Professional experience
Owner and chef, 12 years
Brown Table Catering, Union, 2010 to 2022
Self-reported
All professionals
Cooking lessons in Millburn
Nia Brown
Cooking lessons: Easy weeknight meals and small-batch baking
Caterer who teaches simple, satisfying weeknight dinners for one or two people
- 4.9 from 16 reviews
- Lives in Millburn
- All five checks passed
Ask a question before you book. Contact details stay private.
Credentials
Certification
ServSafe Food Protection Manager
National Restaurant Association, 2010
Self-reported
Training or degree
Associate degree, Culinary Arts
Essex County College, 2006
Self-reported
About me
I ran a small catering business out of a commercial kitchen in Union for twelve years, cooking for weddings, graduations and church dinners of three hundred. Teaching came later, and the surprise has been how much I enjoy cooking for two instead.
Many of the people I teach spent decades cooking for a full house and now find it hard to make a good meal for one. So we work on scaled-down recipes, smart shopping, and dishes that make great leftovers, like sheet pan chicken with vegetables or a pot of turkey chili that freezes in portions. If someone loves to bake, we make a half batch of biscuits or a small peach cobbler. I set up stations so you can sit for chopping and stand only at the stove.
My grandmother taught me to cook in her kitchen in Newark, and I still use her cast iron skillet. On weekends I shop the farm stands around Essex County and usually come home with more tomatoes than any one person needs.
What a first visit looks like
- 1
Minute 0 to 10
Look through your kitchen together and choose a recipe that fits your tastes and tools.
- 2
Minute 10 to 20
Set up a seated prep station and practice safe knife skills on onions and peppers.
- 3
Minute 20 to 50
Cook the dish step by step, with you at the stove and me right beside you.
- 4
Minute 50 to 60
Taste, pack leftovers into portions, and leave a large-print recipe card.
What to have ready
- A 10-inch skillet or sheet pan
- A sharp chef's knife
- A cutting board
- A chair near the counter
- Your favorite family recipe card
Where Nia goes
- MillburnLives here
- Livingston
- Maplewood
- Short Hills
- South Orange
Where in the home
KitchenDining table
Usual week
Mon
9am
to 1pmTue
Off
Wed
1pm
to 5pmThu
Off
Fri
9am
to 1pmSat
Off
Sun
Off
What families say
“I live in Ohio and this gave me real peace of mind. Mom loves it.”
Karen T.
“Dad can make his own omelet again.”
Luis R.
“Mom was nervous the first time. By the end she was laughing.”
Maria N.
“Booked it as a gift for my grandmother. She keeps asking for more.”
Diane C.
“Kind, clear and never once talked down to my father.”
Susan H.
“Kitchen smelled amazing for hours.”
Robert A.
“Mom wrote the recipe on a card for me.”
Nancy C.
“My aunt is picky and she wants this every week now.”
Karen S.
“Showed up with everything and left the kitchen cleaner than she found it.”
Luis K.
“Left a note after each visit so I knew what they did.”
Andre P.
“We made Grandma's sauce and it tasted right.”
Andre P.
“Gentle pace, good humor. Exactly what we hoped for.”
Ellen E.
“Mom wore earrings for it. Enough said.”
Lisa G.
“On time, friendly, and Mom was smiling when I called that night.”
Tanya C.
“Mom looks forward to every single visit. Truly wonderful.”
Pat W.
“Mom looks forward to every single visit. Truly wonderful.”
Robert S.
Checked and vetted
- Online search
- A real conversation with our team
- Signed provider agreement
- Criminal background check
- National sex offender registry check
$65 per hour
Plus a $2.50 booking fee and 10% service fee.
Free cancellation up to 3 days before.