Bloomington Cooking School sparks interest in community

Located in Suite 14 on the lower level of a non-descript building on College Avenue, the Bloomington Cooking School is tucked in an out-of the way corner. Anyone searching for it could easily walk by several times without finding it. One could say that the Bloomington Cooking School is one of Bloomington's best kept secrets.\nCo-owner of the BCS Jan Bulla-Baker is an accomplished candy maker. Before becoming involved with the BCS, Bulla-Baker owned the Chocolate Factory, where she created more than 30 flavors of truffles for the Bloomington area. With a unique flair for cooking and a love of chocolate, Bulla-Baker cites her mother's fine taste in food for her interest in cooking.\n"Although I'm trained as an English teacher, when it comes to cooking, I'm self-taught," Bulla-Baker said. "The art of literature and film are not far from the art of cooking."\nPartnered with Bulla-Baker is Chef Matt O' Neill, co-owner of the BCS and owner of the Runcible Spoon. O'Neill, who received his chef training in Ireland, has been owner and chief instructor at the BCS since August 2001. O'Neill has also served as chef and innkeeper at the Walden Inn and authored a cookbook titled "Seasons at the Walden Inn."\n"I retired and came to Bloomington, a city I have always enjoyed and admired, looking to relax," O'Neill said. "After a while, I realized I was too young to retire and began looking into buying into restaurants and the cooking school."\nWhile the Bloomington cooking school itself is small, the local interest in cooking is not.\n"When we first started, we had a small mailing list," O'Neill said. "After partnering with Bloomington Parks and Recreations and Bloomingfoods, we realized that the interest is much larger than we originally thought." \nWith classes offered on every subject from sushi to chocolate mousse, Bulla-Baker said there is something for everyone.\n"We have what we call our core classes, like the salmon, soup or sauce classes, that we know will always be popular," she said. "And we also have special classes for particular seasons or events, like our holiday appetizer class or our Thanksgiving classes."\nFor those prospective students with no prior cooking knowledge, classes ranging from beginner to more advanced levels are offered. \n"We have all types of students, from professionals who are too busy to cook, to kids who enroll in our Young Chefs' class," O'Neill said. "Invest in the class and in one night you can become a relative expert in tarts or truffles in one night."\nAlthough O'Neill himself teaches many of the cooking classes offered, guest chefs often teach classes related to their specialties.\n"We often have guest chefs come in and teach the classes from time to time," Bulla-Baker said. "For example, Kristen Tallent, general manager and pastry chef of Tallent restaurant, will be teaching a chocolate tart class next month."\nWhile to some, the BCS might only offer cooking classes, both O'Neill and Bulla-Baker feel that a greater need in the community is filled.\n"Our classes are a way of sharing," O'Neill said. "It's about improving the quality of life and involving the community."\nA complete list of cooking classes offered is available at the BCS cooking school Web site, www.bloomingtoncookingschool.com. Participants can register for classes by calling BCS at 333-7100 or registering in person at the BCS, located at 115 N. College Ave, Suite 14.\n-- Contact staff writer Jennifer Griffin at jdgriffi@indiana.edu.