Who Said Family Recipes Have to Be Kept Secret

Who says the best family recipes should be locked away in a dusty cookbook or whispered in secret? The true magic happens when knowledge is shared! For centuries, women have been the champions of this, passing down wisdom, recipes, and skills from generation to generation.

This International Women’s Day, we asked seven ClassBento teachers from all walks of life to share the women who inspired their craft and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. With each story, a familiar thread emerged—they learned it from their mum, who learned it from hers.

Whether it’s grandma’s special sauce, a family trade, or a lesson learned by watching and listening, so much of what we know comes from the women who came before us.

From the bustling kitchens of Melbourne to the chocolate shops of Manhattan to the art studios of Manchester, the tradition of passing down knowledge connects women across continents. Today, these teachers are continuing that tradition, sharing what they’ve learned with the world. With every recipe shared, design printed, and seed planted, they honour the past while inspiring the future, making sure that some of the best lessons aren’t kept secret any longer.

Embracing your individuality with a needle and thread

Do you ever dream you could have a new dress for every special occasion? Erin and Lauren Ritchie sure do—and they grew up believing that all you need is a needle and thread to make it come true! As kids, the Aussie sister duo spent countless hours in their Nan’s sewing room, surrounded by piles of fabric, patterns, and fabulous debutante dresses handmade by their Nan in the 1980s.

“Nan inspired us with her belief that every special event deserved a new dress to celebrate.” This cherished tradition lives on today, with Erin and Lauren sewing matching family outfits for Christmas and other milestones.

For them, sewing became more than a hobby—it was a way to express personal style and create one-of-a-kind pieces. “There’s nothing quite like wearing something you made and hearing someone ask, ‘Did you make that?’ and proudly saying, ‘Thank you, I did!’”

Through their business, Two Sewing Sisters, Erin and Lauren now share their love of sewing in classes across regional Victoria. Their mission is to inspire other women to embrace their creativity and build a supportive sewing community. With online tutorials and hands-on workshops, they’re making sewing accessible so everyone can be their own belle of the ball!

Finding your passion through painting

It’s never too late to try something new! Kylie Johnson’s grandma didn’t pick up oil paints until she was 70—and by the time she turned 100, she had a stunning collection of artwork. Inspired by her grandma’s talent, Kylie began bringing photos from her travels for her to paint. When Kylie asked how she made it look so easy, her grandma simply said, “Just paint what you see with the right brush!”

That positive, carefree attitude stuck with Kylie. If her grandma could find a new passion later in life, why couldn’t she? So, she picked up a brush and started painting. Today, Kylie shares that same joyful, no-pressure approach to creativity through her paint and sip classes in Sydney.

“These classes have been the most joyous experience of my life,” Kylie says. She loves seeing all ages, from seven to ninety, connect, relax, and leave their worries at the door.

For Kylie, the best part is showing people that painting isn’t about perfection—it’s about enjoying the process. “You don’t need to be an artist to have fun with painting. Let go of the outcome and trust in the process.”

Kylie’s classes have become a popular spot for mother’s groups, hens’ nights, and birthday parties. “It’s one thing to be an artist and author living in my own joy of creating, but it’s another level when you get to share that joy with others!” Like her grandma, Kylie believes everyone has an artist inside them—all you need is the right brush. 

Embracing Sombremesa after every meal

For Natalia Martínez, the best part of a meal isn’t just the food—it’s what comes after. Sobremesa is the Spanish tradition of lingering at the table, where time slows down and stories are shared long after the last bite. As the founder of Atypical Spanish, Natalia brings this tradition to life through her cooking classes in Melbourne.

“Many women join my classes looking for more than just a cooking lesson—they seek connection, confidence in the kitchen, and a moment to themselves.”

One of her favourite memories is standing on a chair next to her grandma while making tortilla de patatas. “She never measured anything—just instinct, experience and love. She’d let me flip the tortilla (sometimes a disaster but always a lesson!) and remind me that good cooking is about feeling, not just technique.” 

These lessons shaped Natalia’s approach to cooking and teaching: it’s not just about food, but about togetherness, love, and tradition. Through her workshops, she fosters a warm, inclusive space where women can explore Spanish culture, reconnect with their heritage, and share personal stories. “Food is a bridge between generations, no matter where you come from.”

It’s these unhurried moments of connection—where old recipes meet new memories—that keep the spirit of sobremesa alive in every class she teaches.

Crafting community through chocolate

What do chocolate and noodles have in common? They’re both a labour of love—mixed, rolled, and shaped to bring people together. Andrea Young learned this firsthand as a child, helping her grandma make noodles in their humble Indiana kitchen. Between flour-dusted counters and simmering pots, she absorbed the Midwest values of hard work, resourcefulness, and creativity. As the oldest of five and raised by her mother, a devoted schoolteacher, Andrea grew up believing that if she set her mind to something, anything was possible.

Now, as the founder of Sweet Vegan Chocolates, Andrea has found her own labour of love in plant-based chocolate making. With a spatula in hand and her navy blue apron tied tight, she’s not just crafting truffles—she’s creating connections. One of her favourite class moments was watching a group of women from diverse backgrounds bond over chocolate and fresh perspectives on healthy living. “By the end, they weren’t just making chocolate—they were sharing stories, laughter, and support,” Andrea recalls.

Following in her grandma’s footsteps, Andrea uses the kitchen to inspire the next generation. Through internships for high school and college students in her Harlem community, she gives young creatives a hands-on taste of entrepreneurship, teaching them not just how to make chocolates, but how to build something meaningful. Whether it’s noodles or truffles, Andrea believes the real magic happens when people come together. “The greatest gift we have is our time and how we share it with others.”

Preserving culture through food

If you take one of Rachana Rimal’s Nepalese cooking classes, you might just get the chance to fry sel roti in her mother’s prized pan! As the golden rings sizzle in hot oil, she’ll share how she and her four sisters playfully competed to make the best traditional Nepali sweet bread. When her mother finally declared hers the winner, she was gifted the special wok—one she still treasures and uses in her classes today.

For Rachana, food is more than just a meal—it’s a language of love, connecting us all across continents and cultures. She grew up watching her mother cook, learning recipes passed down for generations. Now, through The League of Kitchens, she welcomes students into her New Jersey home to share dishes, stories, and heritage. “Food is powerful,” she says. “You don’t need to speak the same language to connect over a meal.” 

And it’s not just Rachana keeping the family tradition alive—her two daughters are already stepping into the kitchen, and Rachana can’t wait to pass these recipes on to her grandchildren someday. “I don’t want to lose these recipes,” she says. “They’ve been passed down from my grandmother and mother, and I want to keep that going in our family.” With traditional dishes disappearing in Nepal, she sees her cooking as preserving something precious. “In my culture, sharing food is like sharing love. It’s a blessing.”

Learning patience from plants

You don’t have to be born with a green thumb to be a plant mum—like everything else in life, it grows with time! As a child, Liza Fiorentinos spent hours in the garden, watching her mother’s magical way with plants. Liza was an impatient kid and she gradually absorbed her mother’s calm and nurturing energy from working with plants.

Through her business, Luludi Living Art, Liza shares that same sense of calm and creativity with others in San Mateo, CA and Queens, NY. Her workshops—ranging from moss art and Kokedama to terrarium making—offer a hands-on way to slow down and connect with nature. “It’s so rewarding to see that spark when someone realises they can create something beautiful,” she says. 

One of Liza’s most memorable workshops was with a women’s professional group. What began as a simple, hands-on activity blossomed into a conversation about growth, resilience, and creativity. 

“Seeing their confidence grow and hearing how they planned to gift their terrariums was a beautiful reminder that small acts of creation can have a ripple effect in building connections and uplifting others.” 

Inspired by the experience, Liza later joined the women’s group herself, continuing the cycle of learning, sharing, and growing together.

Bringing families closer through printmaking

It doesn’t matter if you’re eight or eighty—printmaking is for everyone, and it’s even better when you do it together! Rachel Evans, founder of Little Lion Studio, invites everyone to her cosy Manchester shop to learn the art of printmaking. Growing up painting with her grandparents, Rachel witnessed firsthand how art can bond families and help kids tap into their creative side. She sees that same magic unfold in her workshops, whether it’s parents sharing how it’s helped them connect with their kids or teachers telling her how they’ve brought printmaking into the classroom.

Rachel’s journey into printmaking was sparked by her mother, a talented printmaker. After joining her on a woodcut course, Rachel was hooked on this traditional craft and set off on her own creative path. 

“These moments of shared creativity continue to inspire me,” Rachel says. “As a printmaker and teacher, I now get to pass those same experiences onto others.” For Rachel, teaching art is about more than just showing techniques—it’s about helping people feel confident, making connections, and keeping creative traditions alive.

“I believe that everyone has a piece of the puzzle, and by encouraging each other to explore and create, we can strengthen both individuals and communities.”