The newly opened Waverly: A Bookshop Cafe and Cooking School in South Pasadena will host regular cooking classes with Carrie Bonfitto, author of a new cookbook. Her first non-virtual class takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Sept 18.
Waverly is a bookshop cafe and cooking school located in South Pasadena. Owner Sandy Olivas opened a delightful neighborhood gathering place where both adults and children can enjoy themselves. Her vision for Waverly was to have a place where customers can relax, read a great book with a great cup of coffee and pastry, or take a fun interactive cooking class.
Giving back is woven into Waverly’s mission. Their goal is to build a community that brings truth, kindness, generosity, and goodness. Examples of this include donating 100% of their Generous Coffee brand profits to support charitable non-profit organizations. They also help fight hunger by donating ten meals to those in need for every cooking class purchased.
Waverly displays and sells art from local artists as well as locally made jewelry. They naturally feature cookbooks but also feature young adult fiction as well. Olivas makes available books that her customers have suggested stocking. She added that some like to enjoy a coffee drink while they study in her shop.
I recently had the opportunity to attend a virtual cooking class taught by Bonfitto. Some were her fans and previous students that participated in her healthy cooking and nutrition classes at LA Valley College. Despite being virtual, Bonfitto remained engaged with the remote audience.
Carrie Bonfitto, NC, BCHN®, is the onsite cooking instructor as well as a health coach. She earned her degree in Nutrition Counseling from Bauman College, Berkeley, CA, and her Digestive Mastery Certificate from the Institute of Nutritional Endocrinology. She was trained in the Culinary Arts by the New School of Cooking in Culver City. She also teaches healthy cooking and nutrition classes at LA Valley College and LA City College.
Bonfitto’s “Mediterranean Delights Cooking Class” is a fun, hands-on cooking class that highlights the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. In that class, you will prepare the following dishes. They will also pair a suitable organic wine.
- Tuscan Kale Soup
- Grass-fed Beef Falafel with Mint Tzatziki Sauce
- Persimmons with Lemon Cashew Ricotta
The class is a fantastic opportunity to learn how to cook with your well-being in mind. Research findings from the Mayo Clinic concluded that healthy diets help protect against disease. More recent studies suggest that people who follow a Mediterranean diet have lower rates of depression and other conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and heart disease.
Bonfitto is also the author of a newly released cookbook titled “What to Cook, Why to Eat It: Nutrition Facts, Health Benefits, and Recipes.” She shares dozens of her real-life dishes. The recipes aren’t fancy, and the cooking techniques are easy to master. The best part is that she’s worked to keep them low-carb, low-gluten, and low-dairy without sacrificing taste.
See for yourself how easy Bonfitto teaches you how to cook healthy food. Sign up for the class on Sept 28; it’s not too late. https://waverlyla.com/cooking-classes/ola/services/mediterranean-delights-cooking-class
Waverly, 1010 1/2 Fair Oaks Ave South Pasadena, CA 91030; 626.460.6027; waverlyla.com