There’s something immensely gratifying about spending the day in someone’s cozy, aromatic home preparing a meal. N.Y.C. organization The League of Kitchens (leagueofkitchens.com) takes that experience one step further by offering intimate cooking workshops ($95 to $149) taught by phenomenal female home cooks from around the world—including places like Bangladesh, Japan, Trinidad, and Uzbekistan—in their very own kitchens. “Combining the elements of cuisine, culture, and experiential learning makes for a powerful process,” says instructor Mirta Rinaldi, who moved from Argentina to the U.S. in the ’70s. After taking Rinaldi’s workshop—where six of us mixed BBQ spices for chimichurri, prepped chicken for milanesas de pollo, stirred a corn soufflé, watched ribs sizzle, and piped dulce de leche into sandwich cookies—I couldn’t agree more. Rinaldi told us moving stories about her transition from the Andes to America and our hours of work were rewarded with a satisfying meal with strangers-turned-friends. “It’s empowered us in the most beautiful ways,” Rinaldi says of the organization. “I feel proud talking with my students about my family traditions in this country of immigrants.”
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By Marissa Dubecky
This article originally appeared in the June/July 2016 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
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