Culinary Art Circle

Welcome to the Culinary Arts Circle, a program that prioritizes social participation and healthy meal preparation for seniors. Our program is designed to provide seniors aged 50+ with the opportunity to learn new culinary skills, spice-blending techniques, and healthy meal preparation alternatives.

 Our program comprises two main components: the Spice Blending Workshop and New Alternatives to Your Favorite Foods. In our Spice Blending Workshop, seniors will learn how to use a variety of spices, seasonings, and herbal blends to create flavorful meals that are salt-free. In New Alternatives to Your Favorite Foods, seniors will learn how to prepare healthy alternatives to their favorite dishes that they can no longer eat due to dietary restrictions.

 Each of our "Cooking with Seniors" classes is 3 hours long, with hands-on meal preparation and fun interactive activities. We limit class sizes to 10 participants to allow our chef to cater to the cooking experience based on the participant's needs.

 Cooking is a therapeutic activity that can replenish and improve seniors' moods while encouraging them to participate in social activities. Our program is tailored to foster social engagement for the senior population. We offer opportunities for families to attend cooking classes that are geared to include a multi-generational educational approach to cooking in a fun, interactive group setting.

 At the Culinary Arts Circle, we believe in providing seniors with the skills and resources to prepare healthy and delicious meals. Our program encourages seniors to be creative while enjoying cooking in a fun-filled social environment. Our chef will provide instructions on purchasing, preparing, cooking, and serving a meal. Join us and discover the joy of cooking!

 CHEF ZAKIYA COURTNEY is a mother of a blended/extended family of 15, a grandmother of 50, and a great-grandmother of 16. She has been married for over 40 years to her life partner Courtney, an educator by profession and a cultural community activist by heart. Preparing comfort foods is her passion.”

“After winning several “Greens Cook-off” Challenges and doing live food demos for Fondy Market, the requests for tasty vegan food reminiscence of familiar comfort foods grew exponentially. Zakiya Courtney was so well-received at the Body and Soul Center and Alice’s Garden that her passion grew into the personal chef/catering business Soul. She is also the featured chef on Vegan Soul Fridays at Tricklebee Café, a pay-what-you-can restaurant in Milwaukee.”