Celebrate Dad Every Day, Not Just One Sunday (INCOMPLETE)

At Passion for Spices™, we create food experiences and memories with families and friends; teaching techniques and classic recipes from around the world using only the highest quality, local and sustainable ingredients. This Father's Day, we're not wrapping up a gift card in a bow and calling it a day. We're giving Dad a skill, a story, and an evening he'll be talking about long after June is over.

Because fathers deserve more than one day of appreciation; they deserve a tradition. And what better tradition than cooking great food together?

Below are the details of some of our curated classes:

Beer and Gourmet Bites

Friday, June 12, 2026 / 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

For the dad who loves bold flavors and a cold craft beer, this exclusive tasting menu and pairing class is the ultimate night out. Our chef instructors will guide you through an elevated menu that marries hands-on technique with pure, crowd-pleasing flavor — and teach you the art of matching food and beer like a pro.

Menu & Pairings

• Assorted Sausages with Warm Potato Salad · Porter Ale

• Hot-Smoked Salmon, Creamed Leeks with Dill, Crisp Carrot Chips · Pilsner Urquell

• Chile-Rubbed Hanger Steak with Bean and Smoked Tomato Ragout · Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

• Seasonal Fruit Galette

  $150 per person · BYOB

Mastering the Grill

Friday, June 19, 2026 / 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Father's Day falls on June 15th — but the celebration doesn't have to stop there. Join us on June 19th for an evening dedicated to the king of all cooking methods: the grill. From the perfect sear on a rib-eye to the bold, aromatic notes of Tandoori-spiced chicken, this class brings together global flavors and backyard grilling in a way only Passion for Spices™ can.

Menu

• Hot-Smoked Salmon with Spicy Mango Salsa

• Grilled Rib-eye Steak

• Tandoori Style Chicken

• Curried Carrot and Golden Raisin Salad

• Classic Manhattan

  $150 per person · BYOB

More than a gift — a tradition worth keeping

A tie gets forgotten in the back of a drawer. A cooking class becomes a story Dad tells for years. At Passion for Spices™, we believe dads deserve appreciation all year long; not just one Sunday in June. Both of our Father's Day specials make for an unforgettable shared experience, and our year-round adult cooking classes mean there's always something new to learn and taste together.

Passion for Spices™ Cooking School

Private Events

Adult Cooking Classes

Gift Cards

Whether you're coming with a spouse, a sibling, or the whole family, our classes are designed to be warm, welcoming, and a whole lot of fun. No experience necessary! All you need is a love of great food and good people. Spots fill up fast, so reserve yours today and give Dad something to remember!

Passion for Spices™ hosts Young Professionals Networking event

At Passion for Spices™, our cooking school has always been more than a place to learn to cook. It's a place to connect and break bread. This week, we were thrilled to open our doors to the Suburban Chamber of Commerce's Young Professionals Networking Group, welcoming a wonderful mix of young professionals (and not-so-young professionals) from local and neighboring communities and businesses. Guests had the opportunity to share their stories, forge new connections, and enjoy an evening of great conversation in a warm, flavorful setting.

This event was organized by the Suburban Chamber of Commerce, with a special thanks to Samantha T. Alfonso, who chairs this Young Professionals networking series for making it such a memorable gathering.

A Commitment to Community

At Passion for Spices™, our passion extends well beyond culinary education. We are deeply committed to the local community and the businesses that make our towns thrive. Our CEO and Founder, May Fridel, also serves as Vice Chair of the Suburban Chamber of Commerce — a role that reflects her belief that strong communities are built one relationship at a time.

Passion for Spices™ is a cooking school, team-building destination, and organic spice purveyor rooted right here in Summit, NJ. From hands-on adult cooking classes and corporate team-building events to kids' programs and private cooking experiences, everything we do is guided by sustainable practices and a celebration of global culinary traditions. Our mission is to provide a platform to break bread with local communities, including our business community, while sharing the knowledge of good food.

Learn more at www.passionforspices.com

📍 31 Woodland Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901

📞 (908) 380-0644

About the Suburban Chamber of Commerce

The Suburban Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business for the communities of Summit, Berkeley Heights, and New Providence in Northern Union County, New Jersey. Established in 1917, the Chamber has been a cornerstone of the local business community for over a century, connecting businesses, fostering growth, and strengthening ties between entrepreneurs, professionals, and community leaders.

Whether you're a seasoned executive or just starting your professional journey, the Suburban Chamber offers a wealth of networking opportunities, resources, and events — including signature programs like First Friday breakfast gatherings and Wine Down Wednesday after-hours networking — all designed to help you grow your business and your network.

Learn more at www.suburbanchambers.org

📍 24 Beechwood Road, Suite 229, Summit, NJ 07902

📞 (908) 522-1700

✉️ info@suburbanchambers.org

Follow the Suburban Chamber of Commerce on social media:

• Facebook

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

Special Thanks to Our Guests

Our evening was kicked off by our Suburban Chamber of Commerce Chair, introducing the Young Professionals Networking Chair Samantha Alfonso, and James Kwan of Ace Pension Solutions, LLC . We were honored to have members of the Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce (GWACC) join us for the evening, including Mario Cesario, who serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors. Their participation is a testament to the spirit of cross-community collaboration that events like this are all about. Everyone who attended had to opportunity to share their story and showcase their business. We look forward to hosting our next event where we will engage more businesses and professionals.

Everyone enjoyed the spread of delicious appetizers from the Passion For Spices™ team. Also Jason Udrija, owner of Celestino's Pizza & Ristorante provided some of his popular bites, including his fan-favorite pizza pinwheels. Adam Brown of The Adam M. Brown Law Group, LLC, one of our board members generously provided the wine as well. Many thanks to everyone that made this evening a big success!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special evening. We look forward to continuing to be a gathering place for our community — one spice, one story, and one connection at a time.

To stay up to date on events, cooking classes, and more at Passion for Spices, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or visit passionforspices.com.

Passion for Spices™ Mother's Day Wishes

An ode to all mothers everywhere

This Mother’s Day, let us celebrate the women who nourish us by sharing good food and even better company. Cooking together, whether it’s learning a new recipe, passing down a family favorite, or simply chopping ingredients side by side, creates a relaxed environment that invites conversation, laughter, and creates long-lasting memories. The simple rhythms of a shared kitchen let generations connect in a way that a store-bought gift can’t replicate. Baking sourdough isn’t just about the final loaf. It’s about nurturing something over time, watching it grow, and trusting the process. In many ways, it reflects motherhood itself.

Baking bread together becomes more than an activity; it becomes a way to remember, to honor, and to continue those traditions. Breaking bread together around the table turns those shared moments into lasting stories. A home-cooked meal made with love is a meaningful way to honor mothers and mother figures, and it’s a skill that keeps giving long after the day is over.

Passion for Spices™ celebrates the beauty of families coming together through food. Our sustainable approach emphasizes slowing down, being present, and sharing experiences that matter. Consider gifting an experience with Passion for Spices™ this year; a cooking class is the perfect, joy-filled way to spend quality time and create new traditions together. Click here to purchase a gift card.

This Mother’s Day weekend, we invite you to join us for a special sourdough baking class. Come experience the joy of making and breaking bread, and create memories that will rise and last far beyond the kitchen.

We have a perfect gift for mothers Day! Please click here to buy our gift cards!

Please check out our Adult Cooking Classes HERE.

Cheers to all mothers from our team at Passion for Spices™.

Passion for Spices™ Team Wishes Everyone a Happy Easter and Passover

Passion for Spices™ wishes everyone a Happy Easter and Passover. We are looking forward to celebrating the upcoming spring season with nature’s abundance from local farmers, spending time outside and in the kitchen creating recipes and enjoying meals with family and friends, and sharing our recipes and methods with our community to encourage healthier eating!

Please enjoy this complimentary menu and recipes from the Passion for Spices™ team you can use for your Easter or Passover celebrations, or at any other upcoming special event this spring season!

Spring Menu

Curried Deviled Eggs
Spring on a Plate
Flavorful Roasted Leg of Lamb with Gremolata Sauce
Spiced Carrot Cupcake

Upcoming Spring Cooking Class

We have several upcoming spring cooking classes, a wonderful way to spend time with family and friends or to meet some new people this spring season, including our Celebrate Easter Mediterranean Style class coming up on Saturday, April 4, from 6PM to 8:30PM.

We will be creating a spring-inspired menu from scratch that’s perfect for sharing with family and friends at your Easter table or any other upcoming special occasion this spring season. Our experienced chef instructors will provide hands-on cooking instruction and teach participants about ingredients, cooking techniques, and the cooking process. Register now before it’s too late!

Passion for Spices Team™ Wishes You a Happy New Year

From our team at Passion for Spices™, we want to wish you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous new year. 2025 brought us together with many new students, chefs, and other partners that have helped our brand thrive, and we are looking forward to a year of even more growth and new opportunities ahead in 2026!

A Look Back on 2025

Our most exciting accomplishment from 2025 was celebrating the 15th anniversary of Passion for Spices™ in June! We gathered with family, friends, business partners, and community members at a special event to commemorate this momentous occasion, and it brought us immense joy to see so many of our supporters join us to help celebrate our success and growth over the years. We are thankful for everyone who continues to engage with our brand.

15th Anniversary Celebration
June 2025

We are grateful for all of the new and returning students who joined us in the kitchen in 2025. From weekly classes to corporate team building events, summer camp, and special events, it is our honor to share the joy of cooking with you. Food is powerful in its ability to not only physically sustain us, but boost our mental and emotional health as well. When we gather in the kitchen and around the table, we create connections, memories, and share stories, strengthening our connections with each other.

In 2025 we hosted birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, private family parties, corporate team building events, and many more special events in our kitchen, in addition to our themed weekly classes. We love hosting such memorable events and being able to share in your joy with you and your loved ones as you gather together in our kitchen. We look forward to many more special events in 2026! Here's a peek at some of our 2025 events.

Highlights from 2025 Classes with Award Winning Chef Kathleen Sanderson

Spice Up Your Spring at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Spring 2025

Summer Camp
June/July 2025

Calvary Autumn Luncheon
October 2025

Holiday Celebrations
December 2025

What’s Ahead in 2026

Looking ahead to 2026, we are excited for the return of our popular Winter Season After School Cooking Program (on Tuesdays and Thursdays in January and February) and our summer camp, two of our favorite programs of the year. Working with young chefs through Passion for Spices™ is so rewarding, as we observe firsthand the benefits of teaching kids and teens these essential skills at a young age. Through these programs, we hope to encourage healthy habits and inspire a sense of curiosity and creativity in the kitchen that our students can carry with them throughout the rest of our lives.

In 2026 we are excited to continue to expand our cooking class offerings to include a wider variety of cuisines and other specialty classes and workshops, such as baking techniques. Click here to check out our calendar and see what we have coming up. We are proud to be a wellness ambassador for the community, showcasing local ingredients and sustainable cooking methods. Our cooking classes are fun and unique opportunities to spend time with family and friends, get out of the house for a fun date night, and also to meet new people who share a love of cooking!

Our corporate team building classes remain one of our main pillars and offerings here at Passion for Spices™. These events are wonderful opportunities for professionals to come and enjoy an exclusive culinary journey while bonding with colleagues outside of the office. Our trained chefs will provide an informative cooking class and help to build and inspire a strong foundation for a healthy lifestyle. Click here to learn more about our corporate team building events.

We are also thrilled for the launch of our culinary travel program in 2026, a unique opportunity for foodies and travelers alike to enrich their culinary education beyond our kitchen in Summit. Participants will be fully immersed in food and culture through cooking classes and demonstrations, market tours, winery visits, and more, in one of our chosen destinations abroad. We are excited to explore the Blue Zone and Finger Lakes cultures with students through this program. We hope to be able to share more information on this program very soon. Stay tuned!

To all of our students, chefs, corporate partners, community stakeholders, and friends, we are grateful for your continued support of Passion for Spices™. Our success would not be possible without you. Here's to a year filled with more time around the table with friends and family, breaking bread and making memories together. See you in the kitchen!

Sincerely,
The Passion for Spices™ Team

The Three Featured Pillars at Passion for Spices™

Curated Culinary Experience
Organic & Kosher Spices
Food & Culture Travel (Launching Soon)

Curated Culinary Experiences

Our cooking classes and events are curated culinary experiences, showcasing a variety of cuisines from around the world, including Mediterranean, Latin, Asian, and more. Here is what you can expect when you join us for one of our unique cooking classes:

Organic and Kosher Spice line:

Our organic spices are a welcome addition to any culinary adventure, regardless of genre. Our two spices, Keralan Curry and Kashmiri Garam Masala are available.

Keralan Curry

Great for grilling meat, seafood, poultry, and veggies. Use this versatile spice blend at cookouts, this earthy and smokey blend will turn every backyard barbecue into a celebration. Use it in the kitchen everyday for grilling, braising, soup, salads, and roasting.

Kashmiri Garam Masala

Kashmiri Garam Masala is great for grilling lamb, poultry, and veggies. Also, try the spice in pies, cookies, and cakes. This aromatic spice blend could be used in many baking, sweet and savoury dishes.

Passion for Spices™ offers a perfect gift for upcoming holidays, a gift of cooking for you and your loved ones. The gift card can be redeemed for the spices and the exclusive culinary events.

Here are two complimentary recipes for the holidays that you can make and enjoy at home.