“The first thing we need to do is buy a couple of good knives,” Camilla tells me after I’ve contacted her for some cooking lessons for my daughters, ages 12 and 9. As a fine artist, I should know this, and Camilla—who accompanied me on the knife errand—was right: good tools are fundamental (even though the tools Camilla uses are scarier). Then there’s the important issue of learning how to use them, which Camilla brilliantly, patiently tackled with my excited, novice chefs over the course of three two+-hour, semi-private lessons (there were three girls in the class). An exceptional teacher, Camilla possesses a sunny passion about food, which is downright contagious. I’d hoped my girls would acquire some basic skills in the kitchen—and they weren’t the only ones to benefit: I finally learned about good knives and how to chop properly—and as they made their way through Camilla’s inventive, delicious recipes (at the end of each session, I got to taste what they’d made), it became apparent they were gaining so much more. In addition to being enriched with skills and creative ideas, my girls were empowered by the experience. I know we will look back on Camilla’s cooking classes as a turning point opportunity. Camilla will remain a key point of reference for our family as my young chefs branch out into the wonderful, flavorful world ahead them.