Cosmic School of Cookery Comes to Ashland

Deborah Costella’s love affair with cooking goes back to childhood, and in 1999 she parlayed that into a business called Kids, Cookies & Caviar, based in Las Vegas. That has now segued into Cosmic Muffin School of Cookery (296 E. Main, next to Bloomsbury), which she opened last year.

“I’m originally from the Bay Area, followed by twenty-plus years in Las Vegas,” Deborah said. “I used to visit Ashland periodically with my family and every time quietly thought to myself, ‘I could live here.’ Apparently I was planting a seed, because when the pandemic hit, like many, I took stock of my life and seriously considered how I wanted my retirement life to look and feel. The result: I made the decision to move to Ashland and open a cooking school. I know Ashland has undergone plenty of its own changes, but for me it still feels like a wonderful mashup of the way Palo Alto and Santa Cruz felt growing up in the 1960s and 70s. Ashland, with its kind and creative people, SOU and Shakespeare, were all components that made my choice to live and run a small business in this town a very easy one.”

While Deborah’s successful venture in Las Vegas featured after-school programs, summer camps, and teaching in private schools, Cosmic Muffin is more hands-on for adults.

“I also worked as a personal chef for Las Vegas locals, celebrities and everything in-between,” she said. “Cosmic Muffin offers in-person, hands-on cooking classes of varied cuisines and food themes to all levels of cooks. In two hours, customers will be guided through the preparation of a meal, followed by the opportunity to sample their efforts in our tasting area. No worries about taking notes or trying to remember everything, as each student is given a recipe packet with printed recipes of each dish prepared during class. We provide everything for class from aprons to whisks.”

The school also offers live on-line Cosmic Cook-Alongs via Zoom.

“For those who live out of town or even state, or just prefer to cook in the comfort of their own kitchens, they too can register for class directly on the website,” she said. “About a week prior to the Cook-Along, they will receive an email with each recipe, a shopping list and suggested tools/equipment list. In-person classes run from $50 to $80 per person while the on-line classes are only $35, as students will be purchasing their own ingredients. We also offer private classes for individuals, couples or small groups. Fees for private events are in line with food costs and amount of instruction required.”

After years spent cooking for those with serious health issues, chronic pain and other less serious, but still annoying maladies, Deborah came to learn and appreciate the medicinal value of many herbs and spices used in cooking.

“What sets Cosmic Muffin apart from other cooking schools is the addition of information about what specific remedies certain herbs and spices offer the body, besides adding flavor to our food,” she said.

For Deborah, landing in Ashland is a dream come true. “I had always dreamed of opening my own brick and mortar business,” she said. “First it was a nut-butters and jam shop in Liddicoats Mall, then I wanted to run a dance studio, then a cooking school. The cooking school has now manifested itself. Thank you, Ashland!”

For more info, call 541-320-4282. You can also see them at cosmicmuffinschoolofcookery.com and on Facebook and Instagram.