One of the things that I enjoy most about my food career is teaching cooking classes. I love cooking with other people. The sharing and a-ha(!) moments are part of the takeaways from a good class. The quiet moments when we’re all diving into what we’ve made are precious too.
My cooking classes are available in three formats:
- In-person classes are open to the public and held at a teaching kitchen space. They may be organized by a food business (e.g., cooking school) or by me. Great for anyone interested in getting their feet wet. Attend alone, with friends, a sibling, significant other and have a good time.
9/23, 11am-3:30pm, Pho Celebration, Santa Cruz
10/21, 11am-3pm, Asian Dumplings, Santa Cruz
- Online classes taught at Craftsy, where I’m a cooking instructor. These are great for people who can't make it to my in-person classes and who want to learn at their own pace. You own the class forever.
- Private classes tailored to your needs. Menu and logistics are customized to a small group's needs.
Where have I taught? I’ve been an invited teacher at the Institute for Culinary Education in New York, Cakebread Cellars in Saint Helena/Napa, Southern Seasons in Chapel Hill, Book Larder in Seattle, and Sur La Table (multiple locations), Love Apple Farms in Santa Cruz.
As of 2016, I regularly organize my own classes, mostly in Santa Cruz, California, where I reside. I also hold private classes and training sessions for professional and home chefs.
What is the class format? For in-person classes, hands-on classes are the best way to learn the kinds of things that I teach. Students who sign up for my classes are curious, experimental cooks who want to get their feet wet. It’s hard to master dumplings without making a few yourself. A DIY pho and banh mi bar gets you to tinker with flavors and textures. Hands-on cooking classes maximize learning.
Once in a while, I do a demonstration only class to a large group of people, but in the main, my classes are for groups of 16 people or smaller. The size depends on the space and topic.
Hands-on classes last from 3 to 5 hours depending on the topic. They are cooking workouts designed to teach skills and know-how that last a lifetime. We also eat a lot (no one leaves hungry!) and have a great time. My classes are cooking parties but students don’t have to do the dishes. There’s usually at least one assistant on hand.
How to find out about classes? I usually list them in the sidebar of this website -- look to the upper part of the right sidebar. You may also be notified via my newsletter. For private class inquiries, email me through the link below my headshot at the top of this page or via: andrea [@] vietworldkitchen [dot] com.
About classes that I organize: Along with classes taught at places like the San Francisco Cooking School, I also put together my own. They are relatively small. In 2015, I began booking my own classes at New Leaf Market in Santa Cruz (plenty of free parking!).
The class size is a maximum of 12 students. I do all the shopping to select ingredients and have an assistant in class. You receive lots of attention. Registration is through Brown Paper Tickets and you securely pay through PayPal.
The only drawback is we cannot have wine in class. However, there’s a nice tap room and several wine tasting rooms within walking distance of the market. Head there after class to extend your Santa Cruz experience!
Sample feedback on my cooking classes:
"Thanks so much again for your wonderful Asian Dumpling Bootcamp last weekend. It was an honor to meet and learn from you in person. I appreciate your great humor and down-to-earth attitude, and especially that you are teaching authentic Asian cooking. While I helped make pot-stickers and soup dumplings and ate the four other kinds at restaurants before, I had no idea how to make them from scratch. I will be sure to make them all at home now." -- Mark
"We're going to organize dumpling parties when we go on vacation with friends. This was so much fun!" -- Janice
"Enjoyed your class so much! You are an excellent teacher and so organized. I am still amazed at how much we got done and were able to eat." -- Linda
"The class was the best, you are an excellent teacher, and you had a great rapport with all of us, and somehow, no matter what our pace, you timed it so that we all finished at the same time. Ellen and I have taken mosaic workshops over the years, and never learned as much or had as good a time as we did in our one day with you. (It helps that we love to cook and eat.) We hope to do it again." -- Dan
"Thank you for a great class yesterday. I was so inspired I made chicken pho today with one of the heirloom breed birds I raised and butchered myself last year. The broth is delicious." -- Cathy
I may organize more of these kinds of classes outside of Santa Cruz, if they make financial sense.
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to let me know.
