Just Be Cooking

Culturally Themed

Meal  Kits

with curated Music!

With LIVE music and a Communal Meal
A SELECTION OF OUR

Cultures

Poland & Ukraine



Maria Rozynska
Maria Rozynska
Ewelina Ferenc

France



Jean Regis
Antonin Lapleau
Mélyssa Rose

Mexico

Erika Araujo
Jorge & Yuri

Portugal

Carla Ramos
John Ferreria

What Makes Us Special?

Working with local Chefs and grocers, we create culturally specific Meal Kits close to our chefs heritage.
Our Meal Kits include a curated playlist you can play while you cook or eat!
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.

Instagram

Real People, Real Reviews

People like us. Here's the proof!
I bought a private lesson for Mom for Mother's Day from Chef Maria and we, Mom and her daughters (and Dad the taster) had an amazing time!!!
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Jo-anne Wurster

The online pierogi workshop was great, Maria is a wonderful instructor and not only provides easy to follow cooking directions but also helpful and interesting cultural references. I would highly recommend!
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Jane Marco

Made Indian cooking look easy and the food is good for you! I now have a better understanding of the process. Loved the salad and the music at end was a lovely finish.
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Amy Flahive

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.
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Karusia Wroblewski

This was the second cooking class I took with 'Just cooking'. It is easy to follow, well explained and fun to cook along! You should try it sometime :)
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Jessica Mueller

I took the Bosnian cooking class at Just Be Cooking and it was truly life-changing. [...] and the whole evening was something I will never forget. Thank you for an unforgettable experience!
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Mila Redwood

Music + food

We believe where there's food, there should always be music!

Why? Because in the end, music makes everything better. It fills us in places we didn't know we needed filling. Just like food. 
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Meet The Press

Articles, Photo Essays, even a Podcast - they're all here.

ARTICLE

Meal Kits With Curated Music!

Evelyn Wiseman
"Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? [...]"

Article

Cooking Classes At A Cultural Crossroads

Annemarie Cutruzzola
"[...] As their hands repeatedly dig into the soft pączki dough, they crane their necks towards Maria. She begins to tell the story of a traditional Polish song called “Hej Sokoly”, which translates to “Hey Falcons.”

ARTICLE

How To Make Homemade Pierogies

Andrew John Virtue Dobson
"Maria Rozynska is the owner of Just Be Cooking in Toronto, a hands on culinary school that offers classes in a variety of cuisines such as Korean, French, Turkish and Polish. Maria explains her family’s move from Warsaw to Canada,[...]"

PODCAST 

Cooking, Teaching & Singing – all in one (Ep.70)

Malgorzata P. Bonikowska
"Maria Rozynska created an innovative project in Toronto called Just Be Cooking – where people make food (not only Polish) under expert supervision, hear about its history and cultural significance, listen to live music, and eat the food that they cooked in a communal meal. [...]"

PHOTO ESSAY

Hands-On Pierogi Workshop with Live Music!

Alana de Haan
"I recently attended a Pierogi Workshop hosted by Maria Rozynska, owner of Just Be Cooking. Set at a beautiful kitchen studio in Forest Hill, this class provided a fantastic introduction to pierogi-making [...]"

ARTICLE

Cuisiner rime avec convivialité avec Just Be Cooking

Camille Simonet
"Une maison traditionnelle polonaise où le rire, la cuisine et la vodka étaient rois. Voilà dans quel genre d’atmosphère Maria Rosynska a grandi, et c’est ce qu’il lui a donné l’idée de lancer ses ateliers de cuisine Just Be Cooking [...]"

Food from the Home Country

We strive for our Meal Kits to be as authentic as possible, easy to follow and highly enjoyable.

Dishes

Each kit is created by a local chef immersed in their culture's heritage and cuisine. 

Music

A virtual playlist accompanies each of our meal kits you play while you cook or eat! 

Ingredients

Each box has a very distinct personality and style, allowing us to stay fresh and new with each kit. 

Just Be Cooking!

Just Be Cooking
Just Be Cooking
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Mandy Malloy
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
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
Alison Stuckey
Alison Stuckey
2020-05-19T19:35:48+0000
Super yummy Dinner on Sunday!
Karusia Wroblewski
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Jarek Rozynski
Jarek Rozynski
2017-06-06T00:07:06+0000
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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.
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WE ARE PROUD TO OFFER

Online Events

Workshops

We teach you to make unique dishes in a very practical & fun way!

Masterclasses

Advanced Workshops, showing you how to make tasty multi-course meals.

Kids Camps

Simple, quick and fun-packed cooking camps with music, each day featuring 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!

Eat

After all that hard work, you're guaranteed to be hungry. What better way to enjoy your creations than with music by local talents to accompany your meal.
CHECK OUT OUR KITS

Got a corporate Event?

Give your employees the opportunity to catch up with their colleagues while also learning some new recipes and having lots of fun along the way!
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Just Be Cooking!

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 Just Be Cooking & Maria Rozynska