Cook Well, Be Well

Virtual and in-person community cooking classes

Cook Well, Be Well is a cooking class series for adults age 16 and older. The hands-on series teaches the Mediterranean Diet principles, cooking skills and the Model for Healthy Living—a life balance tool. Over the course of four weeks, participants will learn to become comfortable in the kitchen, build meals and flavor, stock a healthy pantry, and cook on a budget.

Cook Well, Be Well is the perfect class for all levels of cooks who want to:

Class Offerings

Class space in both virtual and in-person settings are limited to allow for better engagement online and safe social distancing in our Nutrition Hub at Crosstown Concourse. If interested in either session, please register by clicking on the Get Started button below. If classes are full, your contact info will be added to a wait list. We will then contact you when a spot opens up or when we add more class sessions.

In-person (English)

This class is held in the Nutrition Hub cooking kitchen with instructors and other classmates. 

Presencial (Español)

Esta clase se lleva a cabo en la cocina de cocina del Centro de Nutrición con instructores y otros compañeros de clase.

Self-paced (English)

This class is completed at your own pace by following along web-based instructions. Already registered? Jump back into class pages here: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3Week 4

Cook Well, Be Well Registration

Before your Cook Well, Be Well Cooking Class series registration can be completed, we ask that you take this Pre-Survey to help our instructors better prepare for the class participant competencies.

Please note that registration will open up two weeks prior to the start of each class series. 

English Class Offerings

In-person Class  (English)

Tuesdays
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

The next class series will begin on April 2, 2024.

In-person Class (English)

Thursdays
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.

The next class series will begin on April 4, 2024.

Virtual Class
(English)

Tuesdays
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

The next class series will begin on June 6, 20233.

Self-paced Class (English)

Available 24/7

Already registered? Jump back into class pages here:
Week 1, Week 2, Week 3Week 4

Spanish Class Offerings

In-person Class (Español)

Tuesdays
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.

The next class series will begin on May 7, 2024.

Virtual Class (Español)

Thursdays
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.

The next class series will begin on August 4, 2022

Self-paced Class (Español)

Any weekday, available 24 hours a day.

Classes are available anytime to start at your own pace.

Need to be added to the wait list?

Did you try to register for current classes, but received a “Classes are Full” message? No worries, add yourself to the wait list here:

Cooking Class Calendar 2023

Class Schedule

Week 1

Getting Comfortable in the Kitchen

Introduction, safety and sanitation, and knife skills

Week 2

Building a Meal

Basic meal preparation and essential cooking tools

Week 3

Pantry Basics

Stocking a kitchen and building flavor

Week 4

Cooking on a Budget

Using foods in season, batch cooking and food storage

Meet Your Cooking Class Instructors

To contact our instructors please send an email to nutrition@churchhealth.org

Gabriella Huffstetler, Nutrition Edu Coord.

Nutrition Coordinator

Kim Boone

Registered Dietitian

Sheri McKelvie, Nutrition Specialist

Nutrition Coordinator

Kassandra del Real Navarro, Nutrition Specialist

Nutrition Specialist

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn how Cook Well, Be Well works!

The Cook Well, Be Well classes are for beginning cooks who want to develop their skills and confidence in the kitchen and for advanced cooks who want to learn to cook healthier.

Each session—whether in-person or virtual—includes a nutrition presentation from a registered dietician, demonstrations and how-to instruction from our professional cooking instructors, hands on cooking (in-person classes cook in a group), a nutritional review of the recipes, tasting, along with copies of recipes and handouts, and plenty of opportunity for questions.

Each person who attends the in-person class must register separately. For virtual classes, we welcome other members of your household and friends to cook along with you.

Almost the entire Cook Well, Be Well curriculum can be done with basic equipment—knife, bowls, spoons, pans. There are a few recipes that specify special equipment—food processor, muffin pan—but we send out an equipment list with each weekly shopping list that includes equipment substitutions and the option to cook an alternative recipe.

For in-person classes, enough food is made by each group for everyone in the class to have a taste. For virtual classes, each person will cook a recipe that serves 8 (or you can cut in half to serve 4) and you and your family and friends can enjoy the entire dish.

The Cook Well, Be Well classes build on each other. What’s learned in class 1 is used in class 2, etc. While sometimes it may be necessary to miss a class, we ask that participants commit to all 4 weeks.

Yes! Each week of Cook Well, Be Well utilizes several recipes and the focus on technique shows you how to adjust for personal taste and food allergies.

For in-person classes, children 16 and older must register separately to attend. Children under 16 are not permitted in classes. For virtual classes, children who can follow along and participate in the process are welcome and encouraged to help you cook.

We send a shopping list and copy of the recipe the weekend before each week’s class. It will also list any equipment needed.

No, you can use any device that will run the Zoom app (phone, tablet) to take the virtual class.

Nutrition Hub Library

The Nutrition Hub library is a resource for Cook Well, Be Well participants to continue to practice their healthier cooking skills using the recipes, handouts, and cooking skill videos provided. Feel free to print the recipes and create your own recipe book and references.

Participants have access to the Nutrition Hub library for three months after completing the Cook Well, Be Well course (in-person or virtual).