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Vegetables

gather

Inspiring connection, community,
and conversation through culinary arts.
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Welcome!

Our mission is to help you cultivate confidence, creativity, and calm in the kitchen, and use cooking as the path toward connection and joy.

As someone who has been a Culinary Instructor and certified high school culinary arts teacher for 26 years, I have seen the challenges people encounter in the kitchen - lack of time, not knowing what to make, feeling like you prepare the same thing over and over to not having culinary skills. 

We offer space where you can question, learn,

and deepen your  knowledge, while learning to follow

your intuition in a relaxed and nurturing environment.

These aren’t your typical cooking classes.

Gathering inspires connection,

community, and conversation through culinary arts.

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These are an ideal way to inspire, excite, and get your kids cooking. Students learn knife skills, cooking techniques, how to choose produce, how to read a recipe, and how to cook without recipes.  My goals are to help students cultivate curiosity, confidence, creativity, and calm in the kitchen. 

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Your kids will have a blast, develop autonomy, and gain essential life skills. Students develop friends, have a caring space to ask questions, and express themselves in a nurturing environment. These hands-on camps will inspire your child to explore new ingredients and flavors and develop a lifelong healthy relationship with food.

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Gathering together in person adds a level of community to our cooking classes. These are perfect for either those who want to hone their culinary and baking skills by focusing on techniques, guided by a pro. We offer one on one, group classes, or private group classes.  

A note-

Gather Culinary is an homage to my family, especially my grandparents, who gathered around tables, gardens, fields, milking stalls, and more. Gathering is powerful. It helps us connect and develop a community. Cooking, baking, and eating together create these connections. I hope you check out my cooking classes, camps, and retreats. Feel free to email me to say hi or if you have questions.

With love,
Melanie
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Assorted Pumpkins

Recipes we love

Chopping Vegetables

What people are saying

I had the pleasure of attending Melanie’s culinary class at The Network of Women NYC retreat. Her deep knowledge and feisty, boisterous personality made the whole experience a beautiful group effort filled with laughter, education, and insanely delicious, nourishing food. I have shared her recipes with loved ones since with great success, and highly recommend connecting with Melanie!

"Eating at Melanie's culinary events is like stepping into a NYTs story about an exclusive private gathering or a glossy magazine fashion-forward alt-universe that elicits the feeling, "ah, this is exactly what life should be like..."

We gave our son Michael a gift certificate for a week long cooking camp for Christmas. He has a strong interest in cooking and LOVED the camp from day 1! He brought home all his recipes and foods he prepared with Melanie. She is so patient and an excellent teacher that made his love for cooking even stronger. He will be signing up for more classes!

I had the pleasure of working alongside and learning from Melanie as part of a corporate group at a volunteer event for a local charity. Melanie is a natural teacher, and guides culinary learners in a practical, knowledgeable and empowering way. Not only that, but her business reconnects people to their health, the beauty and joy of cooking, and to each other. She is also a values-driven entrepreneur who cares as much about giving back as she does about building her own business. Highly recommend you reach out to Melanie for personal or professional needs!

Artichoke

Meet the team

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Melanie Underwood

Founder, CEO

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Allison Thomas Rodriguez

Chief Community Officer

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Lily
Heaney

Culinary Educator

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Rachel Keleher

Culinary Educator

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Rachel Marcucilli

Culinary Educator

Vegetable Garden

Follow @Gather_Culinary

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