Patterson to direct new school

Chan Patterson

Viking Culinary Group, a division of Viking Range Corporation, is pleased to announce that Chan Patterson has been named cooking school manager of the soon-to-open Viking Cooking School in Ridgeland. Patterson, who has over 30 years of experience in teaching cooking classes and managing cooking schools, began her culinary education began while living in Germany where she mastered basic French cooking techniques by working with French-trained German chefs. Later, she took master classes from culinary greats such as Julia Child, Jacques Pepin and Giuliano Bugialli. Patterson was a founding member of the first cooking school in Mississippi at St. James Episcopal Church. For 19 years, she served as cooking school director for the Everyday Gourmet in Jackson and is credited with scheduling Emeril Lagasse’s first class in a cooking school at the Everyday Gourmet when he opened his first restaurant. Patterson served as culinary advisor to the “Great Chefs” television series. She has been an active member of International Association of Culinary Professionals for many years and has served as a speaker, panelist and chairman at its yearly International conference. Most recently, Patterson served as manager of curriculum services for the Viking Culinary Group.