COOKING CLASSES AND DEMOS
Reclaim pleasure in the kitchen with virtual cooking classes.
Register for a class.
Fun fact: In a previous life, What We Eat was primarily a personal chef business. A team of a half dozen chefs and I cooked for hundreds of busy families, businesses and individuals across Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Jersey.
I continue to share my love of cooking and good food through live virtual and in-person cooking classes for individuals and organizations. You may also purchase class recordings at a discounted rate.
- Live virtual cooking classes: $40 per sign up (held on Zoom)
- Recorded virtual cooking classes: $20 per sign up (hosted on Vimeo)
- Inquire here for private and corporate cooking class pricing.
Got a question about how it all works? Check out the FAQs.
You can also keep up with the goings-on in my kitchen on Instagram @whatweeat.nyc and on my recipe-centric blog. All public virtual cooking classes will be announced on Instagram, here and my newsletter.
“Laura’s cooking class was the best remote team building event I’ve ever participated in. I had an opportunity to work with Laura directly booking a holiday cooking class for a national sales and customer success team. The process was very, very easy and menu planning quite fun. Her advance communication to be ready for class was clear and easy to follow. The class itself was a perfect balance of learning, laughter and we all ended up with a great meal for the night and recipes we’ve used over and over. Its the summer and we’re confirming our dates for December now!” Wendy Zapach, Chief Revenue Officer, Optii Solutions
What people are saying.
Why cooking?
When I tell people I work as a chef, everyone is excited to talk to me about food. When I contrast that to the uneasiness I sense when I share that I am also a dietitian, there is an obvious disconnect.
People have preconceived notions about what delicious food tastes like (not health-supporting) and what health-supporting food tastes like (not delicious). It is clear that our culture’s binary “good food/bad food”, “healthy/unhealthy” mentality around nutrition is robbing us of the joy of food.
Cooking classes bring the joy back. Food is food and it is ALL good for you. There is nothing better than feeling empowered to make what you crave.
Upcoming Cooking Classes
Sunday, January 28 from 4-5:15pm ET – REGISTER HERE. If you are unable to make it live, I will send out a recording within 24 hours after class completion.
Kale Pesto Pasta with Roasted Winter Squash and Mint + Garlicky Sauteed White Beans with Lemon-Spiked Arugula +Pan-Roasted Italian Sausage
Kale and squash are workhorse winter ingredients around here. While they most typically show up in salads, at this point in the season I’m ready for something new. Enter pasta. Kale lends its signature grassy flavor to the pesto, which is captured by the curves and grooves of al dente fusilli. The deeply roasted butternut squash provides caramelized sweetness. A handful of mint wakes the whole thing up.
To pair with that pasta, we’ll make white beans sauteed with garlic and topped with a mountain of lemon-spiked arugula. I love the contrast of the creamy, earthy beans and the spicy, tender greens. Another thing to love? Because we’re using canned beans, this dish comes together in less than 10 minutes. You could call it dinner all on its own served with toasted bread and your favorite cheese.
And finally, for those who need a little more protein to call it a meal or who need a “safe” food for the table (i.e. one that will be eaten without complaint by pint-size “discerning” eaters), we’ll make some last-minute sausage. Pan-roasting is my go-to preparation because it avoids the messy and treacherous splattering and sputtering fat that typically results during stovetop cooking. While by no means necessary, these sausages are a delicious addition to the meal.
I hope I see you. Sign up!
Past Cooking Classes
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do classes cost?
- Live virtual classes open to the public are $40 per sign up and help on Zoom. You may also purchase previously held recorded classes for $20 per sign up. Please inquire about private classes for individuals, groups and companies.
How do I sign up for recorded classes?
- Reach out here! Let me know which class you’d like to sign up and I’ll send you the shopping list, recipes, recording and an invoice.
Can more than one person cook along with me in my kitchen if only I sign up for a virtual cooking class?
- Of course, make it a party! As long as you are cooking together in one kitchen, you only need to sign up once.
How do virtual cooking classes work?
- Once you register for class, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom, then an email from me within three days of class which includes a grocery list, our recipes, needed equipment and a few other tips and tricks for class to run smoothly.
How comfortable do I need to be in the kitchen to enjoy your classes?
- As long as you can chop an onion, you can take a class! In other words, if you have basic knife skills, you’re good to go.
Are classes vegetarian-friendly?
- I include suggested vegan/vegetarian substitutes whenever possible. Sometimes classes are entirely vegetarian too!
If I’d like to hold a private class, how can we arrange it?
- I’d love to host a class with you! Cost will depend on whether we’re choosing from a previously delivered class or whether you’d like to work together to come up with a personalized menu, and whether you’d like the class to be in-person at your venue or virtual.
Do you do corporate work?
- Yes, I love working with companies. Virtual cooking classes are a great way to get remote-working corporate teams together for some fun team bonding, or in-person teams together for an intimate gathering. I often keep a Zoom open after class for teams to enjoy whatever we made together or enjoy a glass of wine before they sign off to share the prepared meal with family. This hands-on cooking experience will allow your team to let down their guards, get out of their heads and into their bodies. Food brings out the best in people.
Do you talk about nutrition during class?
- No, not really. I find focusing on nutrition takes away the joy of cooking and eating in this context. I may mention that certain combinations of dishes or ingredients are particularly satisfying but that’s the extent of it.