Cooking Class vs Restaurant

Potential customers always ask me what is the difference between taking one of my classes vs going out with friends to a restaurant. While I can give many reasons why coming and learning about what goes into your body is better than blindly putting food into it or how they save money by bringing their own drink, I came across the following quote from David Thoreau- “wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” If that is true, then I want to make you my customer rich not with material possessions but with new skills and accomplishments like teaching you how to make a perfect meal for your loved ones. Honestly, it’s experiences we have in life like taking a cooking class with our family that stay with us, not necessarily the stuff with give them.  Do you agree?

Authentic vs. Plastic

My overall resolution for 2012 since you have to have one was to “Be more Do Less” and my friends are already betting that I won’t last a week:)  but my second resolution regarding my business is to spend more time where it matters and write more about what we really do at HCG.  

This morning I was brushing my teeth when my husband asked me why I think our kids are attracted to rap music the same way we are to Charles Aznavour or Freddy Mercury?  I continued brushing and thinking when he said: AUTHENTICITY without filter!!!

I think he nailed it and I also think that more an more, with all the chaos going on the world, people are going to be attracted to authenticity- from music, dance and theater to more mundane affairs of our lives like food, travel, home decor, etc.

I remember when I opened my business last year, within a few days, the lady who was selling cupcakes down the street and has more money than God himself, converted the back of her shop into a “culinary academy”.  I was worried sick.  I thought this could not be happening to me. How could one shamelessly do such a thing…..

Fast forward 16 months and my business is thriving and the more people go to her, the more they come to me and tell me tales.  WHY? exactly because people differentiate between authentic, original and copycats…..

Let 2012 be the year of the AUTHENTIC! Stick the candles into your wine bottles and put them on the table, bake apple pies with your kids, make arts and crafts projects out of toilet paper rolls, stroll down the beach, you know….

 

 

Today’s menu

What a busy rainy sunday this was. We had a group of visitors from Bite San Diego http://bitesandiego.com/LaJolla.php. Then we delivered our signature wedding cookies to Adelaide’s Flowers in La Jolla http://adelaides.com for their open house and then a stop at Meanley’s where we promoted our classes http://www.meanleys.com/index.asp with great offers. Finally, back at the studio where I served a romantic Italian dinner for a date night to the cutest couple….what a sunday indeed.

We are back!

Sorry for the longest absence on the blogosphere….that means business is strong and growing and I have to do more and write less. We had a great and busy summer. Beginning of fall was slow but it is picking up again and we have a brand new calendar of event for November http://harvardcookingirl.com/Schedule.php with events that are already sold out. Sign up for your favorite event weather it is Paella, French, Indian, Italian or Persian, sign up now. Also, we have launched new programs for new mommies on how to feed their kids and our corporate team building business is kicking ….so come and join us. we are now number two attractions of La Jolla by TripAdvisor and top 5 best ethnic food by Alitst. Bibi

Sadly Summer Camp is coming to an end….but we had so much Fun:)

During our last week, we prepared lots of good and wholesome food. yesterday the kids went on a hunt for truffles (truffle butter that is) and today it was all about chalk talk and tomorrow food and yoga. See you during winter and spring camp….Thank you all for a great summer.

A great ending to America Week

Camp is continuing to run smoothly.  This week, the kids loved making American crafts and cooking classic American foods. Their favorite snacks were the homemade cheez-its and the fruit and yogurt popsicles.

They loved making and eating pizzas and tomato soup for lunch.  Their favorite desserts were the red, white, and blue fruit and yogurt popsicles and the banana splits with watermelon, blueberries and whipped cream!

The campers loved the change of pace with the Friday Yoga session!

Hopefully Sports Week will continue the trend and be another great week!

Another successful Vegetarian Persian Night!

The fun atmosphere and great food made Persian Night a huge success last night!  The original Persian Night turned vegetarian by popular demand.  Even the meat-eaters loved the meal! The night started off with a simple Garbanzo Bean Appetizer.

Bibi then demonstrated how to make Kashkeh Bademjan, an eggplant appetizer served with yogurt.  She then taught the group her special techniques for cooking rice when she made the main part of the course, a lentil rice called Addas Polo.

Everyone had a chance to make the dessert, Persian Sanbuseh.  The Yazdi turnover with cardamom and rose water inspired the young cooks in the group to show their skills.