Today we’d like to introduce you to Cookin Class Claire Espinoza, Tashi Espinoza, Cortney Legrady.
Hi Cookin Class, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
We all met working at Southland Whiskey Kitchen. Tashi was the Sous Chef, Claire was the AGM and Cortney was the Bar Manager. To say that we became close would be an understatement. Southland was a chaotic environment and we saw each other at our best and worst. We all reached a point where we knew it was time to move on. Tashi was actively seeking addiction recovery and soon realized he was going as far as he could at Southland, while Claire and Cortney dreamed of starting their own projects elsewhere. The universe understood that career countdown by giving us COVID-19 and shutting down the restaurant. During that time we all adjusted and tried to make ends meet any way possible. Tashi continued his journey to recovery and became Sous Chef at Momoyama; Claire took a break from the industry to take a work from home job and Cortney started a new career as a mortgage lender. In the middle of the chaos, Claire and Tashi found themselves expecting a baby and as fate would have it, Cortney was also expecting, just two months later with who is now her husband, Dustin. All three of us becoming parents at the same time really solidified the calling to start our own projects. None of us wanted to work in restaurants forever and were tired of helping others achieve their dreams before our own. In 2025, Cookin’ Class came up for sale and over a bottle of wine and some grocery store pastries, Claire convinced Cortney to take the leap into ownership. There was no doubt in our minds that becoming our own bosses was a dream come true. We could make our own schedules, benefit from the fruits of our labor, and support one another as friends and family once more. However, the business came with some very much-needed renovation and rebranding. We quickly changed the logo, Cortney spent a weekend repainting every wall and Claire got to work on the social media. Tashi was completing his first position as executive chef of Tanaka Bridgeport and was definitely ready to move on from restaurants. It was serendipitous because there was no question in Claire or Cortney’s mind who was meant to be the chef. Tashi is a self described jack of all trades and his strict culinary goals meant that he was learning a new skill every two years. Within a short period of time, Tashi honed his teaching skills, upgraded some menus and added many new ones. We were ready.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Everyone is aware of the chaotic and sometimes gritty reputation of the professional kitchen. It is a challenging place to begin a journey to sobriety, but Tashi thrived in it. The structure of the kitchen allowed him to replace some dangerous behaviors with constructive ones. It was during this time that he started his 10 year plan – every two years he would learn a completely new skill ranging from Southern-style bbq to becoming the best production manager of milk bread at Tanaka’s flagship store. We never claim that business ownership is a smooth road. Navigating these waters requires undeniable grit, but knowing we face these challenges together has made this journey truly unique and a source of immense pride. None of us ever imagined we would have this opportunity, and we approach every day with deep gratitude. Our path has been one of continuous learning. From mastering the art of DIY repairs to becoming experts in multi-platform advertising—testing everything from Groupon and Instagram to influencer partnerships, Yelp, and traditional word-of-mouth—we have learned how to build a brand that honors OUR experience.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
All three of us have over 15 years of experience in restaurants (separate, not combined) and we all took away some very different skill sets. Cortney really excelled at the customer service aspect of the job and is lovingly known by her guests as Mama Bear. Cortney is the muscle behind everything we do from tackling garage door repairs to scaling ladders to rehang extension cords. Her incredibly kind spirit makes our guests feel instantly comfortable. Claire, more of an introvert at heart, found a love for the behind the scenes work. She quickly took a liking to the event coordination position and found meaning from organization and the peaceful solitude of a home office. Tashi’s varied and extensive kitchen experience is what makes Cookin’ Class so unique. We can create classes on the fly that are not only challenging but authentic. Tashi puts a lot of effort into researching geography, traditions and history so that each class isn’t just fun, they’re incredibly informative. Simply put, we offer more classes and cover more topics than any of our competitors. We are so proud of what we’ve accomplished and continue to improve every day.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
We all bring a unique perspective to this business. Cortney was once a scuba instructor in Honduras and this love of the ocean translated into some pretty cool classes like our Oregon Coast Crab Cakes menu for date night last year. It surprises a lot of our guests that Tashi’s experience has nothing to do with culinary school; in fact, he didn’t attend. There seems to be a big misconception about what a chef is and that it requires a degree. To us, being a chef means dedicating your life to learning about food and the culture surrounding it. Tashi is a walking encyclopedia who can tell you the story behind Nashville Hot Chicken while simultaneously teaching you what to do with that palm sugar that’s been sitting in your pantry for a year. For Claire, there isn’t much mystery. She is an open book who loves talking wine and whiskey – but has the worst palate. She’ll never be a sommelier but she can make some pretty darn good wine pairings for our classes.
Pricing:
- Mini Classes are $70 per person
- Everyday Eats Classes are $110 per person
- Dinner Party Series $130 per person
- Date Night $150 per person
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cookinclass.com
- Instagram: @cookinclasspdx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cookinclasspdx/
- Other: email: cookin@cookinclass.com
