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Cooking Lessons

I offer personalized in-home cooking classes for individuals and groups of two or three persons.

The lessons are tailored to my students' needs, and can range from basic cooking, starting with, for example, how to boil water (seriously!) or shopping in a natural foods store, to more advanced topics such as stockmaking.

I limit the class size so that I can offer personal attention, and give instruction in my students' home kitchens so they learn in a familiar and comfortable environment using their own appliances and cooking utensils. Holding the lessons in my students' kitchens also allows me to offer personalized instruction at a reasonable cost.

The lesson sessions are approximately three hours long and are scheduled on weekday evenings, starting between 5 - 6 PM, with the intent of preparing the evening meal (weekend and day sessions can also be scheduled; please contact me). I provide the food, seasonings, recipe handouts, and will bring any needed cooking utensils.

Lesson Formats

Both single topic and general lessons are available. The first consists of one or more sessions on a specific topic, such as the ones listed below. The general lessons are a series of three sessions aimed at achieving a certain level of cooking competency.

Single Topic Lessons

  • Overview of natural foods cooking.
  • Whole grains
  • Beans
  • Soups
  • Stews, sautés, and pastas.
  • Fast (healthy) food.
  • Sandwich spreads (e.g. hummus, etc.)
  • Cooking with soy products (tofu, tempeh, miso, and soy sauce).
  • Stockmaking.
  • Low/no oil cooking.
  • Low/no salt cooking
  • Cooking without sweeteners.


    General Cooking Lessons

    Basic Cooking

    For those with little or no cooking experience, this class covers the basics. Gentle and patient instruction; "dumb" questions encouraged. Each session starts with selecting and purchasing the food ingredients.

    Topics covered include:

  • Cooking utensils and their uses.
  • Identifying, selecting and storing produce.
  • Introduction to common grains, legumes, nuts ,seeds, and oils.
  • Introduction to common seasonings.
  • Introduction to tofu.
  • Refrigerating and re-heating prepared food.
  • Health aspects of food choices.
  • Preparing a simple meal.


    Beginning Cooking

    Introduction to whole foods and their preparation for those with basic cooking skills. Become familiar with ingredients to be able to prepare simple meals.

    Topics covered include:

  • Cooking grains and legumes.
  • Basic chopping, steaming and sautéing.
  • Introduction to soy products: soy sauce, tofu, miso, soy beverages.
  • Introduction to leafy greens: kales, chards.
  • Tips for low oil/low salt cooking.
  • Cooking with seasonal produce.
  • Preparation of simple soups, sandwich spreads, potato and fruit salads.


    Intermediate Cooking

    Preparation of soups, pastas, sautés, stews. Become able to understand and follow recipes.

    Topics covered include :

  • Soupmaking.
  • Stews and sautés.
  • Substitutes for refined sweeteners
  • Grain, bean, and vegetable salads.
  • Grain/grain and grain/legume combinations.
  • Use of thickeners in soups, sautés, stews, and dressings.
  • Low oil and low salt cooking.
  • Meal planning.


    Cost

    The cost of a three hour session, which is shared among the students, is about $150 dollars. Thus, the charge for a single student is $150. Two students pay roughly $75 each, and three pay about $50 each. Compare this to the roughly $45 dollar cost of a group class through the Learning Exchange.

    The $150 figure includes a $135 dollar teaching cost and $15 dollars for food (the food cost may vary somewhat depending on the number of students and subject being taught). There is also an additional travel charge for sessions held outside the general downtown Sacramento area.

    A non-refundable deposit of the teaching cost ($75) is required at least a week in advance to schedule a session. The food and travel charges are paid at the time of the session.

    A session may be canceled by the student(s) provided I'm notified at least 24 hours beforehand. It will then be re-scheduled. If notice is not given in time, or no notice is given, the deposit is lost. Also, any "no shows" at a group or individual session forfeit their portion of the deposit. I also reserve the right to re-schedule a session due to illness or other unforeseen reasons.

    To schedule a lesson, or for further information, leave a message on my voice mail at 916-978-5882 or contact me via e-mail.