Traditionally, learning to become a professional cook required an investment of either lots of time or a fair chunk of money -- and sometimes both. One customary career path for aspiring chefs was a multi-year series of apprenticeships and career moves in order to learn on the job.

The other alternative, culinary school, was a quicker but usually more expensive option. The cost of two years at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York currently has a $90,000 price tag.

But as is the case with so much else in the 21st century, the internet is disrupting culinary education as both existing culinary schools and high-tech start-ups are offering culinary education online.

While the traditional leaders in culinary education have been cautious about moving into internet-based culinary education - doing so would, after all, potentially undermine their core business - a number of entrepreneurial ventures have been aggressively developing and promoting "virtual cooking schools" for amateurs and professionals alike.

The teaching strategy those newcomers have adopted involves learning experiences delivered via the Web in the form of video content demonstrating various cooking techniques. After viewing the relevant lesson, students then replicate a recipe or technique in whatever kitchen setting might be available to them.

The tricky aspect of culinary education online is evaluation and feedback. With no chef-instructor to observe, taste, and critique, most online cooking schools have to rely on student submissions of food "selfies" as a basis for providing feedback - if they provide any at all.

Rouxbe (rouxbe.com) claims to be the world's leading online culinary school, having served over 530,000 students. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., the company offers individual and group training and has partnered with many companies in the food service and hospitality industry to deliver workplace instruction and training. Current clients include Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Whole Foods, and more.

The company promotes certificate-level programs geared to both professionals and amateur chefs and, earlier this month, introduced a course of study dealing with "plant-based" cookery. This new coursework involves five units, 22 lessons, and 138 different techniques delivered over the course of 30 hours. Topics coved in the plant-based curriculum include soups, dressings and marinades as well as using meat and dairy alternatives. There is even lesson content on "no-heat" cooking.

The Rouxbe website offers a sampling of the video materials on which their instructional programs are based. Those media clips can be viewed at rouxbe.com/tips-techniques.

Tucker's Restaurant in Southwick has announced they'll be hosting "Slowhand," a tribute performance featuring the music of Eric Clapton and Cream.

The event is planned for Friday, Nov. 1, with the dinner seating at 6 p.m. and a 7:30 p.m. showtime. Chef Michael Anderson will be serving a plated dinner menu of chicken francaise, vegetable, roasted red potatoes, and salad as well as a specialty dessert.

Tickets, which are $45 per person, can be ordered by online at musictributeproductions.com/upcoming-shows.

Tucker's Restaurant answers at (413) 569-0120.

If you missed this years Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival or just want to get a jump on the next one, the festival promoters have announced that they are conducting a special advance sale of tickets for the 2020 Festival. Up until December 25, 2019, tickets for next years event, which will be held Sept. 17 through 20, will be available at 2019 prices.

More information is available at the Festival's web site, NewportMansionsWineAndFood.org, or by calling (401) 847-1000.

"Big and beefy" are among the requisite adjectives needed to describe October's featured sandwiches at Arby's locations.

For the rest of October the chain is featuring a beer-braised beef sandwich on a pretzel roll, a beer cheese triple stack that included roast beef, corned beef, and shredded beer-braised beef topped with melted beer cheese, fried onions, and beer mustard, and a double roast beef sandwich finished with the same array of condiments.

There's an Arby's Restaurant that operates at the Granby Road-Route 33 rotary in Chicopee.

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews restaurants are featuring two special burger creations this fall season, a French onion burger that's finished with Swiss cheese, fried onion straws, and a French onion spread all served on an onion roll.

The El Ranchero burger, another limited-time-only selection, gets dressed up with candied bacon, onion straws, and jalapeno ranch dressing.

New among the chain's snacks and sides are garlic parmesan pretzel bites served with aioli for dipping and Nashville-style hot boneless wings.

Red Robin operates eateries in Holyoke at Holyoke Crossing, on Boston Road in North Wilbraham, and in Enfield, CT at 15 Hazard Avenue.

On Nov. 2, Teresas Restaurant in Ware will be turning its Alfonso Banquet Room over to the No Shoes Nation Band as that musical group presents a tribute to Kenny Chesney, the country music singer and guitarist.

The dinner and show evening begins with a 5 p.m. cocktail hour. Dinner, which will be served at 6 p.m., is a six course, family style meal of Teresa's favorites. Showtime is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Tickets are $50 per person and include tax and gratuity; call (413) 967-7601 for reservations.

The Gill Tavern in Gill is planning a special dinner event for Nov. 5.

Menu details and the like aren't yet available, but the Tavern's announcement promises that the evening will be similar to other such Gill Tavern get-togethers. This most likely means a five-course menu featuring local fare, a selection of wines paired to complement each course, a 6:30 p.m. start time, and a price per person in the neighborhood of $50.

For more details check the Gill Tavern's web site at thegilltavern.com or call the establishment at (413) 863-9006.

LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants have brought back their Delmonico steak as part of their new "Steakhouse Cuts" menu. Portioned at 14 ounces, the Delmonico joins a 12-ounce New York Strip and the chain's signature Flo's Filet, a steak that is available in either six- or eight-ounce sizes.

To complement these steak options, LongHorn has also introduced Crispy Brussels Sprouts tossed in a smoky honey butter. Other favorite steakhouse sides at LongHorn include Steakhouse Mac & Cheese and char-grilled asparagus.

There are LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants on Riverdale Street in West Springfield and on Phoenix Avenue in Enfield, CT.

Master impersonators the Edward Twins will be appearing at the Munich Haus German Restaurant in Chicopee on October 31 and November 1. The dinner and show version of these performances begins at 6:30 p.m.; show time is planned for 8 p.m.

Dinner and show tickets are $65, while show-only admission is $45.

Both ticket options can be purchased online at TheEdwardsTwins.com.

The William Cullen Bryant Homestead in Cummington, in conjunction with Wheelhouse Catering of Amherst, is presenting a "Dinner in 1800's New England" on Saturday, Nov. 8 starting at 5 p.m.

The evening's special focus will be on the apple, an important crop in New England both then and now. Using some of Mrs. Bryant's own recipes, Wheelhouse Catering will be creating a meal such as the Bryant family themselves might have enjoyed more than a century ago.

Tickets are $95 and must be ordered by Oct. 31. Contact the Trustees of Reservations, which manages the Bryant Homestead, at (413) 200-7262 or email acaluori@thetrustees.org.

Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community Colleges hospitality and culinary arts program and has nearly 45 years of restaurant and educational experience. Please send items of interest to Off the Menu at the Republican, P.O. Box 1329, Springfield, MA 01101; Robert can also be reached at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com.

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Off The Menu: Culinary education being offered online - MassLive.com