After earning her MBA, Harvard Business School graduate Bibi Kasrai decided she wanted a change of pace. She was working as an executive for a nonprofit organization, but her real passion lied in teaching others how to cook healthy and delicious meals. So Kasrai did what many only dream of: she made use of her business skills, and embarked on starting her very own cooking school. As with many ventures, the business saw humble beginnings. Kasrai started the business in her garage in 2008 with just a pushcart, cookware and quality ingredients. She quickly became a lady in high demand, however, when she moved into schools as an after-school enrichment teacher in September 2009. “The reception was amazing from kids, parents, teachers and principals alike,” she said. “Then Nickelodeon chose my recipes as ‘Best for Kids.’ The kids were the catalysts to bring in parents. I signed the lease, my sponsors followed, and the rest is history.” The name of her business, now located in a state-of-the-art three-kitchen venue at 7441 Girard Ave., was originally Harvard Cookie Girl, a title that stemmed from a quip by a former business associate. “The name was a tongue-in-cheek joke from a captain of industry in San Diego who knew me from my corporate background at Scripps and knew that I went to Harvard Business School, so when I delivered my healthy cookies to his wife, he came up with the name,” she said. “The name stuck, even though my business is healthy food from around the world, so I recently changed to ‘cookin’ girl.’” In just over a year, her business skyrocketed to the top of the Tripadvisor and A-List charts due to her passion for food and teaching, use of healthy ingredients and her ability to create fun-filled, interactive classes that teach participants more than just how to make a delicious meal. Throughout her children’s classes and camps, Kasrai includes a spoonful of education about measurement, reading and following recipes, the science of baking, the importance of sanitation and hygiene, and tips about nutritional ingredients, along with healthy eating habits to engage children in the learning process while also having fun. Adult classes and corporate parties are also an educational experience, with the opportunity to learn recipes and ingredients from cultures across the globe, from Moroccan to Malaysian, Japanese to Greek and everything in between. Harvard Cookin’ Girl even takes one class on a gastronomic journey through the spice trade route, explaining how cross-cultural dishes landed in countries across the globe. “I do not have traditional chef training, even though my sous chefs are all Cordon Bleu [trained] and above,” she said. “However, I have been blessed with the best grandma in the world of cooking, and I have traveled the world and learned from the best chefs how to make the local specialty even more special.” Iranian-born Kasrai specializes in Persian cuisine, although she is also proficient in teaching Ayurvedic, vegan and raw recipes, or can customize class options to fit the tastes of her party at hand. Harvard Cookin’ Girl’s kitchen contains a sophisticated setup of top-of-the-line equipment, including SeiMatic, Sub-Zero, Thermador and Electrolux, yet the atmosphere is casual and comfortable, “as if you were going to your girlfriend’s house to learn to make something good,” she said. Corporate parties and team-building events are popular occasions at the school as a fun way to get to know co-workers and colleagues, celebrate company milestones or holidays or wine, dine and entertain top clients. Although she has been told to move closer to entertainment capitals like Los Angeles or forward-thinking centers like New York or San Francisco, “La Jolla is home,” she said. “I believe in community,” she said. “So far, my community has supported me. I hope others will follow, whether it is for their corporate events or birthday parties for kids or just dinner and having fun around the table.” As with any good business model, she has a few objectives for the direction of her business — goals she already is well on her way to attaining. “First and foremost, I want to make a dent in the world of junk-food eating, and I think I’m on my way,” she said. “Second, I want my business to be a model for every community, and that is also becoming a reality. People are contacting me from all over the world.” Kasrai believes in the good karma of giving back to the community. Since her arrival onto the scene, she has contributed to 42 charities and counting. “I believe that we need to help each other and the goodness will boomerang,” she said. “This year, I want to focus on child obesity and diabetes and marshal the help of those who can help me expand my outreach to underprivileged kids and families through my classes.” So far, Kasrai’s Ivy League wisdom seems to have paid off, as Harvard Cookin’ Girl’s business model is not easily duplicated, she said. “I think people are more and more appreciating authentic versus plastic,” she said. “That’s why those have attempted to copy me are not successful.” For more information about Harvard Cookin’ Girl or to sign up for a class or event, visit www.harvardcookiegirl.com or call (858) 888-3509.