Spices And Curry Cooking Classes

I get in touch with them through email. Ask questions regarding their preferences like What they are looking to learn from the classes. Most of my classes are customized so each class I do is different except the already scheduled group classes which I conduct every month.

I have my Culinary diploma from foremerly called OICW now 'Job train works' (jobtrainworks.org) located in Menlo Park, CA. They used to have a working restaurant in Redwood city before and we as students learnt hands-on how things worked in a real restaurant. My instructor was Chef Adam Weiner and he is one of most respected Chef not only in CA but all over the US. He also teaches and trains staff at the Navy and Army base. With his guidance we as students learnt discipline, sincerity and all the practical techniques. 

I also got to go and work for most of the top caterers in the Bay area through their extenship program even when I was a student. After my training, I got a job at EBay and before that I had already started my own Catering business. Then I had my daughter, after which I worked as a 'Personal Chef' and got to work in fabulous kitchens at some pretty well known names in the Tech industry.  

Then after a year or so, with the help of my husband, we opened up a Vegetarian restaurant in San Carlos. Since I thought people need to know what amazzing, healthy yet tasty dishes can be made without meat.

Since I have experience in working in different cuisines, my husband and me got a Food truck in which we can serve all kinds of food. We serve all kinds of food not limited to just Vegetarian but all foods from all over the world with an Indian twist. Its a Indian Fusion food truck.

My rates are hourly and it differs from each class depending upon what my client wants. Since each and every individual class is customized. 

The classes are taught in our Catering kitchen location in San mateo. We provide all the ingredients. The class is usually 2-3 hours depending on what the client wants to learn.

I was inspired by my Mom and Grandmom. I come from a family of great cooks. Both my Grand moms, my mom, my aunt and my mom's cousins were all excellent cooks. 

People used to always ask my mom for recipes and she would give it in such detail that the person would be inspired to do it right. My mom always told that there has to be an honesty in telling recipes. The person asks for a recipe to learn and in order for a culture to sustain and the cooking traditions to spread, its our duty to teach them well. The art of cooking is fading so I took my mom's advice and whenever my friends or other guests asked for the recipe, I would give it. 

This proved to be a success since so many of them came back asking for classes to be conducted and thus I started doing a couple and learnt that I enjoyed teaching. And that is how it all started.

I started teaching students and Bachelors who were struggling to eat well and were on a budget. Then it was house wives and home cooks. Slowly the word spread and I started getting students who wanted to be chefs and looking for basic befoire they apply for Culinary school. Then I started having couples who wanted to learn about Vegan and Vegetarian cooking, then date nights with their partners, couples who gifted each other my cooking classes for Birthdays, Anniversaries etc. Then is started out to be group classes for friends, colleagues, team building, silent acutions, fundraisers and it kept on growing..

There are lot of interesting things which happened. The most recent which I  can think of was, the class was for a local realtor. I know her through a local networking group. She was so happy to learn about the cooking classes and she wanted to bring her husband, who loves to cook and a couple of her friends who share the interest. They brought their own wine and they had so much fun! They really enjoyed the hands-on. They all got to do the Samosas ( Indian pastry with savory stuffing). They shared their cooking success and disaster stories and we all laughed so much. When it was time to go after the class and after the sit down dinner, we all felt like we were one big family!

I would ask the student to give as much information as possible in what they are looking for to learn and describe about their interest and what they are looking to do with it. That way the instructor will have a clear cut idea of what they can offer. Also, do mention if you have any allergies, your favorites and not so favs, other food restrictions, the food you like to avoid. Those are the questions I usually as my students when I contact them.

Also, ask them if they give recipe booklets, online help etc. since I had students who would start cooking and get stuck and get panicky when things didn't go right. I always give them my email id so they can ask questions.