Former owner of Hampton restaurant moves to the classroom

Ron Boucher has been a teacher for years, but it was only recently that it became official. Boucher, a renowned local chef and the former owner of Ron's Landing, is now doing what he loves, without the physical and mental demands of working in and running a kitchen.

Two years ago, he opened Chez Boucher, a French cooking school, but he wasn't able to focus solely on the new venture. So three months ago he sold the restaurant he had owned and operated for nearly 20 years, Ron's Landing, to his brother, Bob.

Now it's full speed ahead.

Chez Boucher, nestled into the back of the Artichokes gourmet shop on Route 1 in Greenland, is where the chef now does what he loves on his terms. Rather than feeding French cuisine to diners, he's teaching people how to make it.

One of the more popular programs Chez Boucher offers is a series of French cooking courses.

The set of skills Boucher teaches begins in the first session with basic food-preparation techniques, and he is bound and determined to send his students away by the end of the third session with the ability to wow friends and family with a meal fit for a king.

"What's better than a family member saying, 'That was the best meal I have ever eaten?'" said Boucher. "It's the ultimate compliment, and it's immediate gratification."

A new six-week series begins this week. The Tuesdays classes run from 6 to 9 p.m.

Boucher is also looking at the possibility of an after-school cooking program for children. He's comfortable working with culinary cadets, as Chez Boucher already offers a Kids Cuisine Summer Cooking Camp every summer in July.

The Hampton resident has two children of his own, Bryan, 14, and Trevor, 11, with his wife of 18 years, Karen.

Family is important to Boucher, and that's reflected in some of the programs he offers at his school. "Cooking with Friends" involves gathering with a group, dividing into teams and preparing a meal. The participants then enjoy the food and critique it at a banquet-style table set up at Chez Boucher.

The school also offers a gourmet club that has at-home dinner parties, trips to foreign countries to experience international cuisine up close, as well as many other programs. To borrow a phrase from ESPN's "SportsCenter," you can't stop Ron Boucher, you can only hope to contain him.

Not only is the 47-year-old teaching in his own school, he's also going to be an adjunct professor at the University of New Hampshire. Beginning Aug. 30, he'll be teaching "International Food and Culture" at the Whittemore School of Business.

It won't be Boucher's first foray into teaching at the college level, however.

Years ago, he taught a menus course at McIntosh College, and also once taught an intro class on French cuisine at the Whittemore School.

But this will be a more permanent arrangement, Boucher hopes.

He's currently being trained by a media specialist so he can make DVDs of his classes and CDs of his recipes. He will be featured on an upcoming episode of "Fooding Around," which airs on the PAX network.

Yep, Ron Boucher is coming to an electronic device near you.

These projects will allow him to reach a wider audience with his passion for French cooking, which he inherited as a child from his grandmother, Eugenie Desrochers.

Being of French-Canadian descent, Boucher, who grew up in Amesbury, Mass., always enjoyed eating and making French food with his grandmother. Everything from pork pie to pan-fried liver were staple dishes, and even the basics were French-based. While some families ate hot dogs and beans, the Boucher/Desrochers clan enjoyed blood sausage and beans.

Not long after he began working in kitchens at the age of 13, Boucher got the idea of mastering his craft and someday teaching others to appreciate and enjoy his passion for French cuisine. That idea never escaped him.

The combination of cooking and teaching isn't a stretch for a head chef, though. It simply comes with the gig.

"Mentoring is a big part of the job as a chef," said Boucher. "The key to being successful is consistency. How do you maintain that? Constant education - for yourself and for other people."

Leaving the kitchen for the classroom was something Boucher always believed would happen.

"I knew at some point I was going to leave the restaurant business, and I knew I wanted to pursue my trade in a different avenue," he said. "I always wanted to teach."

So far, it seems to be a natural fit.

North Hampton resident Jeanne Falzone said taking courses at Chez Boucher has been an "absolutely exceptional experience" for her, one she recommends to anyone regardless of their skill level or knowledge in the kitchen.

"Ron is a terrific guy, and hes really patient," said Falzone. "He loves what he does - he loves teaching."

The transition from chef to cooking teacher has been one of great personal and professional satisfaction for Boucher since he sold Rons Landing and began focusing on Chez Boucher.

"I feel like I'm just starting out," he said. "Now I feel rejuvenated and able to put 100 percent into the school."

That can only mean good things for Boucher's students.

To learn more about Chez Boucher or any of Ron Boucher's cooking classes or programs, call 964-9909, e-mail info@chezboucher.com or visit www.chezboucher.com.

Mike Sullivan is a Herald columnist. He can be reached at 610-1109 or by e-mail at mikesullivan@seacoastonline.com.

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