Virtual Cooking Class Gatherings
Cook with your family and friends virtually and stay safe for the holidays
I’ll make it fun and help remind you of the magic during the holidays- no matter the circumstances!
Want to celebrate with your family and friends safely during the holidays?
Cook with them virtually- with a professional chef! Chef Joanna is a cooking instructor who specializes in healthy cooking.
If you have family members who are health conscious, Joanna will help you find a dish everyone will love.
This is for you, if you want to…
- Spend time with friends and family you don’t get to see
- Are scared to have a personal chef come to your house but still want to do something special
- Want to give a thoughtful gift to your kids or grandkids
- Have family members who have special dietary needs
- Show your family that healthy cooking can improve your life
- Want your family and friends to feel healthy and thrive in their life
- Want a chef to help you kick off the celebrations
- Want to share some healthy cooking tips and tricks with your family so they feel more empowered to cook, no matter what age
Thanks again for teaching us how to cook simply and well”
-Ray
Who signs up for virtual family/friend gatherings?
| Beginners | Vegetarians | Vegans |
| Grandparents | Gluten-free people | Health-focused families |
When you sign up for a virtual cooking class, we’ll go over what your family or friends are looking for. Are they gluten-free or vegetarian? Do they love Mediterranean food?
Then, we’ll choose a dish or two to prepare together. I’ll send you the recipe before class so everyone can collect the ingredients.
The day of the event, we’ll meet over Zoom and cook the dish together. You’ll learn about healthy cooking techniques and perhaps about some new ingredients, too.
But, the focus is fun and celebration! Bring your class of Champagne so we can cook and enjoy each other’s company.
Make your holidays special. Give the gift of learning something new. Cooking healthy is a gift that keeps on giving for a lifetime!
Here are some popular dishes we can prepare together (all vegetarian):
- Armenian Stuffed Eggplant with Tabuli Salad (vegan)
- Greek Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Mint and Onions, Homemade Pita Chips and Hummus (vegan)
- Hand-Cut Pappardelle Pasta with Pesto or Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce (vegetarian)
- Homemade Gnocchi Pasta with Sage Brown Butter or Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce (vegetarian)
- Forever Young Minestrone Soup from Sardinia, Italy (a family favorite soup recipe) (vegan)
- Chinese Dumplings (Vegan) with Cucumber “Fries” (vegan)
- Eggplant Rollatini with Baby Arugula Salad (vegetarian)
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Pomegranate-Orange Vinaigrette and Arugula, Walnuts, and Feta (vegetarian)
- Vegan Gumbo and Cornbread (vegan)
*Gluten-free and Vegan modifications can be made easily
A Word From Your Instructor:
Hi, I’m Chef Joanna and I teach people how to cook to thrive at any age.
After 7 years of working as a culinary instructor, I’m more a food counselor than a chef. Unlike the Chopped contestants you’ll find on the Food Network, I’m about enjoying the process of cooking and making a home- not rushing it. I care about wellness.
My approach to healthy eating is simple. It’s about lifestyle and choosing more vegetables and whole, unprocessed foods. I learned many healthy cooking techniques working with dieticians over the years. And I also found most of their patients were never taught how to create healthy, tasty food.
With a few simple techniques, my students have created dishes they are proud of. They are so happy to share their new cooking knowledge with their kids and nourish themselves with these high quality foods.
My goal is to transmit all my cooking knowledge to you. The recipes and techniques I share are based on my years working with chefs and dieticians. I simplify it so you don’t have to be a chef to cook healthy and delicious meals.
All the way, you’ll have access to me so that you can ask questions as you begin your ‘80% plant-based cooking’ journey.
See you in the kitchen!
Joanna Barajas
Book your date while it’s still available!
Fill out the form at the bottom of the page to get started. Chef Joanna will contact you shortly.
FAQ
How does it work?
- We start with a brief 15-minute chat to get to know what kind of dishes you and your family/friends like
- I send you recipe options and then you pick one
- You get the recipe/s and Zoom link at least 5 days before the event so you can email your family and friends
- You and your family buy the ingredients before class
- We cook together the day of and have fun!
- You can ask me any cooking questions you need answered during our LIVE cooking session
What is it?
- A customized recipe that you and your family can make together
- An hour to 1.5 hour LIVE class on Zoom to cook with the chef
- Chef guiding you through the recipe step-by-step
What kind of food is it?
- The focus is on mostly vegetarian dishes. Homemade Pasta with Pesto, Black-Eyed Pea Salad, Stuffed Eggplant, Tabuli and Hummus are some of the most popular dishes we can make together.
- Gluten-free and vegan diets can be accommodated easily
What if some of my family/friends aren’t good cooks?
- Don’t worry! I will guide you through the recipes step-by-step so everyone will end up with a tasty dish. They may even be surprised at themselves!
What it’s not…
- Traditional holiday meat and dairy-heavy dishes
- The recipes I focus on are lighter and for the health-conscious family
What if my family or friends have specific needs/dietary requirements?
- In our brief chat, you can tell me all the dietary requirements you and your family have.
- I’ll choose a recipe that accommodates your needs, or provide substitutions so everyone can make the dish.
Pricing:
Virtual classes start at $50/per household with a 2 person minimum.
Testimonials:
“With having to cook more at home during the pandemic, her recipes and kitchen skills have come very handy. I have expanded my recipe repertoire and improved the quality of my nutrition. The recipes she recommends are easy, delicious, very nutritious and fun to make. Thank you!!“
-Monica
“I’m amazed this week how my energy levels and mood have increased just by following your breakfast challenge. A colleague today said how much I was enjoying life. WOW! – Thank you Joanna.”
-Mark
“I have made several of her plant-based dishes and, despite my culinary limitations, they have been welcome additions to our dinner table.”
-Dr. Sze
