Today we’d like to introduce you to Gladys Soriano.
Gladys, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
You could almost say my passion for cooking is genetic. I grew up surrounded by amazing cooks on both sides of my family. My grandparents owned a restaurant and my grandma was a professional baker. My great aunt cooked for the royal family in Kuwait. My parents operated a baking business from their small home, baking up to 80 beautifully decorated cakes per day.
Then I came along. And for as long as I can remember, I always accompanied my mom in the kitchen. When I was little, I would put on her heels and try to copy everything she did. I absolutely loved helping her peel vegetables, stuff grape leaves, and decorate fruit tarts. As I got older, I started experimenting on my own in the kitchen. I always dreamt of going to culinary school but chose the medical field for more practical reasons. I have been working as a respiratory therapist in a hospital for six years and do enjoy my job. Although it can be emotionally draining, it is usually very rewarding. However, my true passion lies in cooking and food photography, so for that reason, I finally decided to create an Instagram account dedicated to my kitchen creations. Soon after, I had many people requesting online cooking classes during quarantine. So with the help of my husband, I was able to create a diverse menu and a beautiful website for people to visit and book virtual cooking classes with me.
Well, that sums up the “forks” part of my business name. But what about “foliage”? I also have a love for greenery and have decided to bring it home. So on my Instagram page as well as my website, I share with you my growing plant family that brings me so much joy.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Of course, there are always challenges whenever we try something new. In my case, the biggest challenge has been my own personal fears! I feared failing. I feared not appealing to the community. I feared investing too much time or money into it and not getting anything out of it, essentially wasting time I can’t get back. But my husband has been incredibly supportive and so have been my friends. And I have learned to just enjoy the process and not sweat the outcome. At the end of the day, I still get to make and eat delicious food while enjoying my plant babies!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Forks and Foliage story. Tell us more about the business.
At Forks and Foliage, I offer virtual cooking classes where you get to select two dishes from a diverse menu and you learn to cook them with up to 9 of your friends from any part of the world. I send you a list of all the ingredients and tools needed for the class, as well as easy prep work to be completed before class time. During class, I have a couple of cameras set up for multiple angles to view the cooking techniques as I walk you patiently through every step, all while chatting with each other and having a blast. After the class, I send you a detailed recipe sheet for each item that you cooked in class so that you can recreate it on your own in the future.
I pride myself in being very patient and flexible during the class. Sometimes a couple people may be slower or have more questions. I love to provide as much help and insight as possible to make the class enjoyable and the intimidation as low as possible. My goal is to help people not only cook restaurant-quality meals but to really enjoy the process! It is such a rewarding feeling when my customers rave about the meal they just cooked for the first time and immediately start getting another group of friends together for more cooking classes.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe that hard work pays off. The more love and work you put into something, the more you get out of it. Sometimes timing and circumstances affect certain situations, but in general, I am a strong believer in hard work.
Pricing:
- Virtual cooking class for up to 5 people = $150
- Each additional guest = $30
- Limit 10 guests per class
- Book on my website by 8/31/20 for a 33% discount on all classes!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.forksandfoliage.com
- Email: forksandfoliage@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/forksandfoliage
Image Credit:
Forks and Foliage
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