Where Seasonal Cooking Meets Creative Learning
We started with one simple idea — teach people to cook what's actually available right now, not recipes written for different seasons or climates.
Started in a Food Court, Grew Into Something More
Back in early 2023, we were running a small pizza counter in Les Galeries Chagnon. Between lunch rushes, customers kept asking about our ingredient choices. Why this tomato variety in winter? What made our spring pies taste different?
Those conversations turned into impromptu cooking talks. Then someone suggested we formalize it — and honestly, we thought they were joking at first. But after enough people asked, we started weekend workshops right there in the food court space.
By fall 2024, we'd taught about 80 people basic seasonal cooking principles. Nothing fancy — just practical knowledge about what ingredients work when, and why that matters for home cooking. The response surprised us enough that we decided to expand properly in 2025.
How We Actually Teach Seasonal Cooking
Most cooking classes follow a set menu. We do things differently — each season brings new ingredients and techniques that make sense right then, not according to some fixed curriculum.
Spring Sessions
March through May focuses on greens, early herbs, and lighter preparations. Students learn about ramps, pea shoots, and how to build flavor without heavy sauces.
Summer Programs
June to August brings peak produce variety. We work with tomatoes at their best, stone fruits, and preserving techniques that extend summer flavors into fall.
Fall & Winter
September through February covers root vegetables, squashes, and heartier cooking methods. Storage crops become interesting through proper technique.
Real Skills Over Recipe Following
Hendrik Vaillancourt leads most of our programs. He spent fifteen years working restaurant kitchens before shifting to education in 2022. His approach strips out the unnecessary drama that cooking shows add — this is about building actual competence.
Classes run small, usually 8-12 people. That size lets everyone work hands-on while still getting individual feedback. We don't do demonstrations where students just watch. Everyone cooks.
"I'd rather someone leave knowing how to adjust any recipe for their available ingredients than memorize one specific dish perfectly."
Our next full program cycle starts September 2025. We're keeping the same format that worked well in 2024 — twelve weeks covering one full seasonal rotation. Classes meet twice weekly, though the schedule shifts based on ingredient availability at local markets.
