Meet Nina Zippay of Radical Cooks

Radical Cooks founder Nina Zippay’s passion for sustainable cuisine evolved at the young age of seventeen. When her father became seriously ill he was forced to cut out much of what constituted his regular diet of fried and salty faire. Nina took it upon herself to rehabilitate her family’s diet reducing salt, fat, and sugars. She began cooking seasonally and from the source. Such practices helped not only extend her father’s life but transformed her life in the process. Her goal is to share the life-sustaining changes she experienced with others in what she calls the “community kitchen,” a place of learning, growing, and help others “change at the root.”

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
“At the outset, I knew diversification would be key. So I never said no. It can be a challenge with ever-changing menus, classes, courses, etc., but Radical Cooks is happy to teach anyone of any age, color, or creed,” she reports. “We host enrichment classes at schools, private parties for youth groups, church groups, and publicly offered classes each month of the year. And I love every moment.”

“The heart and soul of Radical Cooks has always been there for me,” explained Nina. “But to teach others to cook requires a little brick and mortar and often, an oven or stove. Finding kitchen space which is both affordable and accessible is no easy feat in Los Angeles.” Through acts of what can only be described as serendipity in motion, she partnered with a local chef and owner of a commercial kitchen space in Highland Park called Food + Shelter. Here she hosts her classes, meet ups, and more to teach adults and children alike.

A constant challenge for any small business is stay on top of all aspects of the venture. It helps to have a law degree and an MBA, she explains, grinning widely. “I often catch people off guard when they ask where I went to school. I tell them I received my law degree in Chicago and my MBA at Pepperdine University. I know they want to know about my cooking credentials, but really, what I want them to know is that if I can cook without a degree from the Cordon Bleu, so can you.”

Please tell us about Radical Cooks.
Cooking with local, seasonal ingredients is something we all aspire to. It celebrates where you live, allows you to meet your farmers at the market, and helps you eat a wider range of fruits and vegetables. According to traditional Chinese medicine philosophies, by imbibing seasonal foods consistent with the external environment we remain in harmony with nature, adapt better to changes, and stay healthy. But most of us don’t know how to start or how to sustain such practices. Radical Cooks believes all change starts at the root, or the base level of what we eat and how we make it.

We specialize in plant-based cooking and are known for putting vegetables into each and every course. And yes, that includes dessert!

We are most proud of our children’s cooking class series. Hands-on, experiential learning is the future and we believe we are at the forefront incorporating science, environmental, arts, and geography into our diverse selection of children’s classes.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over I would enlist a bigger team. I don’t know how I would do it but I would widen the doors a little and make more room for others. Inclusivity is best.

Contact Info:

• Address: Adult classes are held at:
  The Food + Shelter kitchen in Highland Park
  6375 North Figueroa, Los Angeles, 90042
• Website: www.radicalcooks.com
• Phone: 213 308 8954
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/radicalcooks
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/radicalcooks
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/radicalradishla/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/radical-cooks-los-angeles

Image Credit:
Radical Cooks

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