Over time, Austin has garnered a reputation for being a city with a high-profile food scene, whether from famous restaurants, grocery stores or even smaller cooking companies. Now during the COVID-19 pandemic, though, local chefs, organizations and individuals that offer culinary classes have been turning to online formats to share their cooking knowledge and show people how to make food from the comfort of their homes.

When Thomas Morris created one such organization called Cuisine Counselor, he would usually go to people’s houses to cook for them, but interactions had to be adjusted when the pandemic came. Following positive reception of some of his newer, online content, he shifted his focus to teaching virtual cooking classes.

“When we first stopped being able to do things, I started making some cooking videos…like I did one on how to make banana bread,” Morris said. “And then I did a couple like that. Some people saw them, and they thought, ‘Oh, this would be kind of fun. Would you be willing to do this as a class? That sounds like fun.’ Then, as they say, the rest is history.”

LASA French teacher Rachel Pate teaches said she was exploring cooking more during the pandemic and decided to put together a cooking class along with Latin teacher Aaron Pellowski.  This class was included in the masterclass program done by PFLASA. 

“He thought that it would be a really fun opportunity,” Pate said. “And we had been cooking a lot in lockdown and doing Blue Apron recipes and kind of trying different things. He thought, ‘Wouldn’t this be fun?’” 

Layla Sojoodi, a 7th grader at Lamar Middle School, has been taking virtual cooking classes because of her love of cooking and baking, and also to learn something new during quarantine. She said that despite the con of getting less direct help, her experiences have been positive. 

“I wasn’t thinking that it would be as great as an in-person class because you don’t really get the same experiences,” Sojoodi said. “But so far, all of the classes I’ve taken have been really fun….it’s nice to have the materials at your house…and if you need to stop for a second, you could just record it, and then listen to it later.”

Pate said that she likes the reach she can have with her masterclass program and the way people can connect through something as simple as making a meal at home. Like Sojoodi, she also pointed out the benefits of having one’s own supplies at home.

“I mean, I love that that expands our reach, and I think I could see something like this moving forward, even when we’re no longer sheltering at home due to COVID,” Pate said. “And I think it’s really hands-on. People can use their own materials, which…is hard [in person] because you’re provided with all of these really great kitchen tools that you may not have at home. But if you’re cooking along with people from your house, you can use what you have, and you can be comfortable. And it’s still kind of a fun way to connect and get the family together.”

Morris said that he enjoys bringing people together and having them enjoy some time cooking. According to him, helping others learn something new and gaining new skills they didn’t know they could do is fulfilling. 

“It’s about making people happy,” Morris said. “I get to spend an hour and a half, give or take, in some people’s lives and give them some enjoyment. Part of that enjoyment is, we make things that they might not otherwise make because they think it’s too difficult. And so, at the end, people are saying, ‘Oh my god, I made this.’”