The Boston Public Market opened on July 30 as a place for residents to buy fresh, local produce year round, which is great— if you know what to do with them. Unfortunately, a 2011 study showed that almost a third of Americans don’t know how to cook.

The Trustees of Reservations, one of Massachusetts’ largest nonprofit, is hoping to change that.

The Trustees are hosting a diverse line-up of free and paid culinary, health, and wellness programs in the Boston Public Market’s KITCHEN space. Yes, they spell it with all caps.

Starting today, nearly 40 program collaborators, including a line-up of local chefs, cookbook authors, and health/wellness experts will present cooking demos, healthy cooking classes, and yoga and running clubs in the KITCHEN.


The program series includes classes from America’s Test Kitchen, which will launch the New Boston Cooking School to teach both basic cooking skills (like how to hold a knife) and to embrace the mindset behind cooking (like how to plan your meals for the week).

Project Bread will hold sessions showing market patron’s how to prepare a healthy meal on a budget from the week’s on sale market produce.

Barbara Erickson, the president of the Trustees of Reservations, said the KITCHEN has already added more than 200 classes through September.

“Just as in life, we hope that everyone at the party ends up in the kitchen, that it becomes the place for conversation and sharing, a place for the figurative breaking of bread and all that means,’’ Erickson said.

Gallery: Opening day at the Boston Public Market