Classes bring flavor to cooking in Lakeside

Two local women are working to share

their taste for cooking with the West Shore.

Lakeside resident Janet Novotny and

Kalispell resident Lisa Ferro began holding culinary classes at the

Lakeside Community Chapel once a month this fall.

Novotny’s desire to give back to the

community and her love of cooking were what inspired the idea.

Novotny moved to Lakeside from Arkansas, convinced by her husband,

who was from Munich, Germany, that it would be a better fit for

them.

“I love the way people enjoy food and

life here,” she said. “I want to give back to the community.”

Novotny’s food expertise comes from her

associate’s degree from Flathead Valley Community College in

culinary arts. Since getting her degree, she has helped with some

courses at the school. She’s previously worked as a college

professor and counselor.

“I’ve been thinking that I wanted to

hold a class,” she said. “I wanted to share what I know and try to

share what I learned.”

Novotny met Ferro in a knife skills

class at FVCC. Novotny was helping out with the class and Ferro was

taking it along with Novotny’s daughter. The two students got to

laughing and talking. It turned out Ferro had a background in

culinary training in Texas and North Carolina and was taking the

course for the fun of it.

“We were drawn to each other because

she’s Southern like I am,” Novotny said. “Like me, she likes to

cook elegant but grasp on to comfort.”

She shared her idea and the two made it

happen, starting with the first class in September where they

taught three different recipes to do with a rotisserie chicken —

chicken noodle soup, pot pie and chicken salad.

Novotny is also the choir director at

Lakeside Community Chapel, which gave a location for the classes as

well as a cause for proceeds to go to. The chapel is working to

remake and expand the former office, party room and owner’s

apartment of the Bayshore Resort Motel, which was moved in December

2009 to the southern part of the church’s parking lot from its home

across U.S. Highway 93 to make way for Volunteer Park. The chapel

is working to turn it into a community building. Funds from the

class go to support that.

Holding the classes at the chapel,

which has an existing kitchen space already used for events, also

made it easier to secure the proper permits.

Novotny and Ferro learned a few lessons

from the first session. The weather was beautiful, so since they

held the class in the afternoon on a Saturday, many people who told

them they would come didn’t end up showing. The second course, held

in October, they moved the start time to the morning so attendees

still ha plenty of their day ahead of them.

The two of them are learning a lot in

the process. They arranged to take some lessons from someone in

Kalispell on making tamales prior to October’s class.

Novotny visited grocery stores

throughout the Valley to price out all three chicken recipes for

the first session to have an idea on what the difference are in

costs.

“It was amazing how close they were in

price,” she said. “And now I know the prices so much better.”

The classes last between 60 and 90

minutes. Each class focuses on a different subject, and the duo has

been open to suggestions.

“We’re getting feedback from students

on what they’d like to learn,” she said of the topics they pick for

each class. “We’re kind of just market based.”

The cost of each course is $25 per

student to help cover the costs of food and supplies. Any remaining

money goes toward the building fund.

The next session will be held at 2 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 5, and will focus on holiday cooking and food gifts.

Those interested in reserving a seat can contact Novotny by

e-mailing janetcovey@hotmail.com or by calling 755-4255.

“Everyone’s really excited,” she said.

“Get a hold of us. Give us ideas.”