NY’s ‘League of Kitchens’ Taps into Immigrant Cooking Secrets

For one Greek in New York, homemade cooking went from the kitchen to the world thanks to “League of Kitchens”, an online group of home cooks from New York’s immigrant communities offering classes on the cuisines of Lebanon, India, Japan, Argentina, Trinidad, Uzbekistan and more.

Queens-based pensioner Despina Economou, hailing from the Greek island of Evia, is just one of many immigrants living in the Big Apple, who shares her secrets through the League of Kitchens by inviting students into her home and preparing dinner together while revealing the markets where they can pick up genuine ingredients, which include everything from extra virgin olive oil and olives to mountain tea and feta cheese.

Participants meanwhile have the chance to come in contact with a new culture, cuisine and neighborhood, making in the process a meaningful cross-cultural connection, not to mention enjoying excellent food and drink. Founders of The League describe it as an “immersive culinary adventure”.

In the meantime, Despina (which means ‘hostess’ in Greek) admits that the first dish she ever cooked was ground meat with fresh tomatoes and parsley and some wine sauce. During her immersive workshops for restless NY foodies she prepares Greek salad, “spanakopita” (spinach pie), “keftedes” (Greek meatballs), shrimp with tomato and rice, and Christmas treats “kourampiedes” (almond cookies).

For more info visit www.leagueofkitchens.com