Valerie Lugonja is providing Culinary Tours, Travel, Tastings, and Cooking Classes in the Edmonton Area!
Valerie has taught public school in Edmonton for thirty years and is the consummate educator.
Recently retired, she launched the Cooking Classes segment of her business in January of 2011. She plans to launch the Culinary Tours and Travel segments in the Spring of 2013. Sign up in the comments section for news on Day Trips and Itineraries for Culinary Tours.
She has three specific academic specializations (an early childhood education diploma and a double major in Fine arts and English language and literature) and has acquired many others through her extensive teaching career. Her last few years with Edmonton Public Schools she worked in the area of Foods Education and developed the Nutritious Lunch Project and Catering Club at Kate Chegwin School. She has also personally planned and toured her students all over the world during Spring break, and at other times of the year for over twenty of those years. She has also traveled extensively with her husband over the past several years throughout Canada, the United States, Western and Eastern Europe. Thus, she brings with her the very practical experience of the travel and tour industry as well as her expertise in foods education and cooking classes.
Her travel and tour mandate is to offer local, national and international travel and tours that highlight history, art and culture with a particular focus on regional cuisine in each area explored to include hands on experience as well as intimate interaction with artisanal food producers and suppliers.
Cooking classes introduce local and regional “experts” sharing culinary expertise with class participants. This has not been done in Edmonton before. The opportunity to learn from “the grandma” who really knows, or “the neighbour” who can really cook has arrived. We will offer classes from professionally trained chefs and people in the food industry, as well, but our specific focus is offering classes to you from someone in your own neighbourhood or community who is sharing with you what they are “famous” for making: exceptional homemade heritage dishes.
If you want to be informed when new classes and schedules are created, please include your name in the comment section below.
If you want to book an entire class and plan what you learn, contact me and we will do it for you! (Great for birthday parties, bridal showers, etc.)
If you have culinary expertise you would like to share with others, please contact me with the details!
Culinary Tours and Travel:
There are currently no tours available for sale, but sign up to be notified below for Travel and Tours in the Spring of 2013!
Cooking Classes:
Click here to for the 2012 class information.
Click here to view past classes.
Click here for Registration and Payment information
Testimonials:
Read Testimonials from Cooking Classes
and from Tour and Travel Participants
Read LeQuan’s Post about her class with us here!
Peak into some of our past Cooking Classes!
We encourage you to please leave your comments about your experience on the appropriate page!
just saw this mentioned on sharons site! CANNOT WAIT!!
i will look forward to some interesting cooking classes.
i was lucky enough to participate in the dairy/cheese tour earlier this fall and can only say if your excursions are in any way similar to that one you will have a hit on your hands!
have a good holiday season
see you in the new year for a cooking class
cheers
su 🙂
Thank you so much Su!
I will add your address to the list of people to send out new information to. I appreciate your support! We have many classes in the works, but are just getting “off the ground” and thought this was a good way to get the word out.
🙂
Valerie
Please keep me informed of new classes.
Will do, Katie! You are on “the list”!
🙂
Thank you so much for your interest!
Valerie
Great sight !
Thank you, Brian!
🙂
Valerie
Congratulations. What an exciting adventure.
Thank you, Cheryl! We are truly pumped! Would you consider sharing some of your culinary prowess with us at one of our classes?
🙂
Valerie
Looking forward to hearing about new tours!
Thank you, Donna!
You are on “the list”!
Valerie
Yeah, Valerie. I, too, just read about your “dream come true” on Sharon’s site. Can’t wait to partake! Congrats! and please add me to the list, especially for the travels. I’m off to Europe mid Feb for a spell. Yummy.
Great, Katharine!
Youa re definitely on the list. Have a wonderful time in Europe and come back with LOTS of stories to tell!
🙂
Valerie
This sounds fantastic! Keep me in the loop! Would love to see some chocolate, baking and bread classes!
Will do, Eva! Thank you! And, good to know!
Valerie
Congratulations ljepotica! Please keep me informed of new classes too!
Hvala vam puno! 🙂
I was just looking for your blog at work (break time :)) and the article in the paper popped up. Congratulations. If I had any energy I’d love to learn how to cook! I’ll just reap the rewards from my loving sisters hard labour for now!! I’ll be your “taster” hehe
oxox
Judy: Wasn’t that a nice link from the Journal a couple of days ago? Right in the paper. Liane has also talked us up on her own blog at the journal too… lucky me!
🙂
Valerie
Hello Valerie
Could you please clarify for me, is this Thermomix cooking class?
thank you
Barbra
Hi Valerie:
I just stumbled upon your website and would love to receive notices of upcoming classes and culinary tours please. You can send them to my e:mail above if you like?
Many thanks!
Sharon
You are now on “the list” Sharon. Do you live in Edmonton? Did you see what our June tour it?
Thank you for your interest!
Cheers,
Valerie
Hi Valerie! I’d love to be added to the list, as well.
Thanks.
Tanis
OK, Tanis! Great!
You have been added to the list!
🙂
valerie
Hi Valerie,
I’m interested in enrolling in your classes please let me know if there is any coming up, thanks.
Barbara
Thank you, Barbara!
You are definitely on the list!
🙂
valerie
could I please be on the list for up coming classes
thanks so much!
cindy
Would love to be on your list for future classes. Many Thanks
Hi, Lynn!
Great!
I have added your name and e-mail address to “the” list, and you will definitely be notified when I put up another season of classes.
🙂
Valerie
Please add me to your list. Am available at short notice to improve my cooking/baking skills!
Susan!
You are added to ‘the” list! Thank you for your interest!
🙂
Valerie
please add me to your list for classes and more importantly your culinary tour
HI, Val!
You are definitely on “the list”. Are you from Edmonton, or where are you from?
🙂
Valerie
This content is somewhat dated, do you still offer classes?
No, you are right, Betsy
Outdated as I no longer – at least not longer, currently, offer classes. My Thermomix business has taken up that time.
Sincerely,
Valerie