Zoom in: Chef introduces virtual cooking classes
CHEF INTRODUCES VIRTUAL COOKING CLASSES
Making more meals at home in 2021 is not only a New Year’s resolution idea but also may be a necessity as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact how people dine and gather outside their homes.
Chef Chris Welsh, owner of the personal chef service Secret Ingredient, started exploring how to give virtual cooking lessons during the recent holiday season. Her first virtual cooking program was with a women’s networking group looking for a safe holiday activity to do together since they couldn’t meet in person. Welsh did an online food demonstration for the group and received rave reviews from participants.
“They thought it was great,” Welsh said. “They said you should do this, and people would really love it right now because people are stuck inside.”
Welsh then provided an interactive cooking lesson through Zoom for Elaine Paul Schaefer and her family members. Welsh said the family was unable to get together
in person for Thanksgiving so instead made a meal together virtually. Each family member joined the Zoom event from their different locations and then prepared the same meal to be enjoyed with the people in their household.
“It warmed my heart,” Welsh said. “They were all so happy.”
Schafer said the online cooking class went well, and her family really enjoyed it. She was able to cook with her siblings for the holiday, even though they all lived in different states.
“It was loads of fun, and we were able to have a lot of interaction while cooking together,” she said.
Schaefer, who is the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage
Area executive director, decided to do another online cooking event with her staff. She said it’s been more difficult for work organizations to connect as a team since the pandemic.
“Everyone was feeling a little sad about not being able to celebrate the holidays together,” Schaefer said.
The online class took the place of the staff’s traditional holiday gathering. Schaefer said the team of coworkers was happy to have something to look forward to, even if it was a different kind of activity. The Schuylkill River Greenways team created a full dinner menu together, which consisted of poblano corn chowder with chicken, a chili-lime butternut squash salad and cornbread.
“It was food that probably none of us would have cooked on own that night,” Schaefer said. “So, it’s always fun to branch out and try something new, especially with other people.”
Throughout the staff cooking lesson, Welsh demonstrated several techniques such as the best way to cut a pepper to avoid the seeds.
Welsh said she’s able to personalize the cooking experience for each client which can include making a new dish or improving cooking skills. She’s also able to work with individuals of different dietary needs such as people looking for vegan, gluten free, or lowcarb meals.
Welsh will soon have more information about the virtual cooking classes available on her website, and the classes will likely be about 90 minutes long. Welsh said the online cooking events are a fun activity that can be done with friends, family, coworkers and any other group unable to meet in person.
“Someone told me this (the online cooking class) is so much more fun than sitting and watching another Netflix series,” Welsh said.