Logistics

Here's the scoop about how this whole thing works. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.

Timing

Plan on a 3–4 hour block of time, including a meal at the end—eating is always part of the lesson plan (I bring along soup and salad to a baking class). For an evening class, typical hours are 5:30–8:30 with dinner at 7:30, or 6:00–9:00 with dinner at 8:00. Full-day or weekend classes are also available.

Fees

My fee structure includes a lesson fee plus a materials fee. Once we agree on what the class will cover, you pay the materials fee up front, and I shop ahead of time. Cost varies by class; please ask for a quote for the classes you're interested in.

How to pay

I accept payments by personal check. Payment for materials fees is due 10 days before our playdate.

Shopping

I am the most frugal food shopper you've ever met: it is only a slight exaggeration to say that I know every sale price at every store in Boston all the time. The following suppliers are on my standard list:

  • economy — Costco, Restaurant Depot, BMS Paper
  • convenience — Trader Joe's
  • local — farmers markets, greengrocers (Russo's, Verrill Farms)
  • ethnic — Asian markets, Middle Eastern (Lebanese), Indian (for flours and grains), Olive Oil (Mediterranean)
  • gluten-free — My Low-Carb Life

I also typically shop at conventional supermarkets (Stop & Shop, Shaws, Roche Brothers), which regularly offer produce at unbeatable prices, and are a good source for supplies and staples. I am happy to limit my shopping to local/organic sources for your personal classes if that is your preference.

Setup and cleanup

I set up workstations before we begin in order to optimize our lesson time, so I'll need access to your kitchen for 60 to 90 minutes ahead of our scheduled time (as determined by the particular class you've chosen). We also need to allow 1 hour afterward for strikedown. However, we do clean as we go (and the class moves faster if you help with cleanup too). When we are done, your kitchen will be at least as clean as it was when I arrived.

I bring: equipment, materials, ingredients, tools, storage boxes for any leftovers.