Our Story

Apples to Zucchini Cooking School was founded out of a simple but powerful idea: to bring people together through cooking—and to give children, teens, and adults the skills, confidence, and joy of preparing real food.

Nancy Martz, founder and executive director, credits her passion for food to family meals around the dinner table growing up. While in law school in San Francisco, she took a 12-week cooking class as a way to unwind from poring over briefs, which sparked a lifelong love of food and cooking. Years later, a volunteer experience at a food pantry planted a small seed of an idea that eventually turned into A to Z: Knowing how to cook is a life skill that empowers families to stretch food dollars, choose healthy ingredients, and share meals with one another.

In March 2016, we launched our first after-school cooking class in Goleta, and have since expanded classes to dozens of schools, community sites, and an onsite kitchen. As Santa Barbara County’s only non-profit cooking school, we are proud and humbled to celebrate a decade of deliciousness in the kitchen!

Rooted in Community

Apples to Zucchini’s mission has always been to bring people together over shared meals by teaching how to prepare delicious, nutritious, and affordable food made from seasonal and local ingredients.

This mission drives all the work we do:

  • Hands-on classes for kids, teens, families, and adults

  • Seasonal and skill-based programs

  • After-school enrichment, spring and summer camps, and community pop-ups

  • Partnerships with local non-profits and schools

Our curriculum has expanded over time—from basic knife skills and fundamental recipes to creative explorations of science in cooking, food as medicine, and plant-forward nutrition—all while maintaining a focus on accessibility, fun, and building confidence in the kitchen.

Impact to Date

We’ve been teaching for a decade now, and we’re proud that 2025 was our most impactful yet!

  • 1,900+ students taught across Santa Barbara County last year, ranging from toddlers to adults.

  • 7,600+ meals prepared and shared together, fostering connection around food.

  • 19 schools and community sites served, including partnerships with libraries, after-school programs, and youth centers.

We love hearing from parents and participants that our classes led to profound shifts. Children who swore off veggies now devour leafy greens; families cook dinner together more often; teens use their new kitchen skills to chart future career paths. Real stories like this keep us doing what we’re doing!

Our Supporters

We would not be where we are today without the support from our community. Because of your encouragement, shout-outs, media presence, grants, donations, and seats on our board, we are able to continue reaching our public schools, non-profit organizations and Title 1 schools. You help bring our quality programming to any child, teen or adult who is interested in cooking together and leading healthier lives. We are beyond grateful to you!

  • Montecito Community Foundation supports classes and STEAM night at Montecito Union School

  • Zegar Foundation funds our expansion to the Santa Ynez Valley.

  • Mosher Foundation supports our classes for Transitional Age Youth.

  • Sprouts Foundation supports our classes for housing insecure adults and families.

  • The Coeta and Donald Barker Foundation supports our afterschool programs.

  • The Ann Jackson Family Foundation supports our afterschool programs.

  • Northern Trust supports our programs for housing inscure families.

  • The Lewis Greenwood Foundation supports our Teen Culinary Internship.

  • Board of Directors

    Dr. Ann Fristoe, President

    Marie Zimmerman, Treasurer

    Deb Bettencourt

    Darren Doi

  • Advisory Committee

    Dr. Kristin Castorino

    Sam Edelman

    Lindsay Johnson

    Nancy Weiss