above: Salmini (right) loves cooking in the kitchen of her new home, with an island that fits ten and offers beautiful views of the Long Island Sound (left).
Photography by Venera Alexandrova
Ask Michele Salmini when she first fell in love with cooking, and she’ll recall watching her grandmother make homemade pasta. “I remember being in awe of how she rolled, cut and pinched the dough to make her famous ravioli on an extra-long cutting board that ran the length of her kitchen table. Her fresh pasta and tomato sauce were so delicious,” she says. Many years have passed, and Salmini has not only perfected her grandmother’s sauce, but now she’s the one behind the kitchen island, turning her passion into an opportunity to make life a little easier for others.
Salmini was, no surprise, a schoolteacher who always loved to entertain and have people over on the weekends. So when her youngest started high school five years ago, she created Oak Street Kitchen and began hosting small cooking classes in her New Canaan home. These casual lunchtime tutorials became popular among the moms in town, both for the convivial nature of the gatherings as well as the takeaways. “A lot of parents are at a loss of what to make for dinner or stuck in a rut with the same five to ten recipes. Having three kids of my own, I remember how hard it was to get dinner on the table, so my goal is to make minor tweaks and provide new meal ideas for people’s weekly rotation—anything to make mealtime simpler,” she says.
Salmini’s 90-minute classes accommodate eight to ten people, and she typically shares and serves three to four recipes. “What’s unique about my classes is that they are a break for moms,” she explains. “It’s BYOB, so they socialize, have a drink and relax while I prepare everything.” After doing this for several years, she reflects that the value in these sessions comes from the combination of a fun atmosphere, eating great food and learning cooking hacks that can be implemented into everyday life. “These women watch the way I make everything, they taste and learn how to do it for themselves and their families. This is different from a straight cooking class where you’re trying to read directions and prepare meals on the spot, which can be stressful.”
In addition to providing copies of the recipes, Salmini shares various tips and tricks during the class, advice on how to meal prep and provides links to her favorite kitchen gadgets and accessories. “I recommend things they can do ahead of time each morning, like mixing up a marinade or chopping chicken or vegetables, even making a sauce so it can simmer and develop flavor,” she says. “This way, when mealtime comes there’s not a mad rush.” All her recipes are doubled or tripled so you’ll have leftovers, and if you’re lucky, you’ll receive a party-favor-size of her top-secret sauce that can be used as a dressing or on top of chicken, beef or vegetables.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Salmini reccommends having these items in the kitchen: a good olive oil; a mini food processor; a pepper mill, juicer, mini whisks and zester; an acrylic cutting board; and lots of bowls.
Some past Oak Street Kitchen classes have included these themes: Easy Weeknight Meals, One Pan Dinners, Healthy Bowls, Slow Cooker Favorites, Hearty Winter Soups, How to Throw a Dinner Party and Three Sauces That Go With Everything. Salmini focuses on meals that are simple in preparation with fresh ingredients. Describing her dishes as “healthy-ish,” she admits she’s not over the top, yet everything is seasonal, flavorful and family-friendly. “I see so many people grabbing prepared meals at the grocery store, and I want them to realize you don’t need a ton of time or effort to make a delicious meal,” she says.
In May 2024, just when classes were at their peak, life threw the Salminis a curveball when a fire tore through their New Canaan home, resulting in a total renovation that was estimated to take more than a year. Nothing was available to rent in town, so a realtor friend found an available cottage just across the street from Rowayton Seafood. With summer upon them, the family settled into a new normal, enjoying new experiences like taking in sunsets and water views, walking on the beach and all the little pleasures small community living offers.
In August, just before their rental was up, the tides turned again when their “empty nester” dream house came on the market. “The truth is, we had fallen in love with everything about Rowayton—being on the water, the tight-knit community and welcoming attitude, the simplicity of life here. We feel like we’re permanently on vacation,” she explains. They jumped at the opportunity to buy this home, which offers stunning views, a small pool and a no-maintenance yard. “It’s literally everything we ever wanted, the size is perfect for my husband and I and spacious enough for when our three kids come home.” Her favorite part? “I have an amazing kitchen with an island big enough for ten people, so I can cook to my heart’s content while overlooking the Sound. It’s perfect!”
Salmini started up her classes in Rowayton in February, and she’s hosting around two per month. “I love filling my home with lots of people and everyone feels happy when they leave, plus I’m thrilled to be able to feed some of my new neighbors as well as former clients,” she says. Future plans include having a stand at the Rowayton Farmer’s Market with her own special dressings and sauces.
For more information or to book a cooking class, contact Salmini at oakstreetkitchen.com or send a DM on Instagram @oakstreet.kitchen.