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Fresh and fun, classes continue at Columbia's Cooking!
March 23, 2011
Katherine Shavo, the director of Columbia's
Cooking!, is adding her own flair to
the popular program.
Growing up in Nashville, Katherine Shavo learned early on to appreciate the bounty of Tennessee's gardens and farms. She started cooking at the age of nine and a love of food was born.
Later, when her father was diagnosed with diabetes, she became interested in the nutritional properties of food, which inspired her to pursue a professional career as a licensed and registered dietitian.
She currently directs USC's popular Columbia's Cooking! program, which was launched a little more than three years ago by dietitian Brook Harmon, now a doctoral candidate at the Arnold School. Columbia's Cooking! is part of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program.
The goal of the program then, and now, is presenting a full line of classes for both adults and children with the aim of promoting good health. Participants learn about healthy cooking as well as how a person's total diet impacts their health.
"The program template that was set up is so good I am really continuing with that, but adding my own flair," said Shavo, who became Columbia's Cooking! director last August.
"We have two types of classes: the hands-on cooking class where participants prepare dishes themselves with guidance from the class leader. We also offer demonstration classes where attendees observe the preparation of a dish and learn about the health-promoting properties of the ingredients or dish," she said.
The program launched a series of Indian cuisine classes last fall and is continuing the theme this spring. "The class focuses on the healthful aspects of the Indian cuisine and introduces participants to principles of the Ayurvedic diet," Shavo said.
In an Ayurvedic diet, food is considered not only as a mixture of basic ingredients like proteins, vitamins, fats and carbohydrates, but also as something which serves as a source of energy for mind and soul.
Shavo said the classes also include information on the anti-inflammatory properties of the many seasonings used in this spicy cuisine.
USC First Lady Patricia Moore-Pastides is returning to lead her popular series of classes on Mediterranean Cuisine, Shavo said.
Many of the recipes featured are from her new cookbook, "Greek Revival: Cooking for Life," described by one reviewer as "a mixture of entertaining personal stories, nutritional information, a bit of Greek cultural history and wonderful, easy-to-follow recipes."
The children's programs are also popular. Based on demand, a monthly children's class was started last fall. These classes are open to youngsters ages nine and up.
"We have themes such as whole grains or, for March, which is National Nutrition Month, we are working with this year's theme of "Eat Right with Color," focusing on vegetables, fruits and whole grains," she said.
In addition, the third year of culinary youth camps will be held this summer.
Shavo said she is working in collaboration with local dietitian Phyllis Allen to organize classes for the African-American community that focus on how to use diet to reduce risk factors and incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and obesity, which are more prevalent in that community.
"Another project we are working on is recycling. A community kitchen can be very wasteful if not managed properly. We have been recycling food waste via composting and have just been added to the USC recycling route," she said.
Shavo, who moved to Columbia 10 years ago, received her master's degree in nutrition from the University of Tennessee and became a registered dietitian in 1996. "I have a UT class ring with a garnet stone. I had no idea I would have the pleasure to work at USC when I ordered it," she said.
Like many RDs, she worked in several hospitals before becoming a consultant, a job that led her to have wide range of clients, including adult care homes to major restaurant chains. Later she managed healthcare sales and nutrition programs at IFH, a regional foodservice distributor based in Hickory, N.C.
"Much of my career has involved recipe development and modification to meet specialized nutritional needs of people suffering from chronic disease," she said. "It is a real pleasure to work on the prevention side and utilize the knowledge gained working in the food industry to help improve people's diets "
In her eight months on the job, Shavo has kept the Columbia's Cooking! stoves warm with 16 different culinary classes. She also has led five culinary demonstrations and 10 children's culinary camps.
Columbia's Cooking! has been a sponsor of Palmetto Health's Women at Heart Program for the last three years and has made local television appearances on WIS and WLTX. Columbia's Cooking! also provides community and after-school programs.
For more information about upcoming classes, contact Shavo at 803-576-5636 or shavo@mailbox.sc.edu or Elaine McLane at 803-576-5666 or mclanep@mailbox.sc.edu.
Classes are held at the Columbia's Cooking! kitchen, located on the first floor of the Discovery 1 Building, 915 Greene St. downtown, between the Colonial Life Arena and Koger Center. Parking passes for free parking in the garage adjacent to Discovery One on Park Street will be provided.
Here is the schedule of upcoming classes through May:
March 23 – Indian Cooking "Breakfast Foods," 6 – 8 p.m., $40 per person
Chef Devi Raju returns for another class in this popular series on Indian cooking.
March 24 – Idli Demonstration Class, 8 – 9 a.m., $10 per person
Join Chef Devi Raju for a demonstration and sampling of this traditional Indian breakfast food and a discussion of the importance of breakfast.
April 6 -- Meatless Meals Mediterranean Style, 6 - 8 p.m., $40 per person
Join USC First Lady Patricia Moore-Pastides for this hands-on class to learn how to prepare delicious vegetarian meals using local ingredients. Recipes from her new book Greek Revival will be featured. For registration and questions, contact Elaine McLane (SOLD OUT)
April 15 – Healthy Foods in Fast Times, 6 -7 p.m., $20 per person
To register for this Columbia's Cooking! program, contact Providence Health Connect at 1.877.256.5381.
April 20 – Indian Cooking "Spicy Spring Bounty, 6 – 8 p.m., $40 per person
Chef Devi Raju will lead this popular program.
April 27 – Vegetarian Cooking, 6 – 8 p.m., $30 per person
Interested in making a lifestyle change? Join Gwen Preston for this healthy program on vegetarian cooking.
May 11 – Indian Cooking "Summer Fare with Indian Flair," 6 – 8 p.m., $40 per person
Fresh produce is on the way, and Chef Devi Raju will help you discover new ways to add flavor to favorite foods.
May 18 – Phyllo Cooking Class, 6 – 8 p.m., $40 per person
USC's First Lady Patricia Moore-Pastides returns with an encore class on working with phyllo dough.
Visit http://cpcp.sph.sc.edu/cooking/classes.htm#27_April_2011 to learn about these and other programs, including a series of summer classes for young chefs.
