It’s probable that in general, New Yorkers go out to eat considerably more than the rest of the country (and perhaps world), but my friends and I fall into an especially annoying category of dining-out-aficionados. We pore over color-coded, shared Google docs of new restaurants we need to try. We have between five and seven faux-Open Table aliases. We feel true envy when we see that a pal has dined at an establishment we’ve not yet been to, and demand detailed taste analyses of their orders. We are not embarrassed to admit that our best celebrity sightings are from the Food Network (true story: I once saw David Chang at the gym and it made my week. For those curious, David Chang’s workout was considerably less impressive than his pork buns).

This year, however, my boyfriend and I have been making a concerted effort to cook more, because in addition to being a considerably more cost-effective means of eating, we’ve found that when we don’t set off any fire alarms, ruin any kitchenware, or cause ourselves any injuries, it’s actually very fun. For Valentine’s Day, he surprised me with a date night at Gotham West Market‘s new Brooklyn Kitchen lab. It was one of the best meals I’d had in a long time, and much more enjoyable than simply sitting down to eat at a restaurant. One part cooking class, one part culinary demonstration, and one part fantastic tasting menu, it was unique, wine-and-carb-filled experience I’d highly recommend to couples and friends alike.

Check out The Brooklyn Kitchen here!

Plating the main course: Cast iron skillet duck breast with celery root, braised onion & mizuna.

Braising: Red onions,  mashed leek & celery root.

What I would do for this spice rack.

Oysters on the half shell–we shucked these babies + plated them with homemade mignonette.

The beautiful main course.

Dessert: Mast Brothers flourless chocolate cake, topped with creme + pomegranate seeds