Host offerings
Nancy is one of those warm and wonderful people who make you feel at home as soon as you meet her! Nancy is a cooking instructor at Sur la Table and has been cooking for as long as she can remember. She loves cooking for friends and entertaining and is excited to share her cuisine and culture with guests from around the world. Having lived in Europe for many years, the idea of having travelers dine with her in her home is very thrilling to Nancy! Nancy has tasted a large variety of pizzas in Chicago and knows what makes for a good pie - she is eager to share her knowledge of Chicago's famous deep dish style pizza or Italian American pasta and prepare it with you! Come prepared for a morning or evening of food, laughter and, hopefully, new friendship.
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
Cooking experience (1 - 6 guests) Nancy welcomes you into her Naperville home with a big smile and warm heart where you will begin your culinary adventure with an appetizer of cheeses, meats, crackers and nuts. After getting to know each other, head to her large, open-plan kitchen to make some delicious Chicago-style deep dish pizzas or handmade pasta from scratch (such as fettucine alfredo made from a compound milk sauce!) Learn how the sauce is made, how to combine meat and vegetables to top the pizza, and construct your pies. Please note that the dough will already be prepared since it needs time to rise. Once the pizzas have started baking in the oven (or the pasta dough is resting), Nancy will show you how to put together a delicious salad, a combination of fresh vegetables on a bed of crisp lettuce. This will be followed by making a fresh, smooth tasting dressing for your salad as well as a dessert. Your Chicago-style deep dish pizza or pasta making class lasts about 1.5 hours after which you will enjoy the fresh salad and dig into the pizzas or pasta you helped prepare. Note that if you don't state pizza in the "Dietary Preferences" field of your booking, Nancy defaults to pasta. Share your meal with Nancy and enjoy it over wine or beer while seated at her dining table. Your cooking lesson includes printed recipes that you can take with you so you can recreate your pizza or pasta back home.
Notes: Please indicate in your booking whether you would like to make fresh pasta or pizza; if not, Nancy will default to fresh pasta.
Languages spoken: #<HostLanguage::ActiveRecord_Associations_CollectionProxy:0x00007ffaf27026d8>
This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.
Friends for many years, Don and Nancy love meeting new people, sharing interesting stories, and good food and wine. Don is a wealth of information about Chicago and its history and Nancy knows Chicago like the back of her hand. These two Chicago friends teamed up to give me a fun and delicious in-home meal experience in the windy city! I started my experience in Don’s 30th floor downtown condo, nestled in the heart of Chicago, surrounded by skyscrapers and just a walk from the Hancock Building. I got to know some of Chicago’s stunning architecture by relaxing on the upscale chic 5th floor terrace while enjoying a glass of wine (optional) and a scrumptious charcuterie tray featuring schinken (a 35-day cured ham), hand sliced pepperoni, along with several fresh cheeses such as: sharp and aged white cheddar, goat, and herb & garlic to create a mix of both bold and mild flavors to melt in your mouth. These were paired with an assortment of selected roasted nuts and tasty breadsticks. I slipped into a cozy patio lounger while enveloping myself among skyscrapers and historical buildings. Absolutely breathtaking. Following the appetizer, we returned to Don’s home on the 30th floor to take in more gorgeous views of the city. Nothing says Chicago like deep dish pizza! Don and Nancy gave me a cooking lesson on how to make the native Chicago pie – a fusion of immigrants’ ingredients representing the city’s rich history. We started the cooking lesson by preparing a flavorful red wine vinaigrette salad. Don and Nancy showed me how to put together a fresh fusion of romaine lettuce, oven roasted vegetables, roasted peppers, fresh seedless Persian cucumbers, provolone, fresh carrots, artichokes soaked in olive oil, fresh radishes, hearts of palm, and fresh tomatoes, all combined to create an “unusual forkful of flavor every time!” The perfect accompaniment to pizza. Part II of my cooking lesson was a personal deep dish pizza. Nancy and Don showed me the secrets to creating the infamous pie! A fresh tomato sauce and the infamous “butter crust” dough were both prepared ahead of time but the creative license was mine when it came to building the pie. I chose from a variety of roasted vegetables, pepperoni, mushrooms, sausage, green olives and banana peppers. And then there was what they have coined “The Big Reveal” of the pizzas! Suffice it to say, you are in for a treat.
Arlene, Traveling Spoon Ambassador
Pricing (per person)*
| 1 person | 4 people | 5+ people | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking Experience + Meal | Not offered | $50 | $45 |
| Alcohol | $0 per person | ||
| *Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout. | |||
| Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking Experience + Meal | 10:30am - 01:30pm | 5:30pm - 08:30pm |
Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.
