Hello and welcome to From Scratch! Chances are you're here because you're finding dinnertime to be an unwelcome challenge. Between picky eaters, shuttling kids to sports practice, working late - the struggle is real! Trust me, as a single mom of two daughters, I understand. I created my business to help busy families enjoy dinner together without any of the stress typically involved. I specialize in family-friendly, creative, and well-balanced meals.

I'm always asked "What's your favorite thing to cook." My answer: "What's your favorite thing to eat?" I love to cook it all! I believe the best ingredients make the best meals, so you'll find me shopping for local, seasonal and organic ingredients, all of the highest quality. Following a special diet? No problem! All meals are customized and carefully planned. Click here to learn more about the weekly meal service I offer.

I also offer hands-on cooking lessons right in your home kitchen. This is such a fun and unique experience right here in RVA! Click here for more information.

Elizabeth Oliver, Chef and Owner

What clients ARE sayING

"I had Elizabeth prepare a customized menu for me-she listened to what I liked and what I didn't (gave me a very detailed survey to fill out), and created some healthy, yummy dishes that I could easily reheat in individual portions. She also left my kitchen immaculate! I would highly recommend using her to make your life easier and to have fresh, customized meals on hand to stop the inevitable grab of something quick and unhealthy when life gets crazy."

— Weekly Meal Service Client

"What a wonderful experience! Elizabeth was fun, professional and extremely organized. Dinner was a huge hit! Elizabeth only uses outstanding quality ingredients and the menu choices were fabulous. We all had a fantastic time and hope to do it again soon. Highly recommend!!"

— Cooking Class Client

"Elizabeth was great! Our group of 8 had so much fun doing a cooking class! She had a great menu and was totally prepared! She's the best!!"

"Elizabeth did a cooking class/dinner for a birthday celebration. She is very organized and easy to work with during the planning phase. The evening was so much fun for all with pleasant instruction, helpful cooking tips and delicious food. I will use her services again for future events."

— Cooking Class Client

"I attended a cooking demonstration by Elizabeth at a friend's house. It was a wonderful experience! Not only is Elizabeth an excellent cook, but she is knowledgeable and approachable. She could answer high-level questions from the talented cooks in the group but was also willing to answer the basic questions from the novices without passing any judgment. I loved her time-saving recipes for weeknights. I also appreciated her technical advice, which can improve efficiency. I highly recommend Elizabeth! I left the demonstration inspired!"

— Cooking Demonstration Attendee

"As a birthday gift, my good friend had Elizabeth give us a hands-on cooking class. From menu preparation to the final mouthful, the dinner and class were superb! Elizabeth is very organized, patient, knowledgeable, and friendly. She reviewed the recipe preps with us, demonstrated the needed skills, and provided supervision and encouragement. We were amazed at what we could accomplish and how everything came together. Thank you, Elizabeth, for a memorable birthday."

— Cooking Class Client

"The anxiety is taken out of dinner time and meal planning. After long weekends filled with various outings, and enjoying family time, who has time for prepping meals!?! After working all day, and add in extracurricular kids’ activities, it’s great to come home to a deliciously creative, healthy and professionally prepared meal (not fast food!). She has a detailed process to customize what’s just right for our family. The kids even eat their veggies and we all love the meals!! It has been a wonderful blessing to our family! Thank you!"

— Weekly Meal Service Client