To see upcoming classes, click here.
Meet our Instructors:
Paul Tseng
Cooking and sharing what I have learned is my passion. Teaching a cooking class gives me a chance to share my knowledge about the differences and uniquenesses of foods that people overlook. I want to show people how to be respectful, creative and economical about food. To feel delighted when they learn an easy cooking technique using just a couple of simple fresh ingredients. The food is the real star, we are just the facilitators.
I want people to leave excited about food and cooking. It’simportant to me, being a part of their food journey, and I feel grateful that they spend time with me.
Cooking from scratch should not be a chore, it should be satisfying. People should make it fun, not boring. Make it into a family memory or story or bring back a family tradition. It doesn’t have to be fancy or cost a lot. I feel lucky to have a little stage to share my love of cooking with people and I enjoy seeing their confidence and knowledge grow. People keep coming back and that makes me want to keep giving back. I wish I had more time to do this.
Katy Wallace, ND CNHP RYT
Willy Street Co-op's Exclusive Nutrition Consultant
Katy Wallace, ND CNHP RYT is a Naturopathic Doctor and Certified Natural Health Professional specializing in helping people resolve their health problems by eating better. Katy has extensive training in functional medicine as well. Our Co-op offers free lecture and individual consultation opportunities in-store to learn how to take full advantage of the variety of natural nourishing foods that the Co-op offers. See our events page for current offerings.
Learn more about Dr. Katy and her philosophy at Human Nature.
Katy Wallace, ND CNHP RYT
Human Nature LLC
401 Bryce Canyon Circle, Madison, WI 53705
608-301-9961
Lily Kilfoy ("The Kids Chef")
Lily Kilfoy is a local cooking instructor and freelance chef that grew up on the east side of Madison. She graduated in 2011 from the Culinary Arts program at Madison Area Technical College.
Lily owns a business called The Kids Chef where she teaches kids ages 2 and up to cook wherever she can—at libraries, schools, in homes, grocery stores, preschools, camps, community centers, and other locations. Her goal as an instructor is to expose children to the many benefits of cooking through hands-on experiences that develop skills to be used for life. Lily teaches about healthy foods and cooking at a young age so that these values can be carried into adulthood.
Lily also shares her knowledge and passion for cooking with adults. She teaches cooking classes that often reflect her love for international and American regional cuisine. Her style is to prepare dishes that she envisions guests recreating in their own homes and to educate participants in ways to elevate their own cooking.
In her spare time, Lily likes to spend time with her son and eat out.
Vanessa Tortolano
Vanessa has been brewing kombucha for over 16 years and was a commercial brewer for 14. She now brews many fermented beverages at home and offers public and private consultation. In her spare time, she does stand-up and improv comedy, ferments, and grows things.
“I discovered it while working as a cashier at Willy Street Co-op," she says. "People kept coming through my line with it and so I decided to taste it and, when I did, I noticed that I got a great boost of energy and was able to be more alert and awake without caffeine.”
When asked about her favorite part of teaching classes, Vanessa said:
“I love the discovery and enjoyment of the participants. I love sharing new information with people who are interested in learning new things.”