Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes to be TV’s next “celebri-chef?”
Now you can find out, thanks to The Hearty Boys — Chicago caterers Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh.
The pair, hosts of “Party Line with The Hearty Boys” on cable’s Food Network, have launched a series of television cooking classes at their Lakeview TV kitchen space that they have dubbed HBTV.
“It’s a license to prove if you can be the next Emeril or Rachael Ray,” said Hearty Boys catering chef Quincy Bissic, Smith and McDonagh’s go-to man.
Each three-and-a-half hour class begins with a 20-minute on-camera demo, during which Smith and McDonagh reveal behind-the-scenes secrets of the TV trade. They dish on tricks like how to avoid obstructing the camera angle, keeping your head up while looking down and operating appliances backward (because they can face the studio audience). Plus, there’s the “swap out.”
“You have three minutes to cook chicken and that’s obviously not enough time,” Smith explained. “So you sear it and have the fully cooked chicken in the oven ready to go. Then you put one in as you take the other out.”
After the chef’s demo, participants break out into groups and are given “Iron Chef”-style parameters and ingredients — such as a preplanned protein, spice and vegetable. Then they have to come up with a recipe to demonstrate and a script for their own TV spot.
In addition to McDonagh and Smith, a “producer” and culinary assistant are on hand to help with the prep and planning. While these classes are not as in-depth as their traditional knife or pastry classes, “there is cooking involved,” Smith said.
“We walk around and offer practical tips so you will pick up a few skills. But it’s definitely about the experience.”
Once the prep work is done, it’s lights, camera, action: Each participant is the star of his or her own videotaped, three-minute segment.
Each participant reads from the teleprompter, follows the producer’s cues and wraps up a one-minute countdown. Those three minutes can seem like three seconds or three years, but the HBTV motto is never stop, no matter what happens.
“There are the people who say ‘I won’t do it’ or ‘I can’t do it.’ But on camera they really shine,” Bissic said. “One of the funniest was two guys who decided to be Swedish chefs and talked in an accent the entire time.”
Regardless of the antics, the food better be edible: At the end of the taping participants sit down to enjoy their own TV-created meal.
In addition to the “Cooking Karaoke” (a.k.a. “TV Cooking 101”) class, The Hearty Boys also offer “Stars of Tomorrow,” a pint-sized version of the adult class for children that’s perfect for birthday parties.
“The kids are mesmerized by the lights and mics and Dan and Steve truly make the birthday boy or girl feel like a star,” Bissic said.
Other programs include “Heritage Sessions,” where you can document a cherished family recipe on video, and team-building competitions.
Most classes can accommodate up to 40 people and include a personalized buffet, bar and edited DVD of the experience beginning at $120 per person.
To book a taping at the site, 3819 N. Broadway, call 773-244-9866 or visit heartyboys.com for more information.
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