Food as Medicine: Ayurvedic Cooking Class - 4th September 2025 @The Life Center, Herne Bay
Date: Thursday, 4th September 2025
Time: 6 - 9 pm
Venue: The Life Center, 88 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, Auckland
Cost: $135
Hosts: Sarita Blankenburg (Ayurveda Practitioner, Ayurveda NZ), Gawain Cowley (Head chef at Little Bird),
What is included: Introduction to Ayurveda, cooking demonstration, nourishing dinner, hot ayurvedic drink
Limited spaces available - bookings essential.
Discover the art of Ayurvedic cooking and learn how to create delicious, nourishing meals that balance your body, mind, and spirit. Sarita Blankenburg from Ayurveda New Zealand and Gawain Cowley from Little Bird Kitchen are hosting a joint cooking class to combine contemporary vegan food preparation with ancient Ayurvedic principles. Why Ayurvedic cooking?
Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, emphasises the importance of diet in maintaining health and preventing disease. By understanding your unique constitution (dosha) and thereby using specific ingredients and cooking techniques, you can:
• Boost Immunity: Strengthen your body’s natural defences with nutrient-rich, immune-boosting foods.
• Improve Gut Health: Learn about the importance of a healthy digestive fire (Agni) and how to prepare meals according to your Agni.
• Enhance Energy: Fuel your body with balanced meals that provide sustained energy and vitality.
• Achieve Balance: Restore harmony to your body and mind by eating in alignment with your dosha. What you’ll learn
• Introduction to Ayurveda: Sarita will give a talk about Ayurveda, its history, philosophy and basic principles, introduce the three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha), explain the importance of a healthy digestive fire and the elimination of toxins.
• Dosha-Specific Recipes: Learn how to identify your dosha and create meals tailored to your unique needs.
• Seasonal Eating: Discover the importance of eating seasonally and how to select ingredients that are in harmony with nature’s cycles.
• Spice Mastery: Unlock the secrets of Ayurvedic spices and their healing properties. Learn how to blend and use them to enhance flavour and health benefits.
• Food preparation techniques: Gawain will demonstrate how to prepare plant-based, healthy, delicious meals, using contemporary ‘Little Bird’ techniques combined with traditional Ayurvedic cooking principles that preserve nutrients and maximise flavour.
• Meal Planning: Get tips on planning and preparing balanced meals that fit into your busy lifestyle. Cooking class highlights
• Take-Home Materials: Receive recipes, spice guides, digestive aid recommendations and meal planning tips to continue your Ayurvedic journey at home.
• Community Connection: Connect with like-minded people who share your passion for health and wellness. History of Ayurveda
Ayurveda, a sister science of yoga, is an ancient holistic medical system from India with a history of over 5000 years. Often referred to as the ‘mother of all healing’, ayurveda offers a unique range of treatments, herbal medicine, diet and lifestyle principles, all targeted to regain and maintain health and wellbeing. It emphasises a holistic approach to health and wellness by balancing the body's energies, known as doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha). About Sarita Blankenburg
Sarita is a certified Ayurvedic Medicine Practitioner (BAMS) and the founder of AYURVEDA NEW ZEALAND with her clinic in Grey Lynn, where she offers together with her team Ayurvedic consultations, treatments, Yoga therapy, Panchakarma and educational workshops. She runs Ayurvedic Cleansing Retreats and has her own product range Sattva Botanicals™. About Gawain Cowley
Gawain, a chef of 20 years and Head Chef at Little Bird Kitchen since 2019, has been catering at the last two Ayurveda New Zealand's Cleanse Retreats, where the idea was born to host a collaborative cooking class.
Before returning to New Zealand, Gawain cooked around the world for 12 years.
Through Little Bird Gawain expanded the practice and passion he always had for providing people with nourishing food, especially learning about the crucial role our gut health plays in our overall wellbeing.