Let's Cook Alaska, Anchorage

Let's Cook Alaska's talented teaching chef, Josie McKinney, fell in love with cooking at a young age. By the age of 12, she was preparing Thanksgiving dinner for her family. Now, as a mother of four, she shares her joy of cooking by inviting students into her “dream kitchen,” where they develop culinary confidence by working with her recipe box full of diverse meal ideas. In her cooking classes, she aims to transform cooking from chore to adventure. Josie’s fun, hands-on teaching style encourages students to get their hands messy by trying techniques for themselves and clean by stuffing them into their friends’ mouths. While students prepare entire meals, Josie circulates among them dispensing tips. Classes stay small—around 4 to 10 students—to ensure lots of individual attention and extra servings to go around when the class sits down together to enjoy their creations. Menus rotate with a monthly theme, such as comfort food and international fare, prepped with fresh, local ingredients.