Upon entering Zest!, customers and students are greeted by colorful displays of unique kitchen tools and artisanal ingredients that invite culinary exploration. Whether visiting the store on Main Street or attending a class in the Lititz Brighton neighborhood, the experience centers on cooking, creativity and wellness. Here, food is about more than just nourishment; it’s about connection.

The Zest! Story: From Vision   to Reality

The story of Zest! began with a simple request to founder Sharon Landis while she was working at a national kitchen and cooking retail franchise. Landis, who regularly facilitated classes and tasting events for the company, was approached by a customer who asked her if she would teach her how to cook.

“I went to culinary school in my 40s and worked for a while in catering and as a personal chef but never wanted to work in a restaurant, so I took a job at Williams Sonoma,” Landis recalls. “I did their tastings and classes, and one day, a customer asked if I would teach her how to cook privately, which I agreed to. She came to my home once a week for over a year, and she went from not being able to cook at all to having a full recipe book and the confidence that she could cook anything. From then on, I knew I wanted to create a cooking school.”

When Zest! first opened its doors as a culinary store, Landis could host classes with eight to 10 people. Now, with a dedicated space in Brighton, the Zest! Cooking School offers classes four or five days a week with 24 students regularly.

The Zest! Experience: A Culinary Playground

Zest! offers a wide range of hands-on cooking classes designed to inspire creativity and build confidence in the kitchen. Whether learning to make vegetarian dumplings, charcuterie boards or homemade pasta, each class is an opportunity to experiment, learn new techniques and have fun.

When asked about some of the most memorable classes at Zest!, Landis shares, “For many years, it was making French macarons; so many people wanted to learn how to make macarons. And from there, it went to sourdough and homemade pasta. Sourdough is really simple—flour, water, salt—but people are afraid to make it because you have to ‘feed’ the starter. We love giving them the confidence to make their own sourdough at home.”

Community and Inspiration:  A Place for Connection

Beyond the cooking school and store, Zest! is deeply invested in Lancaster and the surrounding community. Landis carries as much “made in America” inventory as possible and is excited to now carry Lancaster Cast Iron, made in Conestoga, and Square One Coffee beans, roasted in Lancaster.

Zest! is constantly expanding its store offerings for specialty diets as well. Landis mentions that “We are always exploring ways to find sugar-free and gluten-free alternatives that are fun. We have a newly expanded gluten-free section, with muffins, cakes, bread, cookies and graham cracker mixes from companies such as CorEats, LillyBean and Stonewall Kitchen, and we have a new sugar-free candy bar called the ‘Conscious Bar.’”

Looking Ahead: The Future of Zest!

Looking to the future, Zest! will continue to inspire the home chef or foodie. The school will continue its robust lineup of cooking and baking classes, and the store remains a hub where people can expand their cooking horizons. Landis appreciatively describes her retail team as “a fantastic group of women who benefit the whole business and make the shopping experience truly enjoyable.” 

Adds Landis, “I know our products work really well, and I want our customers to use these products for the next 10 years, remember Zest, and be grateful that they bought them and enjoy using them. Within the cooking school, I want Zest! to be a place where people not only learn how to cook but build their confidence and trust that they can make anything we’ve taught them or tackle any other recipe they come across.”

The Zest! store is located at 30 E. Main St., in Lititz. The Zest!Cooking School is located at 1180 Erbs Quarry Rd., in Lititz. For more information, call 717-626-6002 (store) or 717-435-8890 (school) or visit ZestChef.com. 

Trella Dubetz is a trauma-informed bodyworker, holistic and human design practitioner, graphic designer and writer based in Lancaster and Huntingdon counties. She blends creativity with healing practices to support personal transformation. Connect with her at TrellaDubetz.com.