Chef Alyssa of Culinary Craftwork, a licensed and insured professional chef, acquired her passion for food as a youngster whose parents took her on travels around Europe, where they dined in Michelin-star restaurants. Her passion crystallized while she worked her way up to head chef through starred Manhattan restaurants, edging into kitchens with her short frame and tenacious attitude. Now she shares her 20 years of expertise during private in-home cooking classes as well as private dinner parties and small catered events. To help students become more adaptable to their kitchens, Alyssa's three- to four-hour classes focus on building improvising techniques rather than strictly following recipes, finally freeing cooks from 10-volume compendiums on how to, say, make coffee sweeter. Her classes revolve around preset or customized menus, and include the cost of food and Chef Alyssa's shopping, planning, and prep.