Learning to cook or to bake is no piece of cake. Yes, there are free resources at our disposal, such as recipes, videos, and courses online but few are beginner-friendly. That is where Marina Charles comes in. Neatly arranged around an open laptop are flour, eggs, butter, sugar... An oven, which is on preheat, is ticking in the corner. Logged on to Skype, Marina, with a bowl and an electric whisk in hand, demonstrates to a student how to bake a range of cookies.
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A bake and cooking instructor, Marina teaches everything from how to make a sumptuous Kerala sadhya to how to whip up a choice of desserts. Currently based in Bangalore, Marina, a Thiruvananthapuram native, runs a food blog and holds cookery classes in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Thiruvanathapuram. Conducting live online classes is her latest venture.
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“I fell severely ill recently and am still recuperating. As my doctor has advised me against travelling, I haven’t been able to hold classes. I started teaching online when a student of mine in Hyderabad desperately wanted to learn how to bake brownies.”
Before each class, Marina emails her students the recipes and the list of ingredients required for the session. On the day of the class, she logs on to Skype and connects with the student.
The classes last for two to three hours depending on online connectivity and the complexity of the recipes taught.
So far, the sessions have been one-on-one, although Marina plans to expand the number of people in each class. Right now, she has conducted classes on brownies, cookies and breads.” The fee for the classes vary; it starts from ₹1,200. “The fee depends on the complexity of recipes.”
Having heard of her online classes, more students are approaching for similar sessions. Foreigners whom she had taught while they were on a visit to Bangalore have also contacted her. “The foreigners want lessons in Indian cooking. They request recipes for butter chicken masala, naans, dal...”
Although online videos and cookery shows are available, Marina points out that the chefs move so fast that it is impossible to follow along in the kitchen.
“A live online cooking class is like having me in your house. I am able to teach techniques that can’t be taught in a recipe or by watching a video; I am able to coach throughout the class. Students can clear whatever queries they may have about the recipe or its process and in case their dish does not turn out like it’s supposed to, can have it diagnosed on the spot,” says Marina, who believe in sharing her knowledge of cooking and baking to as many people as possible.
In fact, she quit her job as a financial consultant to pursue her first love – the kitchen. She plans to hold online classes on macaroons and eggless cakes and bakes. So, what about her regular classes? “The ones in Bangalore are on. I will be resuming the rest once I am better.”