight tables of ten.

One of the benefits of booking my private Dining Room is that clients and their guests are welcomed to make themselves comfortable throughout these rooms. I operate seven days a week. Since I entertain only one group per day, my entire house is theirs exclusively, and I can accommodate whatever hours they want for their event.

Q: What type of food do you serve?

A: I was trained in classic French cooking techniques, and actually began my cooking career in my native Germany, so my style has been described as international. My goal is to take the best from the cuisines of many countries, improvise on their specialties and adapt it to today’s lifestyle.

When a client engages my services, we sit down and discuss the menu. Naturally I’m happy to accommodate their request for a specific dish or even an entire menu. But most of my clients are accustomed to relying on my culinary expertise and experience. I’m in the markets on a daily basis so I know what is fresh and at the perfect stage of ripeness and flavor. The vendors with whom I do business know that I settle for nothing less than the best, so that’s what I get.

Customarily I serve a six-course dinner. At the early stages of planning the menu, I ask my clients from where their guests come. If I’ll be serving a predominantly European crowd, I suggest one menu of courses. When the group is mostly Japanese, I might recommend a completely different menu. But, no matter what the menu, I work with only the finest and freshest ingredients, prepared in a way that respects the natural flavor of each ingredient.

Q: What’s going on with Annemarie’s Cookingschool?

A: I’ve been teaching my cooking classes sporadically over the last several years but, by popular request, I am now beginning a new schedule that will include two different classes, each offered one Saturday per month.

Q: What’s the difference between the two?

A: One involves student participation whereas the other is a demonstration class. The latter allows me to accommodate up to 40 students. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., students will observe me preparing a three-course dinner and afterwards, we’ll enjoy the meal together.

My responsibility as cooking teacher is to demonstrate not only what to do and how to do it, but also to explain why you are doing it – what makes the pastry crust flaky or makes the soufflé rise. To me, cooking is like chemistry: once you understand the basic formula or method in cooking, you can adapt it in hundreds of ways by simply changing the flavor ingredient.

My other class, which involves hands-on participation by a maximum of eight students, is offered in my kitchen. We begin at 10:00 a.m., and prepare a complete three-course dinner, which we then sit down and enjoy together for lunch. The session ends at 3 o’clock and, naturally, the fee for this class reflects the smaller class size, personalized, hands-on methodology and inclusion of a full meal.

They’re both excellent classes! I admit I’m a real ham and I love to entertain people, especially people like me, who are passionate about cooking and eating!