A new cooking school in St. Louis hopes to empower people of all skill levels to engage with food in creative ways through inventive and playful classes. Cooking with Local Mushrooms, Plant-Based Thanksgiving and Homemade Gnocchi are just a few of the offerings at Fennel Cooking Studio (3043 Olive Street, 314-200-5410), which owner Jackie Price opened in Midtown last month.
"It's a great opportunity for people who don't know how to cook to come and gain some practical skills in a very judgment-free space," Price says.
Fennel combines the functionality of a commercial kitchen with the atmosphere of an intimate gathering. The studio is spacious and vibrant, with plenty of green accents — Price's favorite color. Thoughtfully curated rows of pots and pans, kitchen appliances and utensils line one wall, and a colorful wallpaper with Fennel's logo plasters the other. At the front is the counter where Price does her demos.
"I intended the space to be really bright and inviting," Price says. "I feel like that really encourages people to not take things too seriously when they're cooking. You're allowed to have fun and experiment."
Inside the studio, you won't find a typical classroom configuration with all seats facing the instructor. Instead, Price has arranged four tables of four so that pairs of students face each other, dinner-table style, giving strangers the opportunity to learn together. The layout invites various configurations of people to interact with each other, from couples to groups of friends to individuals. For Price, one of the most powerful aspects of cooking is the community it creates.
Price learned that at a young age: She has been cooking since she was 13. Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, she moved to St. Louis eight years ago to pursue a master's in nutrition at Saint Louis University and fell in love with the city's tight-knit food community. For several years, she worked as a pastry chef at Rise Coffee House in the Grove and as a freelance recipe developer for various blogs and cookbooks. In 2018, Price returned to SLU as a culinary class instructor, the role that ultimately inspired her to open Fennel.
"I really fell in love with talking about food and teaching people about food and the inspiration that people get," Price says. "I just loved how much people got really into cooking, and so I was like, 'I want to bring this to St. Louis as a whole.'"
Some of Fennel's classes are technique-based, such as the popular Knife Skills Workshop, while some are ingredient- or cuisine-based, including Soup Szn and Cooking With Local Apples. The format differs based on Price's goals for the class. Ingredient-based classes often star several dishes, with each table making one but learning the skills necessary for all.
Price's passion for making cooking enjoyable and accessible permeates everything about Fennel. She intentionally fills her studio with supplies that people might have in their own kitchen or could easily get. Everyone leaves class with the recipes, so they can replicate the dishes themselves, but also, hopefully, with the confidence to expand on what they have learned. In the back is a small gift shop where participants can buy specialty items used in class.
For Price, cooking is not only about making delicious food but also a matter of personal empowerment.
"Food touches so many aspects of your life," Price says. "[It's] a creative outlet that is tied to community; it's tied to your body; it's tied to your mental health, your physical health. It encompasses so much of who we are."
Price is also concerned with sustainability, and she tries to incorporate local vendors and produce into all her classes. Some classes, such as October Farmer's Market, specifically spotlight local, seasonal vegetables.
"I'm really excited about partnering with other local businesses and local farmers and producers," Price says. "I really kind of hope to pass that on to students."
While Fennel's classes are currently open to students of all skill levels, Price is looking to add advanced classes in the new year. Potential options include an advanced knife skills class and a croissant-making workshop.
The reception to Fennel's opening has been promising, to say the least. All classes are sold out through December except for two, a cake-decorating workshop on November 30 and a cocktail and cocktail and appetizer class on December 21.
"So far, it's been a really great response, and people are excited to be here," Price says. "Classes have been going so well and have really felt like what I intended, which is just this vibrant, joyful learning space where people meet new friends. It's been pretty euphoric."
This story has been updated.
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