EAT, WATCH, LEARN

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EAT, WATCH, LEARN

Good old Italy.

NEPA diners have long loved our traditional heaping Italian plates of spaghetti and all manner of other pastas, but count on Celebrity chef Kate Gabriele to show us how Italian fare encompasses so much more than noodles.

Gabriele hosts a cooking show every Friday at the Rustic Kitchen inside Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs during which diners can watch the master at work as she cooks their meals, explaining as she goes.

She enters the room and quickly greets her guests, a count that maxes out at 40, then gets to know everyone individually.

“Who’s here for an anniversary?” she asks. “How about a birthday?”

Gabriele also makes a habit of toasting to everything with her guests. Through the course of a typical evening, many a glass is raised.

To Gabriele, “Cooking with Kate” is more than a way to show people how to prepare food.

“This reminds me of having dinners at my family’s home,” she said. “Everyone can relax, talk and eat and just have a good time.”

On a recent Friday, Rich and Laurie Photo traveled from Connecticut to experience the show as part of their 20th wedding anniversary. “It’s one thing to go out and have someone cook a meal for you, but to actually watch it be cooked, it’s like you’re in their kitchen,” Rich said.

“It’s so laid back,” Laurie said, “plus the food was a home run from appetizer to dessert.”

A Chef Kate meal consists of an appetizer, main course and dessert, as well as wine.

The intimate studio is used to record shows for future broadcast, so it’s equipped with three television screens and two mirrors angled at the cooking area so guests don’t miss a beat.

Gabriele’s main goal is to give guests a relaxing experience.

“That’s what going out to eat is about, taking some time for yourself,” she said. “You should savor the meal and the moment in front of you.”

“And, of course, you don’t have to do the dishes.”