Ayurveda Culinary Retreat

From

$195/person Online and $593/person On-Campus

On-campus costs include lodging, meals, and tuition.

124 Google Reviews

 4.9/5

Become your own wellness alchemist with Ayurvedic cooking.

We have a deep connection with food. When we’re happy, we celebrate with food. When we’re sad, we comfort ourselves with food. Food is powerful and fills our stomachs but it also affects our mind. It has the power to either harm us or help us.

We build our relationship with food through three parts, our connection with nature, our connection with ourselves, and our connection to cooking.

During this program with renowned Ayurvedic cooking instructor Nalini Mehta, we’ll explore the different dosha body types and how best to nourish them throughout each season. You’ll learn how to take care of your body type and thrive in every season, through Nalini’s masterful demonstrations of authentic Ayurvedic food preparation. You’ll walk through theory, recipes, and dietary strategies to keep you healthy, happy, and whole all year!

• Learn to cook delicious meals with fresh, seasonal ingredients
• Deepen your understanding of your dosha
• Reconnect with yourself and your body’s unique dietary needs
• Feel vital and nourished year-round

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Features

Determine Dosha and Identify Imbalances

We'll first determine your Ayurveda dosha (constitution) and work to identify any imbalances and determine your health goals, then create a personalized wellness plan.

Ayurveda principles are based on the five elements: ether, air, fire, water, and earth. These elements work well in pairs—vata (ether and air), pitta (fire and water) and kapha (water and earth).

Certain foods and spices and various combinations create a dish with different elements. These elements either help to support an individual or it can create imbalance. Being able to determine which dishes create balance and which dishes create an imbalance in your body is imperative for health and wellness.

Establish Your Unique Dietary Needs

Once we determine your dosha (constitution), we'll walk you through theory, recipes, and dietary strategies to keep you healthy, happy, and whole all year!

Each person has a unique elemental constitution, similar to how we think of genetic makeup in Western medicine. Once you determine your dosha (or constitution), you can then identify imbalances and adjust them with diet and lifestyle choices to create an environment conducive to healing.

No one diet works for everyone, every person is unique in their response to certain foods and diets. Once you learn your specific dosha and imbalances, Ayurveda cooking allows you to build a custom diet that is conducive to your body and your specific goals.

This program will walk you through theory, recipes, and dietary strategies to keep you healthy, happy, and whole all year!

What is your relationship with food?

Food has the power to heal, but it also has the ability to harm. So it's important to improve the relationship and understanding of what is best for our bodies.

Food and diet are such an important component of living a healthy lifestyle. So why not invest in having a better understanding of how food can affect you differently than someone else?

Food has the power to heal, but it also has the ability to harm. So it's important to improve the relationship and understanding of what is best for our bodies.

In addition, you can use this information to create a base for a healthy lifestyle through Ayurveda practices. Ayurveda is more than just cooking, but an introduction of how to live a fulfilling life.

Food As Medicine

Ayurveda has also been used as medicine for centuries. By taking care of our bodies inside and out, we can avoid potential illnesses, help to reverse damage already done to our bodies, and age gracefully, naturally!

Not only does Ayurveda cooking have the power to help get your body get back into balance, it can also naturally help to slow down—and even reverse—the process in which cells degenerate (decline) as you get older. This helps to prevent disease and slow down aging, as well as rebalance a system that is out of balance. Ayurveda and spices have been used for over 5,000 years as medicine.

There are certain Ayurveda dietary practices, as well as herbs, that can reduce the symptoms of aging or ailments by regenerating cells. By better understanding our dosha (similar to our genetic makeup), and taking care of our bodies inside and out, we can age gracefully, naturally. This also helps us avoid potential illnesses as we get older or can help to reverse damage already done to our bodies.

Connect Mind, Body, and Soul

Our faculty create a supportive, compassionate environment to share their knowledge and expertise. You'll learn how to care for the whole person—mind, body, and soul.

It makes sense that very few people actually know how to care for themselves, considering that is not something that is taught in school. Often times there are not role models to show us what it’s like to care for ourselves well. You’ll learn how to care for your mind, body, and spirit in a supportive, compassionate environment.

Our faculty can’t wait to share their knowledge and expertise with you so you can thrive in all aspects of your life.

Get Into Rhythm with Nature

Ayurvedic practices include in-depth analysis of circadian rhythms, aging cycles, seasonal cycles, and accessible and sustainable lifestyle instructions. You'll learn to take care of your body to maintain equilibrium with these cycles and nature.

Ayurveda is all about the body being in tune with the rhythm of nature. As humans, it’s easy to get disconnected—or think we are separate—from nature. However, we exist as a microcosm of the macrocosm and that means we should be aligning our bodies with nature instead of fighting against it.

Ayurveda’s 5,000-years-old system of medicine includes in-depth analysis of circadian rhythms, aging cycles, seasonal cycles, and accessible and sustainable lifestyle instructions on how to take care of our bodies to maintain equilibrium with these cycles and nature.

In this class, you'll learn how to get into rhythm with nature through the food and cooking which we are able to use to nourish our bodies.

Presenter

Nalini Mehta

Nalini started teaching Ayurveda cooking classes in NYC 12 years ago. She began her career in the food industry as a culinary instructor at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health followed by Whole Foods Culinary Center, Institute of Culinary Education and NY Open Center teaching vegetarian cooking classes. She has also worked at Candle Café restaurant and Hampton Chutney in New York City.

She has been a speaker at several institutes like Baruch College, Rubin Museum of Art and Princeton University, United Nations Spice Club. Her classes seemed to fan people’s passion, curiosity and interest in a unique experience of India through its holistic food.

Rooms & Pricing

All options include daily vegetarian meals from dinner on the night of check-in through lunch on the day of check-out. (Rates below are Per Person)

Private Hotel Room

$805

King bed or two full beds
Flat Screen TV
Refrigerator
Private Bath
Complimentary WIFI

Daily Delicious Vegetarian Meals
Complimentary Tea/Coffee & Fresh Fruit
Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes
Access to Gym & Steam Rooms

Shared Hotel Room (2 People)

$697

King bed or two full beds
Flat Screen TV
Refrigerator
Private Bath
Complimentary WIFI

Daily Delicious Vegetarian Meals
Complimentary Tea/Coffee & Fresh Fruit
Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes
Access to Gym & Steam Rooms

One other person of the same gender will share the room with you**

Private Retreat Room

$713

Twin beds
Private Bath
Complimentary WIFI

Daily Delicious Vegetarian Meals
Complimentary Tea/Coffee & Fresh Fruit
Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes
Access to Gym & Steam Rooms

Shared Retreat Room (2 People)

$637

Twin beds
Private Bath
Complimentary WIFI

Daily Delicious Vegetarian Meals
Complimentary Tea/Coffee & Fresh Fruit
Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes
Access to Gym & Steam Rooms

One other person of the same gender will share the room with you**

Shared Retreat Room (3 People)

$593

Twin beds
Private Bath
Complimentary WIFI

Daily Delicious Vegetarian Meals
Complimentary Tea/Coffee & Fresh Fruit
Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes
Access to Gym & Steam Rooms

Up to two more people of the same gender will share the room with you**

Reviews

"Nalini Mehta is an excellent teacher. She taught both philosophy & practical preparation of Ayurveda cooking."

"Nalani has a phenomenal spirit that welcomes everyone in the place they are in. She not only covers the culinary aspect wonderfully but also the mental/physical aspects.; Gorgeous location, phenomenal food. Kitchen in clay/pottery area...kitchen could be more organized: knives, saucepans etc."

"Great instructor that walks you through understanding Ayurveda & how to optimize your mental & physical health by the foods & spices you eat throughout the year.; Awesome location with excellent food. Enjoyed the Spa & Yoga sessions."

"I came into this retreat hoping to improve my personal connection with food- This experience so far exceeded my expectations."

"I loved the opportunity to get back to the roots of cooking to nourish myself."

"Very Enlightening and personal"

"Wonderful. Can't wait to continue my journey."

"My room was clean and warm with a stunning view. Loved it! Staff was all lovely, kind and friendly helpful folks. I loved my stay here. Nalini was wonderful teacher"

"This retreat exceeded my expectations in every way! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and learned a great deal. I feel inspired and replenished. Thank you so much! Very helpful!"

"Loved the teachings, meditations, mind, and kitchen connection"

"This was such a great group to learn from! I really enjoyed the class I am excited to continue to grow in the kitchen!"

"Enjoyed the class, especially the last two. I am excited to take what I have learned from the class to my home and family."

FAQs

What is your cancellation policy?

For room reservations, spa retreats, and Art of Living Retreat Center (AOLRC) signature retreats, we have the following cancellation policy:

Refunds are available (less a $50 processing fee) up to eight days before your program or stay.
Nonrefundable credit toward a future AOLRC program or stay (less a $50 processing fee) is available if you give notice between seven and one day(s) before your program or stay. Credit may be applied to any AOLRC program or stay for one year following date of issue.
No credit or refund is available if you cancel on the arrival day, if you do not show up, or if you leave an event early for any reason. No refund will be available if you attend a program and are dissatisfied with its presentation or content. AOLRC reserves the right to cancel a program at any time. If AOLRC cancels a program, you will receive a full refund. Some programs may have special cancellation policies; see individual workshop descriptions. For all other retreats, please be sure to check the registration page specific to that retreat.

I understand that your property is meat-free, alcohol-free and smoke-free, can you please elaborate?

To encourage a healthy environment we ask that guest to not consume alcohol or meat in our public spaces, however, guests may enjoy these items in their rooms.

Our property is always smoke-free.

I have food allergies, can I still eat there?

Yes, we ask that guests with food allergies simply inform us so we can communicate those needs to our chef. Typically, we label potential allergens such as gluten, dairy, and nuts.

Testimonials

On-Campus Schedule

Call for details

800.392.6870

Day 1 – Friday
7:00–8:30 pm Class

Day 2 – Saturday
7:30–8:30 am Morning Yoga
9:30 am–12:00 pm Class
12:00 pm–Bedtime Afternoon Free Time

Day 3 – Sunday
7:30–8:30 am Morning Yoga
9:30–11:30 am Class

*Please book spa appointments prior to arrival to ensure availability: 828-264-8382. If a spa appointment is made during meal times, guests may request a meal be boxed for pickup; contact Spa Reception.

Optional Saturday Activities

Guided Nature Walk

1:30–2:30 pm or 3:00–4:00 pm

Kirtan
7:30–8:30 pm

Bonfire (weather permitting)
8:30–10:00 pm

Mealtimes
7:30–9:30 am Breakfast
12:00–2:00 pm Lunch
6:00–7:30 pm Dinner

Location

639 Whispering Hills Rd, Boone, North Carolina 28607

Discover deep rest and rejuvenation in a pristine natural setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Boone, North Carolina. Set amidst 380 acres of pristine forest high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains is a tranquil sanctuary.