Can certain foods truly stimulate sexual desire, or is it all in our heads?

Research shows us that it's mostly the latter -- but when it comes to aphrodisiacs, we should never underestimate the power of sensual suggestion.

Join me for a unique evening of
Education, Stimulation and Degustation*
with 5 local purveyors of pleasure!

(*an appreciative tasting of various foods and focusing on the senses, education and good company.)
 

Just in time for Valentine's Day!!

Learn all about Chocolate, Oysters, Wine, Cheese and Spices

Monday, February 13th, 6:30pm

Location: The Cookbook Company.  722, 11ave sw. 
(All booking must be made via InterCourse Chef Services.)

Scroll down to register!!

FACT :
Did you know the term "horny" was coined from the practice
of using ground rhinoceros horn as a sexual enhancer?
True Story!

So, who are the experts?

Brad Churchill
Choklat

In 2008 Choklat opened its doors with the sole intent to change how Calgarians view chocolate. 

The company’s ground breaking processes and approach to customer service have done just that. 

Unbeknownst to many, Choklat is the ONLY company in Canada that exclusively makes all of the chocolate and confections sold in the Inglewood shop, and does so from some of the finest and rarest cocoa beans in the world. 

If you consider yourself a chocolate connoisseur, this truly unique Calgary gem is a must-stop on your list.

Eric Giesbrecht
Oysters
Meta4foods

Eric Giesbrecht is a chef, wannabe farmer, and land-locked oysterman. 

He imports and supplies premium quality oysters and shellfish to some of the city's best restaurants and delivers directly to the door of the willing home cook.

Operating under the name META4 FOODS, he can be found shucking at private parties, receptions and corporate functions. 

He is also a long standing member of the board at Slow Food Calgary.

Richard Harvey
MetroVino

Metrovino is an independent wine shop in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

They offer wine cellar planning, evaluation, wine and food pairings and private wine tastings. 

While our selection may be somewhat unfamiliar at first glance, our job (and pleasure!) is to inform and guide you on a glorious vinous voyage of discovery.  You will find many small, hard-to-find producers and regions as well.

Visit Our Wines to see the wineries we offer on a specialty basis in addition to other more widely distributed fine wines from around the globe.

Nancy Brown
Say Cheese

Say Cheese Fromagerie is your destination for over 300 fresh, delicious types of cheese, tasty go-withs, gift baskets and catering.

Located in the Crossroads Market in Calgary, we give you elegant, delicious and affordable choices for your epicurian cravings and culinary adventures.

Open Friday to Sunday every weekend, all year round.

Knives set the stage for successful cooking. Practicing on a variety of fruits and vegetables, Chef Patrick guides you through key techniques, tips and tricks. Topics include: knife types and construction, purchasing, sharpening, safety and cutting boards. 

Please note: Additional participants will be required to bring in their own knives for the lesson.

$205 plus GST

A 50% discount is offered to additional friends, family or colleagues who would like to join in. 

Are you comfortable with the basics and wondering what’s next? Go beyond slicing and dicing. Patrick covers such proteins such as de-boning whole chickens, skinning and bone removal of filets of fish.   “Frenching” racks of lamb, silver skin removal from tenderloins, lobsters, crabs and more.  
The client will choose the items they wish to cover prior to the day of the lesson.  
Add additional friends and family for half price, however they must bring their own knives, as well as their own cutting boards.

 $275

Combine basic & advanced classes for $400

You've done the golfing, the rappelling, the Stampede beer garden thing.  You're looking for an event that's unique and makes your crew stand out and apart from the norm.  Team building through cooking gets your staff, colleagues or clients out of their comfort zones(with wine in hand) and in front of the stove creating delicious meals,all while celebrating the achievement of an important company milestone, or to show appreciation to important clients and colleagues.

These classes are about learning new skills, trying new ingredients, and of course, team building, with a little friendly competition to boot. No spectators here. Participants work together to prepare a variety of pre-selected dishes, using novel techniques and ingredients in a state of the art professional kitchen.  Each group of 2 to 4 people prepares a dish, to be presented and enjoyed by the entire class. No prior experience necessary.

6 to 8 participants: $105 per person
9 to 12 participants: $95 per person
13 to 18+ participants: $85 per person

*Includes all food, recipes and staff.  Alcohol budget to be decided by the client.  A 15% gratuity will be added to all parties. Click here for cooking classroom rental information.

Armed with your chef knives, ingredients and a clock, competitors will be separated into 2 teams and compete to produce 4 dishes in 2 hours.  Menus will be selected prior to the event, and each team will have a professional chef at their disposal, to answer questions and give advice, however the chef will not take part in any of the actual food preparation or cooking.  With these menu ingredients, each team will be given the option of following the recipe methods as they’re given, or for the bold and daring, take the same ingredients and create entirely new dishes to be presented and defended at the end of the class.    The winning team wins a trophy and bragging rights.

Whose cuisine will reign supreme?

A minimum of 12 participants is required for this event.  

$120 per participant*

Professional Kitchen/Classroom rental :  $600 

*Includes all food, menus for the participants, and staffing.  Alcohol budget to be determined by the client.   A 15% gratuity for the staff will be added to all parties. Click here for cooking classroom rental information.   

Perfect for singles, couples, birthdays, anniversaries, and bachelorette parties. Participants learn how to cook the foods they love to eat in a relaxing environment – their own home. Menus are tailored to suit participant tastes and skill levels, and instruction focuses on preparing a complete or multi-course meal. Cooking classroom rentals are available for bigger groups.  Click here for more information. 

"Will my kitchen be large enough?" 

 As long as you can put a cutting board down (in the kitchen or on the dining room table), as many times as there are students, you can comfortably learn to cook in your home kitchen. Depending on the layout of the cooking area, and menu, portable gas burners can be used.

One or two participants: $275 (a series of three classes, $675)
For groups up to six students: add $85 each

*Includes all food, recipes and required staff.  Alcohol budget to be decided by the client.  Items such as tableware, glassware, stemware can be rented for an additional fee.  A 15% gratuity will be added to all parties.
Please note that a fuel surcharge will be added to events held outside Calgary city limits.

**Clients who book a party of 8 or more will receive a free Basic Knife Skills lesson.  To be redeemed at a future date.  Contact InterCourse Chef Services for more details.  

As long as you can put a cutting board down (in the kitchen or on the dining room table), as many times as there are students, you can comfortably learn to cook in your home kitchen. Depending on the layout of the cooking area, and menu, portable gas burners can be used.

One or two participants: $275 (a series of three classes, $675)
Each additional participant add $85 each

InterCourse Chef Services is now very proud to offer 4 different spice blends.

InnerSpice Pep'r Energize your pepper mills and spice grinders with the provocative flavors of 4 types of peppercorns, fennel, coriander and allspice.  

This blend is created and used by Chef Patrick in his own kitchen. After many years of teaching and research, Patrick sought something more unique to offer than "finish with Salt and Pepper" at the end of his recipes. Drawing upon his experiences traveling through Asia, and Europe, Patrick has chosen specific flavors that resonate with a refined palate.   InnerSpice offers an exquisite and robust flavor to meats, poultry,pasta, salads, vegetables.....and even popcorn.  **These spice blends are all suitable for raw vegan diets and for those who routinely perform dietary cleanses. 

Tandoori Powder  Smooth, floral, radiant in flavor and vibrant in appearance, this blend of spices gets its name from the horizontal oven called a Tandoor, for which Tandoori chicken, Tikka, and Naan bread are cooked.  This blend works great with not only chicken, but in hamburgers, on pork, beef kebabs and even fish. 

InnerSpice Rubs- warm and spicy.  InnerSpice Rubs will help make your pork, beef, or any ribs into succulent, hugely flavorful and if you like, spicy rib goodness!!  It also works great if you want to have a blackening spice on your steaks seared in a cast iron pan.  Adding crushed garlic and ginger to the rubs will give an extra dimension in flavor to your meats. 

Customer feedback on InnerSpice Blends

"I first tasted Innerspice Pep'r at a dinner party some years ago and when I inquired as to the producer of said pepper blend, I was pleased to hear that it was from the local company InterCourse Chef Services. I purchased a container filled with the wonderful blend of peppers corns and other ingredients and haven't looked back since. I literally use this product in the bulk of the cooking that I do - from salads, to meats, potato dishes, egg dishes, pastas, and so on. I especially enjoy using Innerspice when seasoning tomatoes. By adding Innerspice to a salt and crushed basil leaf mix, the result is some fantastically flavoured tomatoes. I would recommend this product to anyone who enjoys putting pepper on their meals, and seeks to get as much flavour and enjoyment out of their food as possible."  

Don McKeown- Professional Student, University of Calgary

"I bought InnerSpice Tandoori because I have difficulty getting the individual spice flavors to balance when I mix them myself.  I have used the Tandoori powder on salmon, oven-roasted root vegetables, and in a bison stew.  A mixture of olive oil and Tandoori powder is a delicious spread for pita bread.  I would highly recommend this spice to anyone who would like to make flavorful, healthy food."

Lois Kelly, volunteer at The Cookbook Company Cooking School

InnerSpice can now be purchased directly by contacting This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or at the following retail shops.  Just click on the links below to be forwarded to their website:

The Cookbook Company

Stir - Adventures in Food in Black Diamond, AB

Calgary Farmers' Market at The Currie Barracks

Red Tree Catering (Marda Loop and Kensington)

Knifewear (Inglewood)

For those without kitchen space to spare for a large cooking party, InterCourse Chef Services can provide a fully equipped, luxurious professional kitchen .   This space can also be booked for corporate meetings prior to the cooking class. 

Space rental fee is $600.

$297/couple plus GST.

*Please note that the cost of any alcohol requested is not included in this price.  A $50 fuel surcharge will be added to events held outside Calgary city limits.  

Private Sommelier Service option To put your evening over the top, and truly memorable,  InterCourse Chef Services can provide a professional sommelier service for your dinner event.  In addition to discussing the evening's wine pairings, the sommelier can discuss proper opening of wine bottles, service temperature, and stemware.    

 $75/hour (min 3 hours)