Enjoy a relaxing Alabama Gulf Coast vacation at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa and learn a little about cooking while you're here. Whether a person is a beginner or expert in the kitchen, the Grand Hotel's Chef Mike Wallace is holding culinary classes that are fun, hands-on experiences that will have people raving about his or her culinary skills.

Each month Executive Chef Mike Wallace at the Grand Hotel Alabama beach resort will be teaching classes at the resort's Culinary Academy. The classes are aimed at expanding the participants' knowledge of the culinary basics and then incorporating more advanced techniques. In each Grand Culinary Academy, participants will receive a two-hour cooking demonstration, recipes, food sampling and a diploma.

Classes are on Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. and are limited in size. Most Grand Hotel Culinary Academy programs are $25, unless noted otherwise. Starting on February 17 the Culinary Academy has been in session with soups, salads and learning the art of sautéing entrees as the topics covered so far this year.

The remaining classes for the year are:

• Saturday, May 18
  Wine Class with Gourmet Cheeses
  Learn insights on how to choose the perfect wine and then how to pair it with food. The growing regions of wine grapes will be discussed while participants sample gourmet cheeses from around the world. This is a $30 class.
• Saturday, June 16
  Grilling Basics
  Prepare yourself for the summer grilling season. Chef Mike will instruct participants on the techniques of grilling meat, poultry and fish. Grilling is a wonderful way to cook and enhance flavors while reducing calories. This is a great class for couples.
• Saturday, July 21
  Family Fun Cooking
  Take a break from the Grand's signature pools and learn to prepare a variety of foods with your children. Young children and the young-at-heart will help prepare a variety of great summer dishes. Children attend this class for free.
• Saturday, August 18
  Preparing a Gourmet Lunch
  Chef Mike teaches participants how to prepare gourmet lunches at home. The menu includes an exotic Oriental Chicken Salad with a lavish Fresh Tropical Fruit Cocktail and a Grand Marnier Zabaglione for dessert.
• Saturday, September 15
  Cooking Essentials: Baking Basics
  Enjoy learning how to make a variety of breads including Sourdough, French and our own Grand loaf. Learn the basics of bread dough preparation. After you are finished, you will have a fresh loaf of bread to take home and share.
• Saturday, October 20
  Cooking Essentials: Pastry Basics
  Chef Mike will share the secrets of preparing the top three classic French pastry recipes of all time. The menu includes Crème Brule, Mousses and Bananas Foster. These rich gourmet deserts will be an instant success when served to guests.
• Saturday, November 17
  How to Prepare Thanksgiving Dinner
  One step at a time, Chef Mike will teach participants how to prepare a remarkable Thanksgiving meal for their VIP guests. A grocery list will be provided to ensure participants have all the ingredients needed on hand. He will then take them though each course -- salad, entree, starch, vegetable and dessert. Leave confident in preparing this wonderful meal, while saving both time and money. This year you can actually enjoy preparing and serving your Thanksgiving meal.
• Saturday, December 15
  Building Gingerbread Houses
  Receive step by step instructions on how to build and decorate your own gingerbread house. Get in the holiday spirit and leave with a gingerbread house creation of your own. Children receive a half price discount on this fun and festive class.

Executive Chef Mike Wallace has extensive food, beverage and hospitality experience that includes working with various restaurants and resorts throughout the United States and Switzerland, such as the Waldorf Astoria in New York, and the Ramada Renaissance Hotel and Le Marignac Restaurant in Switzerland.

About the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa
Experience a stunning Alabama beach resort making a historic comeback from Hurricane Katrina at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa. Situated on 550 secluded, waterfront acres in Point Clear, this Alabama resort offers a dramatic departure from standard Gulf Shores beach resorts. It boasts two challenging golf courses as part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, as well as a luxurious 20,000 sq. ft. European-style spa, a fabulous array of exceptional dining options, and a sizeable marina for sailboats, yachts, and fishing boats. The delightful beaches and extraordinary pool complex offer plenty of entertainment for the whole family.

Overlooking scenic Mobile Bay, this Gulf Coast resort boasts 37,000 sq. ft. of elegant meeting and event space for corporate events that defy convention, and weddings that dreams are made of. Escape from ordinary Gulf Shores beach hotels and discover the Marriott Grand, the Queen of Southern Resorts. For more information or to register for the Grand Hotel Culinary Academy classes, call (251) 928-9201 or visit http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/ptlal-grand-hotel-marriott-resort-golf-club-and-spa/.