A Fun Twist On Cooking Classes With Leisurely

Eating Seasonally, Leisurely, Leisurely App, Leisurely Cooking Class, Cooking Class, Fun things to do in NYC

One of the best things about living in New York City is that there is no shortage of fun and interesting things to do. I recently discovered cooking classes hosted by Leisurely. Based on a mission to help people explore and rediscover their passions, Leisurely organizes cooking classes instructed by the industry's leading chefs and bakers. Part instruction, part social activity, the classes are intentionally small in size to encourage socializing over a fun, high-quality activity.

I was invited to attend this class: Summer’s Bounty- Farm To Table Essentials
Here is the description from Leisurely:

NYC’s top restaurants rely on farmers markets, and the relationship they have with the farmers, to provide diners with the unforgettable dining experience they’ve come to expect.

Join us for a special Q&A and demo, as Chef Michael Ferraro, Executive Chef and Partner at Delicatessen, and founder of Macbar, teaches us the ins and outs of identifying, sourcing, and cooking in-season ingredients from your local farmer’s market.

Afterwards, we’ll enjoy a family-style meal of the prepared bounty at Delicatessen’s courtyard- the perfect opportunity to experience what locally sourced produce should taste like. Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine outdoors, while mingling with other guests and interacting further with Chef Michael. Additional drinks will be available for purchase at their upstairs bar

What to Expect
A demo of 4 different dishes utilizing sourced, in-season ingredients
Learn to identify the various produce you’ll come across at a farmers market
Learn to identify and what to look for when sourcing in-season produce
Learn when to buy certain produce, where to source it, and the best methods for preparing it
A tapas-style family meal with a complimentary glass of wine

Michael Ferraro, Michael Ferraro Delicatessen, Leisurely, Leisurely App, Leisurely Cooking Class, Cooking Class, Fun things to do in NYC,

The class was scheduled to run from 7:00pm to 9:30 at Delicatessen in Soho. Chef Michael Ferraro came and introduced himself and proceeded to escort us to a prep kitchen in the restaurant for the cooking class/demonstration. He started off by talking about the benefits of eating seasonally and taking advantage of the local farmer's market in NYC. It makes sense because everything tases better and it's sustainable. Then he walked us through the produce that he would be preparing which included summer squash, carrots and tomatoes. I picked up some helpful tips on prep and my belief that eating less meat and choosing organic and grassfed is the way to go.  The demonstration lasted for almost and hour and a half and afterwards we sat down to enjoy the food in a downstairs lounge area. The dishes included jersey tomatoes and watermelon with extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, sea salt, mint and basil, 3 different types of squash with a citrus vinaigrette, ricotta stuffed squash blossoms with charred tomato sauce and fresh black summer truffles, raw carrots with soy sesame ginger vinaigrette and feta,  fermented chili carrot hummus, corn and quinoa salad with shallot and sherry vinaigrette, and grilled peaches with burrata.  Everything was delicious. Standouts for me were the two squash dishes and the carrot salad. These were such simple preparations that really highlighted the taste and texture of the vegetables.

Leisurely, Leisurely App, Leisurely Cooking Class, Cooking Class, Fun things to do in NYC, Delicatessen

The class was well organized and provided a unique insider perspective. The social aspect was nice too as we met and chatted with different people during out meal.  One couple next to us actually decided to forgo their dinner reservation at Delicatessen and join the class last minute. Chef Michael was very knowledgeable, personable and engaging and we were able to ask him questions as the demonstration progressed.  I’m an avid home cook and my husband doesn't cook. This was a fun experience which that we both enjoyed and learned from. We would definitely check out another class in the future and plan to drop by Delicatessen for a meal soon. While it was interesting/authentic to have the presentation inside a real restaurant prep space, it became quite uncomfortable having to stand for over an hour in such small quarters on a hot summer night with very little air circulating. This was one area that could use improvement.

The recipes from the class are emailed to participants afterwards. Leisurely’s events cover a range of topics and different types of cuisines and they can all be easily booked through the Leisurely app. You can learn more about Leisurely and view their event schedule here.  Classes start at $30 pp. Their next class which will be held on September 1, is all about making mochi (a Japanese rice cake made of short-grain japonica glutinous rice that is a popular dessert).

Have you ever attended a cooking class?

Disclosure: I attended a complimentary class courtesy of Leisurely. There was no other compensation and all words and opinions are my own.

Top Photo: TOH

17 comments

Beauty Unearthly said...

Looks delicious!!!Lovely post dear! Have a great week! xx

Jackie Harrison said...

Wow what an experience and delicious food is awesome to have the opportunity to go to a cooking class you never know what you will learn.

R.ChamberofBeauty said...

I'm sure you must have enjoyed that event. It's really a pleasure to do something which you love. By these things you learn a lot of new things. I'm sure you would have found some new ideas of cooking too.
Have a happy Monday.
Kisses
http://www.rakhshanda-chamberofbeauty.com/

Gabrielle said...

Ooh the carrot salad sounds tasty! What a fun masterclass to have been invited along to and the ordinary booking price sounds very reasonable too :) Hope you have a fabulous week ahead, Rowena!

Gabrielle | A Glass Of Ice x

Lena L said...

I've never experienced a cooking class. Sounds like it's a useful and fun event not to mention a unique date night as you mentioned before! I am not big on cooking but I am good at following recipes and instructions when I do (I think ;p) so I believe I'd enjoy being a part of similar classes in the future.

Have a great week, Rowena! ^-^

Emmylou said...

This demo class sounds so coooool, chingu! I love cooking at home but only the dishes I'm used to making. I've always wanted to attend classes but the scheduling is always tight with the kids' activities. Thanks for sharing this experience....makes me want to go to one now more than ever. Everything the chef did sounded so good!

Ivana Split said...

I have never attended a cooking class, but given the change I'd love to. I'm a big fan of taking classes, it's a great way to learn new things. Learning is a life long process, I always say. Learning new things helps us improve our cognitive abilities, improves our creative and keeps boredom at bay. It benefits us in every way possible. Recently I have started design and sewing classes. I'm really impressed with the course, the groups are very small and I feel like we're learning a lot. I've already made something! I always wanted to learn how to properly use a sewing machine and make professional looking clothing garments so I'm really excited about this course.

Sarah said...

Hello,

Lovely !

Sarah, http://www.sarahmodeee.fr/

little luxury list said...

I'd definitely try this, especially with this particular topic as well. I hope my husband would pick up a few tips!

Oh to Be a Muse said...

This seems like a very helpful and informational way to learn more about cooking and food in general. I'm not much of a cook, but I think a class could be fun.

www.ohtobeamuse.com

Anna and Klaudia said...

I love food! :)

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Hena Tayeb said...

Sounds great.. I haven't done a cooking class.. but M husband done one in NYC with his colleges as a team building exercise.

http://www.henatayeb.blogspot.com

ALLIE NYC said...

Oh this sounds so fun!! If I lived in the city I would so do this. Seems to like a great way to meet people or husband? Hahaha just kidding.

Allie of
www.allienyc.com

Blackswan said...

Lucky you! Love cooking classes! xoxo

Doctor Anne said...

I have attended a cooking class, or rather a non cooking class as it was about Sushi preparation. Much fun, but I didn´t end up doing it at home once. I love to eat seasonal though, and could use some tips there.

Anne|Linda, Libra, Loca

Pilar said...

I love to cook and bake, but I've never attended a cooking class before. It sounds like you had a positive experience with attending the class!

FASHION TALES said...

This sounds like a lovely experience. I have only taken one French class with my bf, and last year a cooking class with a chef friend, it was more molecular gastronomy but a lot of fun.