FAQ
Is a certain level of experience required before my child can participate in YADCA classes?
No experience is required. Even if your child has never sat down at a sewing machine before or never helped in the kitchen, they can participate in our programs and start learning.
What does "Whole Food Plant Based" mean?
Whole Food Plant Based nutrition is an approach to eating that prioritizes eating whole or unprocessed plant foods, including whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, beans, nuts and seeds. Animal products (meat, fish, eggs and dairy) are not 100% prohibited but do not take center stage and are not always part of a dish at all. If used, they are more like a condiment or side dish and not the main part of a recipe or meal.
Are you teaching culinary participants to be vegan or vegetarian?
No. We do not use any animal products in our program, however we will be intentional in not specifically promoting veganism or vegetarianism, nor will we be teaching AGAINST any particular way of eating (e.g. eating animal products). We are simply promoting the inclusion of more whole, unprocessed foods and more plant foods as an important component of nutrition and nourishment.
What are unprocessed foods and will you be using any processed foods at all?
Whole, unprocessed foods are foods that are still in, or close to, the form in which they originally grew. They have not been broken down into parts and refined, or processed into a different form. Simply put, whole, unprocessed foods don't have ingredients, they are ingredients.
Our culinary programs will focus primarily on whole, unprocessed food -- real food. That being said, there are some exceptions to this. Oil, for example, is technically a highly processed food. There is a big difference between an olive, in its whole, unprocessed form, and olive oil -- a product that has been significantly processed and no longer retains the same nutritional value and health benefits of an olive. We will, however, occasionally use oils in our cooking and baking. There are other examples like this that will be included in our recipes (e.g. whole grain and nut flours, pure maple syrup, oats, for example which technically are not in the 100% original state from which they grew), however all ingredients will be in as close to their original state as possible, if not exactly as you would find if hand-picked fresh from a garden. We also avoid refined white flour and sugar in our baking. Desserts are desserts...they are meant to be sweet. So while we will use sweeteners like pure maple syrup, coconut sugar and dates, for example, we will avoid using more refined sugars.
Are your culinary programs free from any common food allergens (e.g. gluten, nuts, etc)?
As of right now, our programs are not currently 100% free from any common food allergens besides dairy and soy. We will frequently have gluten-free and nut-free recipes, but our menus are not currently 100% gluten or nut free. If this is an issue for you and you would still like to participate, please let us know and we can see how we might be able to accommodate you.
Are you teaching design students how to draft their own patterns?
To begin, our design students will work within the framework of existing patterns and use their creativity to mix and match, experiment with textures, and customize to create their own look. We will be adding classes specifically in pattern making in the future as students progress through our introductory programs.
What supplies do I need to provide?
All supplies and materials will be included in the cost of your program. There are no additional fees.
May I enroll at any time or only at certain start dates?
Our programs are all currently month-to-month and you may sign up at any time as long as there is space available in the class.
Our Machine Basics class is a one-time class with no additional commitment and is typically offered once a month.
We do offer occasional drop-in classes and workshops with no longer-term commitment. Please see our class schedule for all available offerings.
What are your policies regarding cancellations, refunds and make-up classes?
If cancellation occurs prior to the start date of a class, no refund is given unless we are able to fill your spot, in which case a refund is applied minus 10% of the cost of the class. If cancellation occurs after the start date of a class, no refunds are given, even on a prorated basis if you drop out mid-month or mid-session.
If YADCA needs to cancel a course due to not meeting minimum-registration requirements (meaning we don't meet the minimum number of students enrolled to run a class), or for any other reason, you will receive a refund.
If you are going to miss a class due to illness, travel or any other reason, please let us know so we can plan accordingly. You may schedule a make-up class during the course of your scheduled month or session if we have a class time and seat available.
Enrollment & Payment Policies
Enrollment in our programs is currently on a month-to-month basis. Cancellation is required in written form prior to the 15th of any given month to prevent re-enrollment for the month that follows. Payments will then continue to be automatically withdrawn on the date of each month that you originally registered until a written request for cancellation is received.
There is a 5 minute window for student drop-off and pick-up for class each week. We have a lot of set-up, clean up, and takedown to do before, in between and after each class, so we ask that you please honor these timeframes so that we can prepare and transition between classes as smoothly as possible. Pick-ups beyond 10 minutes after a class ends will incur an additional $10 charge.