Award-winning chefs from the Basque Country in Boise

Culinary Classes

The Cenarrusa Foundation for Basque Culture and the Bizkaia Department of Culture are presenting this month a series of culinary events named An Introduction to Basque Cuisine in Boise. Four Chefs and a Sommelier from Bizkaia, Basque Country with more than 75 years of culinary experience will descend upon Boise for 6 days to share their expertise and showcase Basque Culinary Arts, both traditional and contemporary. There will be wine pairing and cooking classes during the 2 days of seminars, taught by the best chefs in the Basque Country. Then, on Saturday, they will prepare a five-course dinner. Guests will learn about each course as well as taste a wine paired specifically for it. All of the events are being recorded by a Basque TV crew, to be aired in the Basque Country in the near future.

The teaching and sampling session of Basque Txakolina Wines took place last night from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Basque Center. Over 50 people attended the event, which was presented by award-winning Basque sommelier Mikel Garaizabal Pildain. Guests enjoyed four types of Txakoli (white Txakoli, barrel-fermented white Txakoli, rose Txakoli, and red Txakoli), as well as Basque pintxos/tapas. Guests felt as it they were attending a presentation in the Basque Country, as the sommelier spoke Basque throughout the night. Boise’s long-time Basque resident, Chertudi, translated the content into English for the audience.

Today and tomorrow, Basque Cuisine Instruction Classes from four visiting award-winning chefs will take place from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the CWI Culinary Arts Institute on the BSU Campus. There will be four chefs teaching the seminar: Chef Jabyer Gartzia, from Boroa Restaurant, in Amorebieta-Zornotza (www.boroa.com); Chef Daniel Garcia from Zortziko Restaurant, in Bilbao (www.zortziko.es); Chef Iñigo Ordorika, from Zallo Barri Restaurant, inn Gernika-Lumo  (www.zallobarri.com), and Chef Sabin Arana, from Jolastoki Restaurant, in Getxo, (www.restaurantejolastoki.com). Translators will also be on hand during these two sessions.

Finally, on Saturday, there will be a five course dinner prepared by the Basque Country’s best chefs where guests will also learn about each course as well as taste a wine paired specifically forit by Bizkaia’s best Sommelier, Mikel Garaizabal Pildain. The dinner will be celebrated at the Basque Center in downtown Boise. Drinks start at 6:30 and dinner will be served at 7:00 pm. The cost is $75 per Plate ($50 for seniors).

For more information, contact the Cenarrusa Foundation for Basque Culture, totoricaguena@yaho.com or 208-891-9888.

• ← Basque Txakolina sampling today at Boise’s Basque Center
• Families needed in Boise to host Basque youth →