By Kristen Dillard
A short woman with tattoos is the pasta expert here at Eataly Dallas. Chef Natalie, or Chef Nat as some call her, demonstrates patience and practice when teaching pasta-making classes. “I’ve been making pasta for about seven to eight years now,” she says. “But only five years now in Dallas. People here call me the expert.” The audience of 15 people, including myself, listened carefully to Chef Nat as she showed why kneading is the most important step when making pasta. “If you don’t knead long enough, the moisture will allow the pasta to get stuck in the machine,” she says.
Looking around the cavernous room, couples are here for date night while a group of moms are having a night out. The fresh smell of pasta and the intimate setting within the classroom make for a fun, different experience for those looking to try something new. Each class you’re met with a charcuterie board to start and unlimited glasses of red and white wine. Chef Natalie does a fantastic job of explaining the different ingredients, types of pasta, and which region of Italy it comes from.
“Chef Natalie gave detailed instructions every step of the way which made sure we were never confused,” says Logan Stetz, my friend and compatriot in the cooking endeavor and a Southern Methodist University senior. “Cooking is something I want to get more into as I’m getting ready to graduate and this is a great first step to do so.”
The art of cooking, or cooking from scratch in this matter, goes beyond the stigma of being difficult or inconvenient. It can be a social and community-centered experience that develops a thrilling bond between family, friends, and partners, according to Silvana Lanzetta, also known as The Pasta Artist. Home cooking promotes diligence and enhances creativity as well as bettering our well-being by allowing us to know exactly what ingredients we’re putting into our bodies.
I took my first cooking and pasta-making class in early February, but have since attended two more: one by myself and a different one with my friend. It’s really the perfect outing to gain a new hobby. At first, I was just looking to spice up my free time because I was feeling a bit stagnant after living in Dallas for four years. But now, I have a new trick up my sleeve: knowing how to make both dry and soft pasta from scratch. After each class, I noticed my attitude shifting as I grew more open to tackling new culinary challenges and became more comfortable with my creative skills.
“I hope attendees gain some valuable cooking skills through my classes so they can share it with family and friends,” says Chef Natalie. “These classes are an easy way to get started in the kitchen if you don’t know where to begin.”
Eataly makes it easy because not only can you take the cooking classes, but you can also pick up the ingredients to make dishes at home, whether that’s tagliolini cacio e pepe, spinach and ricotta ravioli, or carborna. But Eataly isn’t the only place you can learn to cook in Dallas. Sur la Table, with locations in Preston Hollow and Knox, offers different categories of cooking classes including “popular now” and “flour & festivity.” Established in the design district, The Cookery Dallas fixates on food as culture displaying events from “Caribbean vacation” to “Barcelona nights.”
During my class with Chef Nat, I learned that pasta-making is simpler than I thought; eggs, water, and flour are all you need to make a simple dough. And, everyone can take home the pasta they make.
Logan and I left feeling accomplished because we succeeded at something new — and full, Chef Nat makes a big batch of the pasta for everyone in the class to enjoy after their hard work. And, it was the food that might keep us coming back.
“Towards the end, the chef was talking about Eataly’s upcoming classes such as tiramisu making and wine tasting,” Logan says. “Those really stuck out to me. I already want to go back to try something new again.”
Cover Artwork by Staff Member Mari Sato and image by Kristen Dillard
