In this exciting multi-week series, discover new cooking techniques and tasty, budget friendly recipes. Here, we foster community, in hopes that together we can combat food insecurity among our student body. Students learn kitchen basics and cook a range of healthy and balanced dishes using pantry staples. The UCSB Cooks series is often in high demand, but with Zoom we are able to accept many more participants. We encourage you to apply for our quarterly cooking series. We hope to cook with you soon! If you would like to get a better idea of what our Cooks program is like, scroll below for testimonials, pictures, cooking tutorials from past UCSB Cooks sessions.
Testimonials
I learned a lot about how to live a healthy life and how to do it on a budget. I started to be more aware of what I am eating and how it can affect my health.
- Laura (She/Her/Hers), 3rd year Economics
If you don’t know your way around a kitchen please please please take this series! I’m so happy I participated in the series, because I’ve learned how to properly use a knife, and how to cook easy to make meals!
- Louis Hill (He/Him/His), 4th year Communications
Very interesting. Honestly, I wasn't sure how cooking classes would go during quarantine, but since everyone is at home, all the recipes became customizable. Something to remember fondly once everything is over.
- Joanne Pham Graduate Student with Bren School
I would really recommend this class to a friend. I really enjoyed learning all the new techniques for cooking.
- Francisco Navarro, 3rd year Political Science
UCSB Cooks was the best and a must-do for anyone experiencing food insecurity! I came to this class with little-to-no food preparation experience and nutritional knowledge; I feel like because of this class I put a lot more thought into what I put in my body! I loved learning that cooking and eating healthily doesn’t need to be challenging and time-consuming.
- Joy Gursky, 4th year Global Studies & French
Past Recipes
Southwestern Salad
Teriyaki Stir Fry
This quick recipe teaches you how to best chop through salad ingredients and how to pump up your protein with beans and quinoa.
Learn different knife cuts and how to make a speedy, easily customizable stir fry and homemade teriyaki sauce.
Creamy Lemon Pasta
Cauliflower Curry
No dairy? No problem. This recipe teaches new ways to jazz up pantry ingredients a creamy lemon white bean pasta.
Learn how to make a delicious and flexible curry recipe. Chop and simmer vegetables and blanket them in a creamy coconut curry base.