For the last four years Viviane has focused as well on teaching her recipes — in intimate, hands-on classes topped off by a beautiful meal with paired wines. Hundreds of people have enjoyed and celebrated these special cooking classes in her home. (Read some testimonials.)

It's easy to see why. Viviane's cooking classes are not just a delightful way to learn some new recipes and techniques; they are also a special experience you won't forget.

Best of all, your private cooking class can be customized to your tastes, interests, skill level and schedule. Here's how it works:

All materials will be provided as well as printed recipes for you to keep… All you have to do is come, relax, and experience an evening or afternoon of pure culinary delight. Classes are held in Viviane's beautiful home in the picturesque Hudson River village of Piermont, New York.

one-on-one cooking lessons
$250 for a 4-hour class, plus food expense

one-on-two cooking lessons (for a couple or two friends!)
$175/person for a 4-hour class, plus food expense

private group class (from 3 to 7 people maximum)
$125/person for a 4-hour class, plus food expense

Some of the classes listed below will be longer than 4 hours. Please call Viviane for price and information. If you are interested in taking an on-going course with Viviane call her for details and price.

Class Themes
Here is a list of some of Viviane's most popular class themes for you to choose from. (Classes are available with or without wine pairings.)

all desserts
A class dedicated to the art of making unforgettable desserts. You'll choose from among the many delicious recipes Viviane has created — crème brûlées, soufflés, sinful chocolate desserts, gelatos, panna cotta, upside-down cakes, fruit tarts… The list goes on and on!

bread & desserts
There is nothing quite as earthy or satisfying as baking bread. Viviane can teach you to make any of the following breads: challah, brioche, oatmeal bread, Swedish limpa bread, country loaves, focaccia, sourdough, and many more. No time is wasted: while your bread is rising you'll prepare a couple of desserts — the list of delicious options is a long one too… (see all desserts above).

breakfast & brunch
Viviane has created some fabulously creative breakfast and brunch recipes that will expand your repertoire in the most delicious ways. Whether you want to learn how to poach eggs to perfection, make a hollandaise sauce, or whip up the ULTIMATE from-scratch pancakes, there are dozens of creative new versions of the classics to choose from. You may never look at breakfast or brunch the same way again… (Small sample: asparagus omelet with aged goat cheese and chives, orange-cinnamon challah French toast, ricotta pancakes with apple-calvados syrup or pear-currant loaf with grappa.)

cocktails & hors d'oeuvres
This class is all about making your parties unforgettable! You'll learn some smashing new cocktails (such as: grapefruit and elderflower martini, a pear fizz or a passionfruit margarita), mouthwatering hors d'oeuvres (like: bite-size sundried tomato croque-monsieurs, eggplant caviar with olive oil croutons, pan-fried olives with rosemary and endive boats with goat-cheese mousse) — and even some party planning tips. Having hosted many a memorable evening, Viviane will share with you her secrets on how to throw a successful cocktail party with minimal stress — and maximum pleasure!

cooking with fresh herbs (only available in spring and summer)
Fresh herbs are central to Viviane's cooking style. This class starts with a tour of her herb garden, and includes some tips on growing herbs in our climate. You'll then pick the herbs you'll be cooking with in the class. The versatility and thrill of fresh herbs shines through exciting recipes like artichoke and parsley fritters, fresh figs and valencia orange salad with tarragon vinaigrette, gazpacho with basil-infused oil, rosemary soufflé, oven-roasted tomatoes with garlic and fresh herbs or lemon-balm gelato…

cooking with grains and pulses
Health and pleasure are not mutually exclusive! Grains such as farro, quinoa, petit épeautre (einkorn), bulgur, couscous — or pulses like Umbrian chickpeas, French lentils, corona or borlotti beans, to name just a few — are not only part of an incredibly healthy diet, they are also crazy-delicious. Choose a menu from recipes like farro with sweet peas and fresh ricotta, roasted baby root vegetables with petit épeautre and wilted arugula, quinoa with piquillo peppers, cured olives and frisée, French lentils with mushroom en persillade, Spanish chickpea stew with roasted cumin, corona beans with tomatoes and basil…

crêpes
These delicate, paper-thin pancakes were one of the greatest joys of Viviane's childhood. No wonder — crêpes are as typically French as hot dogs are American. In this class you will learn how to make not only classic dessert crêpes such as crêpes Suzette or lemon-soufflés crêpes with strawberry compote, but also hearty, mouthwatering, savory galettes, like buckwheat crêpes with wild mushrooms or parmesan crêpes with asparagus. Oh, the joy!

fast, easy & gourmet
Viviane's most popular class — and it's easy to see why! This is the perfect vehicle for beginners or more advanced cooks who want to learn some quick and exciting new dishes for everyday cooking. Consider the possibilities… Chili-spiced avocado salsa with tortilla toasts, fresh pea soup with pea shoots and lemon oil, mâche and heirloom tomato salad, shiitake mushroom frittata served with pan-roasted baby zucchini, spaghettini with wilted arugula and two-paprikas, grilled parmesan-polenta with braised spring vegetables, seasonal fruit sorbets, maple-poached pear sundae…

fresh pasta
There is absolutely nothing like making your own pasta dough, kneading it to perfection, then rolling and cutting it into beautifully shaped linguini or pappardelle. This is exactly what you will learn in this class! Viviane will also teach you some delicious, original sauces that are perfectly suited to fresh pasta like fettuccini with baby artichokes and white truffle oil, pappardelle with walnut-herb sauce or spaghetti and tomato sauce with Italian herbs. From beginning to end, this is a thrilling class that will show you how easy, fun and utterly delicious fresh pasta-making can be.

fresh pasta — ravioli
As with the fresh pasta class, in this specialty class you will learn to make your own pasta dough, roll it out and cut it to create melt-in-your-mouth ravioli. As always, Viviane focuses on the season at hand. In the fall and winter you might make butternut squash ravioli with brown butter and crispy sage or spinach-ricotta ravioli with lemon-butter sauce. In the spring and summer you'd shape asparagus and three cheese ravioli with saffron-chive sauce or goat cheese ravioli with heirloom tomato sauce.

fruit tarts
In this exciting class you'll learn how to make a foolproof tart dough, and delicious fillings with seasonal fruits. You'll also work with different-shaped molds, learning how to make exquisite large tarts, modern rectangular ones or individual tartlets like Provençal apple tart with lavender honey, apricot tart with cognac, summer berry tartlets with lemon cream, butternut squash tart with Cointreau chantilly or pear tarte tatin. These delicious fruit tarts truly make for sumptuous desserts.

holiday side dishes (only available in fall)
Viviane puts her innovative hand to redefining holiday side dishes. Fresh seasonal vegetables are the focus of this class, as well as a new take on some classic recipes like maple-glazed Brussels sprouts with chestnuts, cauliflower gratin with gruyère, wild rice with fresh herbs and pine nuts, braised chili-spiced Tuscan kale, truffle mash potatoes, sherry-roasted parsnips and carrots with thyme, winter squash with brown butter and sage and cranberry-apple chutney with calvados. Your turkey will never be better dressed!

pizza on the grill (only available in summer)
If you're looking for a fun new repertoire for your summer grilling parties, this is the class for you! We'll make our own pizza dough, shape it into a super-thin crust, throw it on the grill and top it with some scrumptious seasonal ingredients. (Think grilled pizza with tomatoes, smoked cheese, cured olives and lemon thyme; grilled pizza with robbiola, shiitake mushrooms and white truffle oil; and grilled pizza with spinach, ricotta and balsamic-roasted red onions…) The humble pizza truly reaches new heights! You'll also learn how to build an efficient and safe charcoal fire — without artificial starters. …

pizza on the stone
A year-round favorite! You'll make your own dough, roll it out and bake your pizzas on a pizza stone. You'll also prepare several seasonal toppings and turn out a classic pizza like pizza Margherita or more modern ones, like pizza with caramelized red onions, fresh goat cheese, cured olives and rosemary, pizza with fresh corn, cherry tomatoes and smoked cheese or broccolini pizza with comté. The results will not only thrill you, your family and friends will love you for it!

soups & salads
No matter what vegetables are in season, soups and salads are some of the most delicious and healthy ways to enjoy them. Viviane has created dozens of scrumptious seasonal recipes and will create a menu with all your favorite foods. A perfect class if you want to learn certain cooking techniques or some new recipes — or simply expand your repertoire. Here is only a small sample of her delicious, original soups: butternut squash soup with apple confit, carrot soup with fennel-green pesto, asparagus velouté with lemon-chive cream, chilled red pepper soup with herb pesto… And some salads: autumn harvest salad with roasted apples, fresh corn salad with avocado and cherry tomatoes, cucumber salad with red onions, goat feta and tarragon, baby arugula salad with shiitake mushrooms, pears and parmesan, grilled peach salad…

tapas
These small plates are the perfect food for a fun gathering, a light meal, or even a buffet. They are colorful, flavorful and make for a very exciting spread. (Small sample: Crimini mushrooms in escabèche, herb polenta fries, tortilla with pan-roasted potatoes and onions, two-color beet salad with anise vinaigrette, wilted spinach with pimentón, pine nuts and golden raisins... and many, many more!) If you wish, Viviane will also recommend some exciting wines, such as a fino sherry from Spain, that pair beautifully with such delectable foods. A fun class that will excite your taste buds as much as your imagination.

the cuisine of provençe
Viviane has spent many summers exploring, shopping and cooking in the South of France, and has created an abundance of Provençal-inspired recipes. For you, she will create a seasonal menu inspired by the superb ingredients and regional recipes of this beautiful, sun-drenched land… (Samples: black olive tapenade, artichoke velouté, soupe au pistou, warm goat cheese salad, spicy Swiss chard tians, sautéed baby red bliss potatoes with herbes de Provençe, warm cherry tomatoes with chives, roasted plums with cognac, cherry clafoutis, and many more!)

the one-stop meal
Do you wish you had more recipes in your repertoire for one-stop meals? A single dish that would be nutritious enough on its own, yet easy to make — as satisfying as it is delicious? If the answer is yes, then this class will thrill you. Viviane will show you how to prepare dishes that are a delicious meal in a single plate — good enough to serve to dinner guests and yet not too sophisticated (or complicated) to make for yourself at the end of a busy day. Here are a few: whole wheat linguini with spinach, chickpeas, tomato and saffron, pinto bean chili with pan-roasted spices and chipolte served on a bed of quinoa, portobello burgers with feta and roasted peppers or wilted escarole omelet with fresh goat cheese served with rosemary oven fries...

the tuscan table
Tuscan cuisine is one of the bedrocks of Viviane's style of cooking. This class reflects her love for this land, its people and their incomparably delicious, fresh foods. Whether you're interested in learning how to make antipasti, pastas, risotto, gnocchi, polenta or desserts, Viviane will create just the right menu for you, inspired by the rustic and flavorful cuisine of Tuscany. Choose from recipes like crostini with Tuscan bean dip and fresh basil, pan-fried zucchini flowers with fresh ricotta and garden herbs, braised artichokes, pan-roasted radicchio risotto with gorgonzola, creamy polenta with spicy mushrooms, gnocchi with haricots verts, lemon zest and pesto, meyer lemon-mascarpone gelato, chocolate panna cotta or Tuscan farmhouse apple cake…

vegetable tarts
In this exciting class, you'll learn how to make a foolproof tart dough and delicious fillings with seasonal vegetables. You'll also work with different-shaped molds, learning how to make exquisite large tarts, modern rectangular ones or yummy bite-sized morsels — such as individual caramelized shiitake tarte tatin with fresh herbs, late-harvest tomato tarts with aged gruyère, leek tart with cured olives and ricotta or spinach and sheep's milk feta tart. These elegant tarts are a perfect addition to your repertoire and to your dinner party menus.

back to top of this page | home