About me
Hi, I’m Catherine.
I teach online cooking classes out of my home kitchen in Missoula, Montana.
I started Stir The Pot Kitchen early in the pandemic as a safe online activity for kids stuck at home. Miles apart but together, we cooked the same recipes in our separate home kitchens all over the US and Canada, comparing notes on textures and flavors.
It was so fun, and I got such great feedback from families, that I’ve kept it going, offering private classes, full courses, and weekend drop-in classes for kids everywhere to join from home.
Our classes are cozy, low-pressure, and diet-talk free. I keep groups small enough for kids to share questions and observations as we cook (one of my favorite parts of teaching).
As a longtime food educator in public schools and an avid reader of the most recent research around kids and food, I’ve learned that the most effective way to teach kids skills and help them build a positive relationship with food is to honor their curiosity, autonomy, and sense of play. You can read more about my approach and values here.
I love watching kids explore ingredients and flavors, tackle new recipes, and practice culinary techniques during our classes. Every kid deserves to feel the confidence and pride that comes from making a dish from scratch and sharing it with loved ones.
I also believe it’s never too early to start learning about our food system. My years in the food industry — as a CSA manager, waiter, personal chef, caterer, and programs coordinator at a food bank, so far — have cemented in me a deep appreciation for the people who grow, harvest, transport, cook, and serve our food.
I have a Masters Degree in Food Studies from New York University, and I’m a lifelong student of our food system. I’m excited to share my passion for food history and gastronomy with my students. Many of our lessons focus on the people who have fought - and continue to fight - for a more just, sustainable, and healthy food system. Good change comes when we’re willing to “stir the pot.”
Photos by Claire Burgeson, 2023.