With a chosen menu of shrimp-stuffed avocado, lobster bisque, Mediterranean salad, filet mignon with bordelaise sauce, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and glazed peaches with cream caramel sauce, David Byrnes admitted at the start of the couple’s recent lesson that he was a bit unsure about preparing everything correctly.

“He’s a much better cook than I am,” interjects Michelle, telling her husband that he shouldn’t be worried about technique.

After a quick primer on the different knives used by chefs, advice on frequently tasting the food you’re preparing, and some helpful tips on assessing the difference between rare and medium rare beef (Hint: You have to compare the firmness of the cooking meat to the palm of your hand), instruction began.

“Ninety-nine percent of what I do comes from up here,” Tehranian says, touching his index finger to the side of his head. “Sometimes I follow a recipe, but mostly I just wing it.”

Other available menus are designed around such entrées as duck a l’orange, roasted quail, rack of lamb, salmon Florentine, monkfish tournedos, fettuccine Alfredo and grilled Cajun tuna.

More nuggets of advice were interspersed throughout instruction on recipe-specific techniques. Since the milk contained in butter can burn quickly, heat the butter first before adding it to a recipe to separate out the milk. Sharpen knives once or twice a week to keep them in optimum condition. Spending a lot on a bottle of wine doesn’t necessarily mean it will taste better.

Three hours after they started, the Byrneses were ready to sit down in Chef Ben’s kitchen and enjoy the fruits of their labors. As some restaurants do, Tehranian has a large fish tank running near the table to add a relaxing element to the setting.

Since cooking is “very much about the presentation of the food,” Chef Ben adds a few flourishes to the dishes as he presents the courses to the couple.

Afterward, both diners gave glowing reviews.

Says David: “It takes a certain level of knowledge to not overpower a dish, but to complement it and let the meat or fish shine through.”

While Michelle agreed that the entrée was tender and tasteful, she loved the last course best. “Dessert was wicked good,” she says. “It was one of those desserts that makes you want to lick the plate.”

Would the couple take another lesson from Chef Ben?

“We would absolutely recommend this experience. He’s just so friendly. He doesn’t intimidate,” Michelle says. “And you can tell his heart is in it, and that he must do it because he loves it.”

For information on private cooking classes, visit cookwithben.com or call 410-312-0001.