Hi, I’m Lila
Hi there! I’m Lila, and I’m so glad you’re here.
I’m 34 years old, born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, where the mountains hum with stories and the farmers’ markets overflow with color. I didn’t grow up in a culinary family—no professional chefs or secret family recipes tucked in a drawer. In fact, I was the kid who burned toast in the toaster oven and once tried to “boil” pasta in cold water (don’t do that, by the way!). But somewhere between microwaved mac-and-cheese and my first successful lasagna, I fell completely in love with cooking.
It didn’t happen all at once. My first real spark came in college when I was flat broke and had to feed myself on a tight budget. I started experimenting with simple meals—garlic butter noodles, scrambled eggs with too much cheese, roasted veggies that somehow always came out a little charred—and I realized cooking didn’t have to be perfect to be magical. It was a little messy, a little unpredictable, but always full of possibility.
After a few years working a corporate job I didn’t love, I found myself cooking more than ever—weekends, late nights, anytime I needed to feel grounded. I started reading cookbooks like novels and watching cooking shows like they were therapy. Eventually, I said, “Why not just go for it?” I took a leap, enrolled in a weekend culinary course in Charleston, and from there, I never looked back.
Now I teach beginner-friendly cooking classes out of my cozy kitchen in Durham. My philosophy? Cooking is for everyone. You don’t need fancy knives, a perfect kitchen, or a list of ingredients you can’t pronounce. All you need is curiosity, a pinch of patience, and maybe someone cheering you on—and that’s what I’m here for.
I love breaking things down into simple steps, celebrating little victories (your first perfectly fried egg? HUGE!), and sharing honest stories from my own trial-and-error journey. I still mess up sometimes—I once dropped a whole pan of brownies face-down at a bake sale—but I’ve learned that every flop is just part of the adventure.
When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll find me hiking with my rescue dog Maple, hunting for old cookbooks in thrift stores, or dreaming up new one-pot meals that make dinner feel easy and joyful. Cooking isn’t just something I do—it’s how I connect, unwind, and remind myself that even the smallest meals can feel like home.
So if you’re just starting out, welcome. I’ve got your back. We’re in this together—and I promise, your kitchen is about to get a whole lot more fun.