We are accepting reservations now for two classes. Last year was a complete success and we hope to take you along with us this year!
We’ve planned an amazing schedule of cooking, learning, relaxing, and rejuvenating with a 5-day class January 5-11, 2020.
After registering for one of our classes, we’ll begin collecting non-refundable deposits to secure one of the limited spots remaining.
Trip Details Review
The ingredients are simple:
- An exotic location
- People that are passionate about plant-based cuisine and science
- Relaxing massages
- Decadent food
- Geeky lectures on nutrition and healthspan
- Incredible service and accommodations
- Opportunities for yoga and exercise
- Ubiquitous Thai smiles
Ray first went to a month-long Culinary School at the Evason Resort in 2016, and then, Julieanna and he returned in 2018 to map out a plan to come back with students for a fun-filled nutrition, healthspan, and cooking retreat. Our 2019 retreat was a complete success! We had 20 students from 8 countries. We came together as strangers and left as life-long friends. We even left a plant-based fingerprint on Thailand. Cooking, Eating, and travel are an incredible combination. This year is shaping up to be just as fun.
Many people believe that plant-based eating is necessarily bland and boring and we want to demonstrate that nothing could be further from the truth! Of course, if you’re traveling to the other side of the world, it ought to be fun and relaxing, too, so we’ve left plenty of time in the schedule to unwind (psssst $10 ocean-front massages).
Thailand is known as “the land of smiles” and the staff at Evason Resort and the Blue Lotus Cooking School are simply extraordinary. We want this to be relaxing, fun, educational, and absolutely delicious.
The Classroom and More…
Over the course of the week, we will be be integrating cooking classes along with breaks for short lectures/discussions on a variety of topics including:
- Overview of whole food, plant-based nutrition: from A to Zinc
- Health advantages of a plant-based diet
- Introduction to the Food Triangle as a tool to eliminate macroconfusion
- Debunking common nutrition myths (raw vs cooked, soy, juicing, gluten, etc…)
- The essential ingredients and equipment for a plant-based kitchen
- Hands-on cooking classes with Julieanna, Ray, and the Blue Lotus Team
- Meal Planning and stocking your kitchen for success
- Strategies for dining out and traveling
We also plan to have some time for a few optional breakout sessions for those that may want to dive a little deeper. Both of love to teach and we’ll be right there with you on the other side of the world.
In the kitchen:
- Visit the on-site organic garden, and local open food markets
- Learn the essential ingredients of whole food, plant-based cuisine in Thailand
- Introduction, use, safety, and maintenance of the equipment in a professional kitchen, and traditional Asian cookware
- Chef knife safety, skills, and maintenance
- The explanation of different cooking techniques, from traditional to modern, and an introduction to the art of food styling
- Hands-on lectures with live demonstrations
The accommodation and course package includes:
- 6 nights accommodation in Evason Room w daily breakfast buffet
- 5 days of cooking workshops at Blue Lotus
- Daily breakfast buffet
- Daily Plant-based Nutrition Lectures, Q&A By Julieanna Hever & Ray Cronise
- One trip to local morning market in Pranburi
- 20% discount on Six Senses Spa
- 20% discount on food & beverage (excluding alcohol)
- 50% discount on personal laundry
- Complimentary sport activities and bike
- Explore on your own, relax by the pool, or go for a stroll at the resort
- Local tour excursions coordinated by Evason are available for an extra charge
While we plan to focus on healthy versions of Thai cooking and other plant-based food in the class, Thailand is like most of Asia and the population uses a lot of sugar, salt, and oil. During our week at Evason, it will be easy to order plant-based at any resort restaurant, eat fresh fruits and vegetables at the breakfast buffet, and eat what we prepare in class. The restaurant food won’t always be sugar-, salt-, or oil-free, but there are always fruit plates, juices, salads, and fresh green coconut water to sip.
For our former clients, this is a great time for “rare & appropriate” (we teach R&A as centered on people and places, not time between events). If you are ideologically vegan, you’ll have no problem getting vegan food in Thailand, but understand that culturally this food choice is centered on Buddhist influence and less per se on animal issues. We’ll send out some general information later on other Thai cultural norms.
If you plan to stay a little longer/arrive early, you’ll need to arrange that travel. Evason does have the ability to book additional day excursions from the resort. Thailand is beautiful and there are a range of environments to explore throughout the country from crazy-busy cities, to rainforests, to exotic tropical beaches. There are destinations that are quiet and peaceful or full-on party.
We are also working on the class and kitchen activities based on input from last year and the good news is there is SO MUCH we can do! Our goal is to make sure it’s a great learning experience and still allow you plenty of time to unwind and relax.
Getting Down to Business
We are now collecting a $500, non-refundable deposit for each person that is attending the class. If you have a non-participating guest with you, they won’t need a deposit.
50% of the tuition is due 90 days before the class (October 7, 2019) and the balance is due 45 days before we leave (November 20, 2019). If you want to pay the total upfront, that’s okay as well. If for some reason there aren’t enough people for your week, we will first try to accommodate you in the remaining class and, of course, if we can’t accommodate you, we’ll refund your tuition and deposit.
We will begin sending out some more detailed information to those that have already registered so that you may begin planning this exotic adventure. We have included some questions on travel plans outside of class and resort upgrades. We’ll follow with the details, so none of these questions are commitments, but rather help us make sure we can accommodate everyone. By requesting the deposit below, we’ll send out an invoice for the trip with payment instructions or let you know if it’s full.
