FAQs: Cooking for You
How does Gather Round handle dietary restrictions?
How is Gather Round different from a meal kit?
What about containers and packaging?
Does Gather Round use local & organic ingredients?
Can Gather Round work with CSAs?
FAQs: Cooking with You
Where to find out about public cooking classes?
Can we host a Cooking Lesson Dinner Party at a Vermont rental home?
How does Gather Round handle dietary restrictions at parties?
Does Gather Round do cooking lessons for individuals?
Q: My kids are picky eaters / We have food allergies / We follow a specific diet.
Can we do Gather Round?
A: Yes! Each menu is custom to your family’s food profile, so we can work with any restriction, from severe allergies to “just don’t like it.” And every chef in our team is adept at calibrating their cooking to suit your family’s preferences.
Q: I’ve done those meal kits in which the ingredients are delivered in a box.
How is Gather Round different?
A: Meal kits can provide some great variety in your menu, for a time, but they don’t make meal prep quicker or easier. Learning a new dish every night can take more effort than making your old standbys – and the kits rarely yield leftovers!
With Gather Round’s Effortless Weeknights or Pack the Freezer plans, you’ll find your fridge or freezer packed with 3-5 completely-custom, fully-cooked, family-sized meals (up to 6 servings per meal) per cooking session. All dishes are labeled and include simple heating instructions. The planning, shopping, cooking, and kitchen cleanup are already taken care of. Your toughest task is choosing which dish to eat first!
Q: Tell me about the containers and packaging that Gather Round uses.
A: For environmental and practical reasons, Gather Round prioritizes durable & reusable containers. Weekly and biweekly clients will need containers large enough for 4-6 servings, and monthly Pack-the-Freezer clients will need at least 15 2-serving containers. If you don’t already have suitable containers, you can choose between (a) lock-top glass containers that you’ll purchase via our chefs’ recommendation, or (b) BPA-free plastic containers that can be found at local grocery stores.
Q: How organic / local are Gather Round’s ingredients?
A: As organic and as local as you’d like! During the onboarding kickoff meeting with your chef, you’ll specify your sourcing priorities, including your preference for organic or local ingredients, preferred grocery store, and even preferred brands.
Q: I’m a member of a CSA (veggie share / meat share / egg share).
Can Gather Round work with that?
A: Yes! In preparation for each cooking session, we’ll discuss the ingredients that you’ve already got or are expecting from your farm share. Our team of chefs can easily integrate those ingredients into your custom menu.
Q: Where can I find information about Gather Round’s
public & ticketed cooking classes?
A: Instagram is where all of Gather Round’s timely news is posted. Follow @GatherRoundChef and check out the Link in Bio for updates, including class announcements, ticket links, new offerings, and other news. And to receive our monthly newsletter of seasonal recipes, class info, and other timely news, sign up here.
Q: I’m hosting a bachelorette weekend / friends reunion /
family gathering at a rental home in Vermont.
Can we hold a Cooking Lesson Dinner Party at the house?
A: As long as the rental property provides a full kitchen and allows parties, we can certainly hold a Cooking Lesson Dinner Party at your location! The maximum crowd for Cooking Lesson Dinner Parties is 12 folks.
Q: There will be guests with dietary restrictions at the party.
How will Gather Round work around them?
A: When we plan your party, you’ll be asked about the dietary restrictions of all guests. We’ll build your custom menu based on those dietary needs!
Q: I want to learn how to host a dinner party /
how to eat vegan / how to impress a lover with my cooking /
how to make weeknight cooking easier, less of a chore, or more efficient /
more about the food of my heritage / how to be confident in the kitchen /
how to embrace joy and fun while cooking / how to escape my cooking rut /
how to grocery shop more effectively.
Can Gather Round help me do that?
A: Yes! Prior to launching Gather Round, Chef Ariel Voorhees spent 14 years as a high-school teacher. She applies that teaching experience to Gather Round’s cooking lessons. Each lesson series uses a custom curriculum to help you learn exactly what interests you. Chef Ariel even assigns the best kind of homework: cooking practice that follows up and extends the learning of each hands-on cooking lesson.