The Oceanside Library celebrated the grand opening of its new teaching and demonstration kitchen with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 22, introducing a new space designed to expand the library’s cooking, nutrition and educational programming.
The “Whisk & Brush” kitchen — which was dubbed by former assistant director Tony Iovino — features cooktops, ovens, refrigerators and a variety of small appliances, including mixers for baking programs. The space will be used for hands-on cooking classes, demonstrations and educational programs.
“We’ll have demonstrations where we will have chefs and others up front, whether they’re demonstrating a meal,” Library Director Chris Marra said. “We’ll have lectures talking about healthy eating, nutrition, allergies.”
Michelle Samuels, assistant director, said the goal is to make the programming well-rounded, combining cooking experiences with educational opportunities.
“It’s really allowing our patrons to come here in their own community and experience cooking classes, again, learning about healthy eating, all for free,” she said.
The kitchen was part of the library’s larger construction project following the opening of the new library building in 2024. Although it took additional time to complete, library officials said it was worth the wait.
“We wanted to bring those experiences that before this, you would have to travel to a cooking school in another town or further out,” Samuels said. “They can find that right here in their backyard at their local library.”
Some classes will be led by library staff members with expertise in different areas, while others will be taught by outside instructors.
“We do have some outside instructors that will come in and present the cooking classes,” Marra said. “Of course, we do have staff that have various expertises that they will be able to lead classes on their own.”
The kitchen was developed with community input. Before construction began, the library held focus groups with residents and staff to discuss what they wanted to see in the new facility.
“Kitchens were brought up and they’re very popular classes, so we thought why not expand that service,” Marra said. “We’re evolving to meet the community needs.”
The library received grant funding from the Francis Gertrude Levitt Foundation, with assistance from Library Board Trustee Pat Roth, to help outfit the kitchen with small appliances, pots, pans and other equipment.
For Marra and Samuels, the new kitchen represents more than an additional room in the library. It is another way for the library to provide new experiences and opportunities for residents.
“This is a way for us to meet the recommendations of our community in a way that no other library in our area is doing right now,” Samuels said. “We’re very excited to be able to do this.”
