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Just Be Cooking!
Hands-On
Cultural Cooking Workshops
From Toronto, via Zoom
With LIVE music and a Communal Meal
Our Unique Approach
We provide hands-on cooking Workshops for a variety of culturally specific dishes, wrapped up by Live Music or Singing and a Communal Meal.
In our workshops everything calls back to a single cultural source - your Host, the food, the music all share a common heritage.
We think this provides a deeper feel for each culture.
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Food from the Home Country
We strive for our Workshops to be as authentic as possible, yet also accessible, easy to follow and enjoyable.
Hosts
Each Host of a Workshop is immersed in their culture's heritage and cuisine. Often, they are themselves from the home country.
Singers
All our Singers share a deep love of their musical heritage and a strong desire to share that knowledge in a fun, new way.
Venues
Each location has a very distinct personality and style, allowing us to stay fresh and new with each event!
Real People, Real Reviews
Direct from our Facebook page.
Just Be Cooking!
Mandy Malloy
2020-06-14T01:08:17+0000
We ordered the lobster roll dinner for two and omigosh LET ME JUST TELL YOU....the food was all incredible. My husband... is from the northeast US and the lobster roll is his summer nostalgia....he was raving. JBC’s rolls are an upscale version of your fave Cape Cod roadside snack....they up the ante with fresh lemon zest and chives on the lightly-dressed lobster in the requisite toasted buttered bun. The lobster was super fresh and the star of the show.Did I mention the cole slaw? Holy moly, perfect. Finely shredded cabbage and carrots, not overly dressed, just the right balance of mayo and of course celery seed. Exactly what it’s supposed to be and so rarely is.Then there was the “house” salad of arugula, blueberries, pepitas and goat cheese, the fresh bread, the DESSERTS.Do not hesitate!!!read more
Darlene O'Donnell
2020-06-09T20:04:12+0000
In early April we ordered our first Pick up Meal from Chef Maria Rozynska's Just Be Cooking kitchen and we have been... hooked ever since. All our food selections have been so delicious and there have been plenty of different meals/cuisines from which to select. Portions are generous and we often enjoy a lunch the following day with the leftovers. We have had 2 meals from the new summer menu More choices and more delicious meals. Especially at this time of social distancing Maria's personal warmth & caring for her customers adds to the overall pleasure of these take-home meals. It feels like Christmas when we open up all those boxes with our meals. We definitely recommend Just Be Cooking.read more
Karusia Wroblewski
2020-02-27T19:48:08+0000
Maria is an enthusiastic, accomplished, and generous teacher of cooking and culture. I now have two of her workshops... under my belt, and one Christmas dinner, and I look forward to many more events. Her classes are organized, informative, and interactive. She sprinkles in lovely anecdotes about Polish culture, and stories about how her beloved recipes have been handed down through generations of women sharing kitchen wisdom together. You feel like you’re part of her extended family! Everyone who attends is friendly and supportive; there are lots of laughs, and a beautiful community feel. And she sings beautiful folk songs from the highlands, to heighten the mood.... Maria is the perfect hostess, in every way. These workshops have proven to be a lovely way for me to personally connect with my own Polish roots. Highly, highly recommended! And extra sweet when the experience is shared with a friend or loved one.read more
Mila Redwood
2019-03-04T17:10:06+0000
I took the Bosnian cooking class at Just Be Cooking and it was truly life-changing. As the daughter of a Macedonian... immigrant, I was never able to learn how to make cabbage rolls with my Baba (Grandmother). This class provided an opportunity to finally learn how to make cabbage rolls, in the presence of such thoughtful, caring, and skilled cooks. The feast afterwards was an absolute delight, and the whole evening was something I will never forget. Thank you for an unforgettable experience!read more
Mary Almeida
2019-01-15T15:23:14+0000
My husband and I have attended the Sonhos workshop and the Portuguese Custard workshop. I hesitate to call them... workshops because they are really cultural experiences. A Hands on cooking lesson, sharing traditional food, listening to traditional music and meeting new people are all part of the Just Be Cooking experience. What a great way to spend an evening!read more
Allyn Amanda
2018-11-22T16:42:07+0000
I thoroughly enjoyed this evening! You are such a kind and skilled facilitator for something such as this, and we had... a wonderful mix of participants. You decorated the table so beautifully and carefully prepared each dish. It made for just the kind of ‘community’ event I wanted for myself. I’m so pleased, and will look forward to attending a future workshop! Thank you!read more
Cathy Zeleniak -Cruttenden
2018-07-12T23:48:06+0000
Great workshop, I've already made the custard tarts twice and they were perfect each time the location is a great space... too.I'm looking forward to taking many more workshops there.read more
Erika Hille
2018-02-20T23:59:07+0000
Amazing little workshop! My sister and I travelled from Ottawa to Toronto just for this workshop. We wanted to get in... touch with our Polish heritage and make our grandmother proud. Maria was incredibly knowledgeable, engaging and have a lovely singing voice. The communal dinner was delicious! Even with a fractured elbow, I was able to participate in the making of several pierogi. Definitely will participate in another workshop.read more
Vanessa LeBlanc
2018-02-12T02:47:19+0000
I went to Maria's pierogi workshop at Le Dépanneur and it was such fun. I would definitely recommend it.
Pendrick Arrow
2017-11-26T16:09:37+0000
Wonderful cooking workshop experience. Fun and friendly atmosphere with lots of laughs, lots of culture and music, and... lots of food! I learned a lot from the workshop. I would go again!read more
Sophia Śnieg Begidzhanov
2017-11-01T19:12:38+0000
Maria is a talented cook and instructor. She creates a warm atmosphere filled with food, laughter and live music. Join... her many workshops and treat your family or friend to it! An excellent gift idea.read more
Aleksandra Serra
2017-10-29T21:58:11+0000
It was an amazing workshop and a lot of fun! You were a great host Maria, I loved the fact that you gave everyone some... background on Polish culture for those who don't know about it, and you showed them some Polish Folk music as well as let them have a taste of Zubrowka! Everything was so well organized, clean, informative and yummy! So much more than I expected, truly a pleasure to have experienced it, thank you !read more
Saad Kiyani
2017-06-07T02:20:09+0000
I went to one of Maria's pierogi workshops and it was great. I have very limited cooking experience, and zero with... cooking Polish food, but by the end of night, I could confidently make dough from scratch and complete pierogis! Everyone else seemed to have fun and it was a sold out night. I will be back!read more
Conor M. O'Brien
2017-06-06T15:55:48+0000
Best pierogi class in town! I may be a little biased - but I've been to Poland several times; her classes are very... authentic.read more
Easy & Fun
We focus on making our Workshops interesting, relaxed and informative.
Our objective is that everyone has a great time and learns about another culture in a practical and entertaining way.
BOOK A WORSHOPWE ARE PROUD TO OFFER
Our Events
Workshops
Masterclasses
Kids Camps
Simple, quick and fun-packed cooking camps, each day features a different culture!
Drop-In Dinners
We often host Drop-In Dinners at local restaurants, such as The Depanneur on College St.
Supper Clubs
Classic dinner parties, intimate and special with delightful live music & singing
GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE!
PURCHASE
Give your friends & family, employees or clients a fun, interesting and different event!
Live Music & Singing
Almost all our workshops have live singing. Most have a live band also, playing music native or traditional to their culture. Often the bands use older instruments that are unique to their musical heritage.
A SELECTION OF OUR
Featured Cultures
France
Frangipane Tart, Gnocchi, Chicken Celestine, Crêpes, Fruit Verrines, Pastries
Jean Regis
Antonin Lapleau
Mélyssa Rose
Mexico
Sopes
Tlacoyos
Tlacoyos
Erika Araujo
Jorge & Yuri
Poland & Ukraine
Pierogi, Borscht, Sharlotka, Gołąbki (Cabbage Rolls)
Maria Rozynska
Maria Rozynska
Ewelina Ferenc
Portugal
Custard Tarts
Sonhos
Sonhos
Carla Ramos
John Ferreria
Communal Meal
In the spirit of working & eating together, everyone puts in 3-5 of their own creations into a common pot. This helps the workshop end on a social, communal note rather than everyone simply downing tools and walking away. The meal gives us all a chance to unwind, chitchat, compare notes and soak up some music.
Also, after all that work during the class you are guaranteed to be hungry - and what's better than a meal you've made yourself, augmented with side dishes, condiments and toppings, accompanied by LIVE music?
CHECK OUT OUR NEXT EVENTSLets Talk!
If you have any questions or notes please do contact us. We are very pragmatic and flexible.
Collaboration is a key aspect of our business. We are very proactive and always open to meeting new people and making fresh connections.
