Since moving out to Los Angeles County, I have been searching for creative experiences and things to do on my Saturdays as a way to decompress from work and get more connected with the community. With that being said, my search has been geared toward local brands, groups, and companies that I can learn more about and support as a business doing good for the area and offering something unique! Lucky for me, there has been no shortage in my search as LA is so vast – which almost makes it even more challenging to find the best brands to support that are mission-driven and run by genuine people.

Recently, I was so excited to connect with Impastiamo, a team of passion-led women who set out in 2020 to share their “love affair” for food with others through cooking classes, team building events, and small business supporting. For now, they are offering pop-up classes in LA County (and now OC!) and building up their team building/corporate classes (which I personally am working to get my own work team involved in!). Their goal? To “share our passion for cooking with you and to inspire our community to combat food waste,” which is exactly the kind of mission I feel passionate about supporting!

I was able to join their Pasta Making pop-up class this past month at the beautiful “Ingredients Studio” space, which could not be any more gorgeous and ideal for cooking, photography, and wining/dining! The evening included start-to-finish pasta perfection led by Chef Simone: from making the dough and shaping, preparing the sauce, and munching on a gorgeous charcuterie board along the way (while sipping some wine, of course).

I had brought along my “trusty steed,” aka one of my top 2 dining buddies, good ol’ Dad. It was a great and different way for us to spend the evening together and I loved watching him get to do something so creative, while learning more about authentic Italian cooking.

The finished product, Cavatelli Arrabbiata, was tasty and left me feeling pretty proud of my hard work, as the dough making was quite a chore for someone not so crafty like myself. The little board we used to form each and every piece of cavatelli was so intricate and we even got to take it home for our own kitchens. After all was perfected for plating, we enjoyed our labor-of-love alongside a salad in the large communal space with the group. Personally, I loved to just sit there and marvel at the beautiful aesthetic and lighting in the space, as it felt so warm and inviting.

From this first experience with Impastiamo, I can certainly recommend their pop-up classes to anyone looking for something to do one evening by themselves or with friends and family. In the past, they have also offered Pizza and Sushi Making classes, both of which I have had my eye on! Keep your eye on their calendar here to stay up-to-date with upcoming events, but don’t wait to book- these have been selling out very quickly… Even I have had trouble getting a spot!

As I continue familiarizing myself with my new neighborhood, I am so excited to continue discovering more local companies that are on a culture-driven mission like Impastiamo. Read even more about their team and background here – and if you join a class, I might just see ya there!