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Culinary Confidence at Teaching Table: A Series of Basic Cooking Skills Classes for Hesitant Cooks


  • Teaching Table 12 Noel Drive Ossining USA (map)

IN PERSON

Do you lack confidence in the kitchen? Are you a new cook? Are you an adult claiming you can’t cook? Have you resolved to cook more and order take out less often?  Do you want to better understand the basics to make simple straightforward meals that taste good and nourish?

In this 4-session series, paced for beginners (or those who simply aren’t comfortable in the kitchen), participants develop culinary confidence while learning and practicing basic cooking techniques. Learn in a supportive environment where we encourage all of your questions, and grow from our mistakes.

Concepts that will be covered:

  • Roasting

  • Braising

  • Sautéeing 

  • Seasoning and Flavor Development

  • Cooking Grains

  • Pan Sauces, Spreads and Vinaigrettes

  • Menu planning

  • Improvisational cooking

  • Shopping for ingredients

  • Choosing the proper tools & equipment

  • Seasonality of ingredients

  • Time Management

  • Kitchen safety and sanitation

  • Knife skills (cursory only, we recommend our separate Knife Skills classes for a deeper dive)

What is culinary confidence?

Culinary Confidence is:

  1. Teaching Table’s 4-session Series focused on Culinary Basics and Simple meals for adults who are hesitant, beginners or simply claim they can’t cook;

  2. The mindset you will develop from participating in Teaching Table’s Culinary Confidence series;

  3. The ability to cook a meal without hesitation or fear;

  4. The belief that you are capable of feeding yourself and others.

What will i achieve in this course?

By the end of this course you will have:

  • Created at least 4 nourishing delicious meals from scratch.

  • Practiced 8 basic cooking techniques.

  • Chosen the proper tools and kitchen equipment for the job.

  • Applied the concepts you learned to a wide variety of ingredients and recipes.

  • Increased your confidence as a cook.

  • Built a community with other beginner and hesitant cooks.

What Do I Get When Enrolling in this Course?

  • 4 in-person sessions at Teaching Table. We will meet every roughly other week on Thursdays starting September 26th. Other dates: October 10th, October 24th, and November 14th.

  • Lifetime access to all course materials and recipes.

  • Recordings of each live session.

  • Personalized on-demand cooking coaching throughout the course. Your chef is easily accessible via email.

  • Priority for registration into other Teaching Table classes and events (virtual and in person).

  • All ingredients and materials.

  • A complete sit down meal at the end of class.

  • A Teaching Table apron and bench scraper (when you enroll in entire course only)

  • access to an experienced chef who will answer your cooking questions

  • leave the clean up to us!

  • Teaching Table prioritizes sourcing ingredients that are local, seasonal, sustainable and organic whenever possible.

  • We serve water and tea only. You may bring your own beverages, if you choose.

What will we COOK?

Each session focuses on a singular cooking technique and incorporates some other basics. Our menu (subject to change based on student interest or dietary needs) is as follows.

Session 1: Roasting and Seasoning

  • Roast Chicken with Pan Sauce Gravy

  • Roast Vegetables

  • Rosemary Crusted Potatoes

Session 2: Braising and Sautéeing

  • Chicken Piccata or Lamb Stew (students’ choice)

  • Garlicky Greens

Session 3: Cooking Grains and Pasta Dishes

  • Hearty Mushroom Risotto and/or

  • Pasta alla Vodka or Amatriciana

Session 4: Fish and Purées

  • Baked Ras el Hanout Arctic Char

  • Muhammara (smokey red pepper & walnut sauce)

  • Yogurt Dill Sauce

  • Creamy Cauliflower or Pea Purée

Don’t see what you want to learn here?

  • Tell us. We might be able to incorporate it. Or it might already be a part of the course and not listed here.

What is the price?

The entire course is on sale for $396. You can drop in to one session for the single session price of $108. Simply purchase a singular session and let me know in the comments which date you would like to join.

What if I miss a class?

We recommend that you commit to attending each class, however, we understand the challenge of fitting 4 sessions into your schedule. To help, the zoom version of our course will be recorded for your convenience or you can join via zoom on a different date if you miss the in-person session.

What Do I Need to KNOW?

  • This is an in-person class at Teaching Table. Space is limited.

  • For ages 16+

When & WHERE does this class meet?

  • Thursdays 7:00 - 9:30 PM

  • At Teaching Table in Ossining, NY

  • Ready to mark your calendar? September 26th, October 10th, October 24th, and November 14th.

What our Students say about Teaching Table’s Cooking Classes:

  • We have a 5-star rating on Google (48+ reviews)

  • 98% of survey respondents say they would “recommend a Teaching Table class to friends or family”

It was terrific! My kid loved the lamb chops!! He loved the potatoes, and he LIKED the pasta bolognese (which was amazing!!). The banana bread is delicious!!

Thank you so much! It’s the best meal (s) I’ve ever made and it was such fun...a real stress reliever given the reality of the day. 
— Lisa, NYC
These classes have changed my entire experience of cooking. I am confident substituting ingredients and trying new things because of Laura. Each class teaches you how to use what you have, make it ahead, what you can save for later, etc., not just how to make that dish. I’m so excited to keep taking classes and learning new things.
— Emilie, Maryland
Chef Laura was a great teacher- knowledgeable, well organized, and enthusiastic. We left her class feeling more confident in our cooking, and now have new meals to add to our repertoire!
— Sarah, Florida

Can I just drop in for one or two sessions?

We recommend taking the entire course because we are building a community of confident cooks and the content builds from session to session. However, you can drop in for a single or a few of the 4 sessions. Just purchase a singular session session and let me know which one session(s). A single session is $108. The entire course is $396. You save $36 when you enroll in the whole course.

Chef Laura is wonderful! You can tell she has a background as a teacher as she is excellent at explaining all of the steps and what goes into a dish. She has helped me become a confident cook and I am able to throw meals together using what I have on hand. I cannot recommend her classes enough!
— Kat, Brooklyn
Earlier Event: September 22
Artisanal Wood Fired Pizza