The Cooking Lab teaches Long Islanders how to prepare Italian, Thai dishes — and holiday fare

At her mother and grandmothers’ apron strings, Michelle Capobianco learned to cook. The experience stirred Capobianco's passion for the epicurean arts. As an adult, she built a massive personal library of cookbooks and devoured cooking shows, said Capobianco, the co-owner of The Cooking Lab school in Port Washington.

After calling it quits from an eight-year stretch as a corporate securities attorney, Capobianco further seasoned her culinary skills during her family’s annual summers in Italy. Since 2006, they have stayed in the Abruzzo region in the home her paternal grandmother purchased before immigrating to the United States. There, Capobianco scored cooking techniques and new recipes from local restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts.

"I’d let them know I loved what I ate and asked them to teach me how to do it," said Capobianco, 48. "And people would welcome me in the kitchen."

In 2012, Capobianco started catering on Long Island and, in response to those who sought to duplicate her menus, she also set up cooking classes — in her Port Washington kitchen, as well as in the homes of friends and clients.

"I found catering very isolating," said Capobianco, who has three sons with her husband, Michael Capobianco, 50, a music teacher at Long Beach High School. "I love the cooking class aspect of being with people."

Five years ago, those sentiments led her to open The Cooking Lab with fellow Port Washington resident, father of three and classically trained chef Mathieu Lanfant, now 50. The business partners knew each other through their children’s Port Washington school.

Today, their instructional cooking company has a menu of adult courses, including Italian, Thai and Brazilian dishes, as well as such holiday fare as French Yule log cakes and Hanukkah latkes. Prices range from a ravioli workshop for $100 per person to a paella dinner for $275 for two people. For kids 8 years and older, the business offers the largest component of after-school and weekend classes for $75 per child, as well as a seven-week after-school program and a weeklong summer course, each costing $545 per participant and covering everything from knife skills to baking.

The firm’s space holds eight cooking stations, with each accommodating two people for a maximum class of 16.

And since 2022, the business, which employs six part-time workers, has grown 8% annually.

Capobianco recently spoke to Newsday about The Cooking Lab. Answers have been edited for space.

Which partner approached the other to create The Cooking Lab?

I had received an email from Mat and thought he wanted to sign me up for some school committee. When he came over for coffee, Mat, who knew about my catering and cooking classes, said he was interested in getting back into the food business. I had had no idea he was a chef, was raised in Paris and went to culinary school in Paris. He had also worked as a chef in Paris and Argentina before coming to New York, but once he had kids, he was burned out as a chef. So, while living in Port Washington, he was running his family-owned machinery business in France.

But he was ready to get back to cooking, and we partnered up.

Why Port Washington as the business’ location?

We’re Port Washington parents and tied to the community, so it made sense for us to look for space here.

How do your classes work?

Everything we do is hands-on, and when people go to their cooking stations, everything they need — in equipment and ingredients — is waiting for them. And from start to finish, you’re cooking everything and then sitting down and eating what you’ve cooked.

How do you address dietary restrictions and palate preferences?

Two people work together at each table, so you can adjust your salt, spice and heat level to your liking, and depending on the class, we can offer gluten-free and dairy-free alternatives.

How long are cooking classes?

Two hours, including 30 minutes to eat and relax.

What about private cooking parties?

We have packages for kids birthday parties for $650 for up to eight children, with each additional child $75. And this year, we had 25 kids parties.

We also offer private virtual classes for firms with remote employees all over the country. Before the classes, we send ingredient and equipment lists and then people Zoom in to the session from their respective kitchens.

And this year, 11 local businesses tapped us for private in-person team-building events.

How do you attract customers?

Through word-of-mouth, social media and our email marketing. And for two consecutive years, we’ve been voted Long Island’s Best Cooking School [as part of The Bethpage Best of Long Island contest], which has helped generate business too. Our customers also refer business to us.

Are customers local?

Ninety percent are from Long Island, and occasionally, we draw from Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, Westchester and Connecticut.

Repeat business?

Fifty percent of the kids come back three or four times, and 25% of the adult classes are typically repeat customers.

What’s the biggest challenge?

We’re very much at the mercy of the economy, and it’s a luxury to spend on a cooking class. So, if there’s an economic downturn, the first thing to go are these little luxuries.

What do you like best?

It’s a happy business. People come because they want to be where the sole purpose is to have an enjoyable, shared experience over food.

What makes you most proud?

Middle and high schools are bringing students who are studying a world language to cook, and we weave into our instruction the language they are learning.

We get a lot of requests for these field trips from French, Italian and Spanish teachers and certain school districts. These field trips also involve research methodology and how to write recipe instructions.

This year, we hosted 15 field trips across 12 school districts.

What’s your favorite dish?

I’m a fresh pasta-from-scratch person all the way.