KristinaVeg

Introduction: Cooking classes Looking for a fun date night? A way to learn something new & connect with friends and family? Need to get prepared for that lovely Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? ​ Or maybe you've had dreams of making sweet potato gnocchi drizzled in a sage sauce and aren't sure where to start. ​ Let's make those food day dreams a reality. Whether you are looking for a more intimate setting for you and your significant other or a group of family & friends - the possibilities are endless! I can do it demonstration style in your own home so you can watch & ask questions or make it more participatory in a larger more equipped kitchen. Consulting There is an increasing demand for not only restaurants but all types of food establishments to develop vegan & vegetarian options. Catering to dietary restrictions of all kinds can be tricky, but with the right developments and training of staff - there is a way to make new item(s) seamless! I understand that finding the time to develop recipes that are in line with the clientele of the establishment can be difficult. I develop recipes and implement them properly into the business to create a smooth & sustainable implementation. With my business and culinary background, I'm also available to give advice and/or training on menu layout & development, kitchen and waitstaff training, and more. Don't hesitate to reach out and ask! Catering Let me help you with your special occasion, cooking up an intimate 5-course plated dinner for two in your own home or apartment to a banquet-style catering for larger gatherings - let me help you out with your special occasion! Getting dirt under my fingernails, picking out beautiful bouquets of wildflowers, early mornings at a farmer's market, running on a trail in the woods, and eating the best pho in town (or making it for that matter!) are sure-fire ways to put a smile on my face. Food is my world. I am always learning from it and I don't see my education ending anytime soon. Food is intertwined with our health, culture, and our environment. I'm drawn to the science of what makes plants thrive because that means increased bioavailability of nutrition into our bodies, a tastier product, and a sustainable life-cycle of the plant. Food is a colorful, complex world that I want to share with more people. I had the privilege of experiencing a farm to table lifestyle growing up visiting my Grandfather's dairy farm in Northeastern Pennsylvania and actively partaking in my Father's large backyard garden in Frederick, Maryland. These experiences set the tone for my passion in the food industry and farming skills in my own life - WWOOFing* in Borgo Val di Taro, Italy & the Relais & Chateaux property, Winvian in Litchfield, CT. Waking up to feed the pigs and chickens, pressing apples for cider, or spending my summer days pickling vegetables & making jams, are memories that I cherish. My understanding of farm work has developed a profound respect for my family - as well as all farmers-, and what it takes to cultivate such a pristine product. I am a Culinary Institute of America & Cornell University grad with ten years of experience in the food & hospitality industry across the country. From Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises in Chicago, IL, and Sakara Life in NYC. My passion is to provide mindful and nutritious food to gatherings of family and friends & help rid of any hesitation towards preparing vegetables for any occasion, for special dietary needs or if vegetables are the main focus of a meal.