Living Traditions Kitchen

Now a standing-room only component of the Festival, Living Traditions Kitchen presents a series of live cooking demonstrations, hosted by professional chef and instructor Jim Light.  Paired with ethnic chefs preparing authentic dishes, Chef Light talks through each demonstration, asking questions and illuminating techniques and ingredients.  Samples of the food prepared by each chef are distributed to the audience, and such cuisines as Korean, Mexican and Brazilian are included in the demonstrations. 

Jim Light is Executive Chef/Owner of Home Cooks Culinary Adventures, sponsor of the 2008 Living Traditions Kitchen.  Trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Light teaches cooking at the Kimball Distributing Showroom. www.homecooks.net

Saturday, May 17

2:00 p.m.
African Sukuma Wiki with Sadza
The Swahili phrase Sukuma Wiki means “push the week” – what's really being pushed is the family food budget by using leftover meat and combining it with greens, vegetables, peanut butter, and spices to make a savory dish. Sadza is the Shona language name for a cooked pulverized grain meal (like polenta), a staple food in Zimbabwe. It is often served with stew or peanut sauce.
Sabina Zunguze, a Zimbabwean native, businessperson, and renaissance woman will prepare this wonderful dish, highlighting its cultural importance.

4:00 p.m.
Bulgarian Кеbаpcheta
Imagine a skinless, finger-shaped grilled Bulgarian pork sausage. The ingredients in the ground meat mixture must be well-kneaded to achieve the proper consistency, like very smooth hamburger. Nikolaj Ivanov hails from Pirdop, Sofia District, Bulgaria. He now lives in Salt Lake City with his wife Vanya and three children – Dimitur, Juliana and Stevens. Nikolaj skillfully prepares this ubiquitous sausage dish found throughout Bulgaria.

6:00 p.m.
Bun Bo Xao Xa: Vietnamese Beef with Lemon Grass over Rice Noodles
Linh Ho, an extraordinary college student of Vietnamese-Chinese heritage, prepares this fun and tasty noodle dish from Southeast Asia. She will share her creativity and passion for cooking and teach the audience how to recreate her techniques at home.

Sunday, May 18

2:00 p.m.
Turkish Gözleme
Gözleme (GERZ-leh-MEH) is a traditional handmade and hand-rolled pastry filled with savory ingredients. Fresh dough is thinly rolled out, filled with spinach, cheese, and herbs, then sealed and cooked on a hot griddle, traditionally known as a saç. Brushed with melted butter, these are heavenly pastries.  Ayse Durmus and her friend Birmim, both from Turkey, demonstrate the preparation of authentic Turkish cuisine.

4:00 p.m.
Austrian Wiener Schnitzel
David T. Foulger, a talented home cook, creates his family’s version of this traditional Austrian dish. Seasoned pork cutlets are pounded thin, dipped in bread crumbs, and then crisp-fried. Wiener Schnitzel is usually served with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and is an iconic Austrian meal.

6:00 p.m.
Bangladesh-Style Green Beans and Shrimp Curry with Savory Rice and Peas
Tahmina Martelly is a native of Bangladesh and an awesome curry maker. Her grandmother and great-grandmother cooked for huge community gatherings and festivals in Bangladesh and Martelly shares these traditional flavors and dishes here in Salt Lake.