Connecting with Cooking and Culture

I’m sure that all of us are missing spending time with our loved ones at the moment. Connecting with friends and family can be complicated due to geographical barriers, pandemics, and the overall “busyness” of life. For most of us, the majority of gatherings are centered around food; this incredible universal language of love. Maybe you’re missing your big family celebration feasts or casual at-home dinners with your closest friends. When you look back at these memories, so many are created around the kitchen counter or the dining room table. Although for many of us right now, we cannot connect in large gatherings in the same way as we once could, the world has found ways to adapt. Even if you cannot be in your nostalgic family kitchen where you have created some of those beautiful memories, it does not need to stop you from creating new memories.

Joining an online cooking class with your friends or family gives you the opportunity to connect through the love of food despite where you are in the world. As we cook together and share stories, we can reminisce on youthful memories centered around the kitchen, while creating new food-filled memories. Let’s choose to adapt and continue to spend quality time cooking with our friends and family, despite life’s complications. Food cannot only connect us in our personal lives, but can also connect us in our work lives. 

Somehow, time has completely slipped away and it’s already November, which means it’s the time of the year to start thinking about the holiday season. Everyone’s holiday season looks a little different, but most of ours are packed full of events and filled with comforting food favourites. Many of us enjoy socializing at holiday events, yet someone has to be responsible for planning them. The pressure of planning group and corporate events can be overwhelming, and no one needs any more stress in their lives. A zoom holiday party may sound a little bland and awkward, fortunately, there are more exciting options.

An online cooking class not only takes the stress away from planning an event but also allows for an interesting way to get to know your coworkers better, despite geography. With the help of our hosts and moderators, each party will be able to further connect over the perfect icebreaker of cooking. Not to mention the added benefit of ending the event with an incredible home cooked meal. Who could have thought that a team-building activity could be so delicious? Treat yourself and your coworkers this holiday season with an interactive online cooking party. 

The following are just a few examples of some of our Private Online Cooking Classes:

A Taste of Rasht, Iran

Connect your team across cities with some cultural learning and cooking.  Leila will lead your team on a culinary adventure to Rasht; sharing her family recipes for three simple and tasty dishes.  Throughout the cooking class Leila will tell the stories of  her family, what life is like in Rasht and about her life in Canada.

Menu:

Kuku Sabzi
A traditional Persian frittata with loads of greens and eggs.  Pair it with feta cheese and walnut, and you will have the most delicious "fruit" (frittata).

Mirzaghasemi
Eggplant & tomato stew/dip:  This is a traditional dish from Northern Iran/Caspian Sea region, eaten as a side dish or a dip with Persian bread called Sangak.

An Umbrian Feast

Gather family and friends together near and far.  Celebrate a family event, or just spend a Friday night with good friends separated by distance and share in an Umbrian Feast with Melissa.   Melissa with her quick wit and passion for her Umbrian roots will regale you with stories about her Nonna,  her family and her beloved Umbria.

Menu:

Ricotta Gnocchi al sugo di pomodoro (simple tomato sauce)
Ricotta Gnocchi is a specialty of Melissa's. Although potato gnocchi is typical of Umbria, this recipe (made with no potatoes) is one of Melissa's favourites and is easy to pull together with few ingredients.

Pollo in porchetta
Roasted chicken marinated in an Umbrian style 'battuto' (marinade) of pancetta, sage, parsley and rosemary.

Fennel Salad
A simple and tasty salad that is very versatile and great for digestion.

Bubbles and Dumplings

Invite a group of friends over or connect online and bring Raymond into your kitchen virtually for an evening of Bubbles and Dumplings.  You bring the bubbles and Raymond will teach you his family’s Vietnamese Dumpling recipe from scratch.    Lots of time to chat together and learn about Raymond’s life as a refugee from Vietnam.  One refugee story is just that, one person’s story, Raymond shares his own personal experiences of what it was like growing up during the war in Vietnam and his journey and life in Canada.  Raymond is charming and witty and loves to share his passion and knowledge for Vietnamese cooking and culture.  

Menu:

Pork, Prawn and Chive Dumplings with a Vietnamese dipping sauce.  Raymond, will teach you to make the dumpling wrappers from scratch!