
Getting to know
Laura Cookson
Laura Cookson's love of food began in childhood, long before she took her husband's uniquely appropriate surname and began her career as a chef. Growing up, she developed a passion for cooking and felt that the kitchen was always her "happy place" where she could be creative and relieve stress. She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a double major in English and Psychology, then moved to Spain and taught English for several years while pursuing her love of travel, meeting new people, and exploring new cuisines. When she returned to the U.S., Laura pursued a career in teaching middle schoolers in Denver, which included taking field trips to alternative colleges and learning about career paths in police work, auto repairs, and restaurants. After touring Johnson & Wales University, Laura fell in love with their culinary program and decided to apply for their accelerated classes in the fall of 2018.
More about Laura
During her time in culinary school, Laura became an instructional chef at Stir Cooking School in Denver and also began working at Dream Dinners, a meal kit company with multiple stores in her area. These positions allowed her to explore various roles in the food industry, and, as she approached the end of her culinary program, she reached out to the COO of Dream Dinners to ask about interning as their chef. It was a match made in heaven, and Laura was given a 3-month internship that developed into Head Chef's role upon her graduation. Now "Chef Laura Cookson," she has been the Head Chef of Dream Dinners for over four years and describes it as her dream job, which includes creating and testing recipes for the nationwide meal kit franchise, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. She works from home and uses her test kitchen to engage with followers in monthly live cooking classes on the Dream Dinners Facebook page. Her favorite part of being a chef for Dream Dinners is providing the tools and directions for people to become comfortable in their own kitchens; preparing tasty and nutritious meals for themselves and the people they love.
Delightful Meals By Chef Laura Cookson
Mini Turkey Meatloaves with Bacon Ranch Green Beans
Pair with 2020 The Farm Collection Cabernet Sauvignon
Vegetable Samosas with Chutney Dipping Sauce
Pair with 2020 The Farm Collection Chardonnay