Cooking fun at Woodhaven Farm
By Sayaka Sekiguchi, Events Manager
Along with a few Experience Columbus staff members, I recently participated in a hands-on cooking experience with chef Tami Cecil at Woodhaven Farm in Johnstown, Ohio (about 25 miles northeast of Columbus). Chef Tami , who trained at the Culinary Institute of America and formerly worked for Cameron Mitchell Restaurants , runs the 10-acre farm where visitors work together in teams to prepare gourmet meals.
When we arrived, super-energetic Chef Tami greeted us with big hugs. She gave a quick tour of her large, professional kitchen and explained that our theme for the day would be "comfort food with a twist." We’d be making pork tenderloins, mac and cheese, asparagus and for dessert, chocolate molten cake.
Sounded yummy, but since we had a wide range of "cooks" in our group - from those who cook everyday to someone like me who is better at eating than cooking, I wondered how the food was going to turn out. Everything was absolutely delicious and we all had a great time.
The group with Chef Tami
Chef Tami’s sense of humor definitely kept things upbeat and I learned great cooking tips along the way. Now, I’m hooked! Who would have thought a day on a farm in Johnstown would be so much fun?
See it for yourself before you visit - Chef Tami recently started filming her own cooking show that airs on ONN (full disclosure: Experience Columbus is one of the cooking show sponsors). During our visit, we were filmed for a future episode you can check out on ONN, Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Tags: cooking, Johnstown, Woodhaven
December 21st, 2008 at 11:52 pm
My friends and family (and me!) love this show already. How funny is Tami? Good tips as well. Saw your episode today, thought I’d check out your site. Love the blog. Hope to see your group on Chef Tami again… the food looked great. I’ve already tried her shrimp recipie from the first episode. Easy and good!
December 23rd, 2008 at 11:44 am
I have a wonderful time cooking at Woodhaven Farm. I highly recommend going out and trying it. Here is a taste of a dish that we made with Chef Tami:
MARINATED ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN
INGREDIENTS
Pork Tenderloin, Trimmed. Allow 5-7 Oz. Per Person
The Marinade for 3 Pounds Of Tenderloin:
½ C. Olive Oil
1-2 T. Balsamic Vinegar, Or To Taste
2 T. Red Wine Vinegar
2 T. Dry Red Wine
2 T. Minced Garlic
1 T. Soy Sauce
2 T. Dried Basil
1 Tsp. Dried Thyme
1 Tsp. Oregano
Salt And Pepper To Taste
PROCEDURE
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk all of the ingredients for the marinade together, adding the oil last. Place the tenderloin in the marinade, making sure to coat thoroughly. Let the tenderloins marinade for about 1 hour.
In a large heavy skillet, add about 2-3 T. olive oil and bring up to medium high heat. Pan sear the tenderloins on each side until caramelized.
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until desired temperature.
Let the meat rest about 7-10 minutes before carving.