Dish Em' Up Dean
About
People cook for a lot of reasons. If there's even an ounce of pretentiousness in your attitude towards food these lessons aren't for you. I'd like to show you how learning the often over complicated but truly simple elements of cooking can change your life. If you're not having fun you're not doing it right. Food is fundamentally about nourishment and community so if you'd like to cook approachable, healthy, delicious food for the people you love you're in the right place. With experience in 6 professional Los Angeles kitchens and a wealth of knowledge in regards to nutrition, cooking techniques and ingredients I am prepared to assist you in becoming the cook you want to be. I look forward to sharing stories, laughs and happy accidents as well as practical tips and tricks of the trade with you. Let's make some food.
Specialties
Student age(s)
Interested cuisines
Desired cooking skills
Number of people
Recipe difficulty
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Establish the areas in which the students desires to improve then zero in. Identify tools, techniques, skills, recipes and cooking styles the student has an interest in, then design a practical curriculum to reach their goals. Instead of teaching one recipe at a time in the hopes that the collective approach of many recipes will teach the students how to cook I prefer to teach the fundamentals of cooking which can be applied to any recipe. The focus isn't what to cook, it's how to cook.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I've worked in 6 Los Angeles kitchens as a line cook, lead line cook and sous chef. I cook regular at home for my wife and 2 daughters with an emphasis on time saving and nutrition. During Covid I put over 100 restaurant quality meals on the table for friends and family while restaurants were closed.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
$25/hr
How did you get started teaching?
I was often asked to mentor new cooks at work and when Covid struck I started teaching friends on zoom.
What types of students have you worked with?
Beginner to Intermediate, all ages.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I cooked Christmas dinner for my in-laws for the first time and it was really wonderful to share my love of food with my extended family and witness them enjoying the meal. Making people feel cared for and comforted are the reasons I cook.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Make sure they love to do what they teach.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
I would encourage students to be realistic with themselves about their goals and to decide what they really want out of it. It's important to think about your level of commitment to learning. If you're honest about how invested you are your teacher will know what to expect and how to proceed.