Creative & Healthy Seasonal Cooking

Name: Creative & Healthy Seasonal Cooking
Start: 2026-06-12
End: 2026-06-14
Location: Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing
Rating: 5

5.0014 reviews

191 Cragsmoor Road; Cragsmoor, New York 12566

Jun 12 - 14, 2026

Retreat Highlights

Intimate setting with hands-on training
All recipes provided
Interactive sessions with question and answer periods
Shamatha and guided meditations
Delicious all-vegetarian meals with locally sourced ingredients
Option to extend stay on Personal Retreat
Extensive library of dharma books
Expansive wooded grounds with beautiful paths, flora and fauna

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Chef

Details of this retreat

A DHARMAKAYA CENTER RETREAT
As summer begins, join us in celebration of fresh flavors with an immersive, educational weekend of cooking. Learn creative ways to use seasonal produce to craft delectable and healthy meals, for yourself, your family or for a crowd. Create intensely flavorful plant-based versions of some of your favorite dishes, quickly and easily, and learn how to make healthy food delicious and delicious food healthy.

You will be in the kitchen with Chef Eytan Kurland, getting hands-on training and education. Perfect your chopping, sauteing and roasting, and pick up new skills as you learn some of the simple secrets behind your favorite Dharmakaya dishes. Most importantly, learn how to incorporate these techniques and recipes into your daily life. Come on your own or bring a friend. This program is for everyone who wishes they could prepare meals that are as healthy and delicious as those they enjoy at the Center. Class size is strictly limited to 10 people.
"Eytan is a superstar! Amazing chef, engaging and patient teacher, includes everyone, listens well. I can’t say enough positive things."
"The food was fresh, delicious, and felt made with intention and love. It will inspire a new relationship with my meals at home."

BRING A FRIEND DISCOUNT: Do you know someone who would like this program, but hasn't been to the Center? Bring them, and you both get a 10% discount on your entire program package. For the discount to apply, there must be two reservations, at least one of whom has not taken a Dharmakaya Center class previously.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE: We are pleased to be able to offer partial scholarships for this program. Please apply here.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
You love vegetarian food—or maybe you just know it can protect against lifestyle-related disease—and you want to up your game. Now you can learn how to prepare vegetarian and vegan dishes that dazzle your tastebuds and improve your health. We’ll work together to make these dishes, paying special attention to techniques that ensure they are packed with flavor.

Learn how to prepare some classic items with alternative ingredients to account for different diets
Practice using various tools and techniques that make cooking more enjoyable or efficient
Understand how to easily insert parts of these dishes into other recipes
BONUS: Make simple spice blends that add quick pizzazz to your dishes, and take home samples

You'll go home with new knowledge, new techniques, new recipes—and a newfound skill to think creatively about ingredients and flavor pairings.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Intimate setting
All recipes provided included in course materials
Interactive sessions with hands-on training
Shamatha and guided meditations
Delicious all-vegetarian meals with locally sourced ingredients—prepared by you!
Expansive wooded grounds with beautiful paths, flora and fauna
Option to extend stay on Personal Retreat

OPEN TO ALL
No cooking skills required–just a desire to learn more!

SCHEDULE
(subject to change)

Friday, June 12

3:00 PM
Check in

4:00-6:00 PM
Welcome and Introduction

Dinner Preparation with Guided Instruction

6:00-7:00 PM
Dinner

7:30-8:30 PM
Menu Recap and Open Discussion

Saturday, June 13

7:30-8:00 AM
Morning Salutations and Meditation

8:00-9:00 AM
Breakfast

9:00-10:00 AM
Simplicity: Harnessing fresh, seasonal flavors

10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Lunch Preparation with Guided Instruction

12:00-1:00 PM
Lunch

1:00-2:30 PM
Decadence: Creating healthy desserts using allergen-free ingredients and natural sweeteners

2:30-4:00 PM
Free Time

4:00-6:00 PM
Dinner Preparation with Guided Instruction

6:00-7:00 PM
Dinner

7:30-8:30 PM
Menu Recap and Open Discussion

Sunday, June 14

7:30-8:00 AM
Morning Salutations and Meditation

8:00-9:00 AM
Breakfast

9:00 AM-10:00 AM
Zest: Incorporating exciting flavors in daily cooking

10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Lunch Preparation with Guided Instruction

12:00-1:00 PM
Lunch

1:00 PM
Checkout and Departure

Checkout and Departure

Schedule

7:30-8:00 AM: Morning Mediation and Salutations
8:00-9:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM-12:00 PM: Program or free time
12:00-1:00 PM: Lunch
1:00-6:00 PM: Program or free time
6:00-7:00 PM: Dinner
10:00 PM Lights Out

Note: Schedule is approximate and may change

Getting Here

Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing, 191 Cragsmoor Road; Cragsmoor, New York 12566

Directions

CAR. You will find a link for driving directions on our website. The parking lot is immediately to your left when you enter the Center grounds. You may drive up and drop your luggage at the Welcome Center, but may not leave your car unattended there; someone will be happy to shuttle you back down to the parking lot.

TRAIN. From Newark, La Guardia and Penn Station, you can take the Metro North train into Middletown, New York, approximately a 30-minute drive from the Center. For teachings, retreats and other special events, we will provide van service at set times. Otherwise, please take a taxi from the train station to the Center.

BUS. From New York City, you can take the Shortline Bus into Ellenville, New York, approximately a 15-minute drive from the Center. For teachings, retreats and other special events, we will provide van service at set times. Otherwise, please take a taxi from the train station to the Center.

PLANE. Newark, La Guardia and Stewart Airports all offer convenient services. From Newark or LaGuardia you can complete your trip by train; from Stewart you may rent a car or take a taxi service.

Accommodation

Our two residence halls offer a simple, peaceful environment that supports your retreat experience, with rooms for those on both personal and solitary retreats. Each room has a meditation cushion and zabuton. Rates include breakfast, lunch and dinner with the resident community, as well as towels and housekeeping. All guests are welcome, but not required, to join the daily meditation and other activities (although separate tickets are required for all ticketed events). • Our junior suites have a double bed, private bath, private terrace, a refrigerator and ample room for practice. • Our private rooms have a double bed and room for private meditation, with a shared bath. Rooms may be shared by those in a committed relationship.

Commuter

Our Commuter Fee covers the costs of all meals during your retreat and the use of all our facilities.

Private Room: Single

This comfortable room has a double bed and ample room for meditation. It is outfitted with a desk and small table suitable for a meditation object; it shares a bath with one or two other rooms. All rooms are furnished with linens, pillows, blankets, coverlets, and towels, as well as a meditation cushion and zabuton. The room rate includes three delicious vegetarian meals each day; in addition, there is a tea station on every hall.

Private Room: Couple

This registration fee is for two people. This comfortable room has one double bed, and may be shared by couples in a committed relationship. With ample room for meditation, it features a desk and small table suitable for a meditation object. All rooms are furnished with linens, pillows, blankets, coverlets, and towels, as well as a meditation cushion and zabuton. The room shares a bath with one or two other rooms. Room rates include three delicious vegetarian meals each day (6 total meals for a couple room); there is also a tea station on each hall.

Junior Suite: Single

These large rooms have one double bed, a private bath, private terrace, a refrigerator and ample room for practice. Each room has a small table suitable for a meditation object and a meditation cushion and zabaton, as well as a desk and an armoire. Room rates include three delicious vegetarian meals each day; there is also an in-room tea station.

Junior Suite: Couple

This reservation fee is for two people and includes three delicious vegetarian meals each day (6 total for a couple). This large room has one double bed, which may be shared by couples in a committed relationship. In addition, it has a private bath, private terrace, a refrigerator and ample room for practice. Each room has a small table suitable for a meditation object and a meditation cushion and zabaton, as well as a desk and an armoire.

Venue & Amenities

A/C in Rooms

Free Wifi

Spa

Sauna

Pool

Towels

Free Parking

Kitchen

Tour Assistance

Hot Tub

Coffee/Tea

Cafe

Restaurant

Fitness Center

Yoga Studio

Housekeeping

Bicycles For Rent

Perched atop a wooded hillside in the hamlet of Cragsmoor, the Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing is surrounded by 90 acres of forest. The Center opened in 2017 and was purpose built to support retreats. With only 20 bedrooms, our retreats are small, keeping the retreat experience intimate. People regularly comment both on the cleanliness of the buildings and on the total sense of peace that envelopes you when on campus.

Meals

Menu Types

Vegan

Vegetarian

Pescetarian

Ayurvedic

Includes Meat

Organic

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Nut Free

Ancient wisdom describes food as a source of prana, or life force. The Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing was founded on the premise that nourishing food is integral to wellbeing. Our chefs are passionate about creating meals that are both flavorful and healthy. We use the freshest, most nutritious, least processed foods available; when possible our ingredients are organic and locally sourced. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in your accommodation fee. To promote good health, we serve delicious, varied, nutritious vegetarian food, with options at every meal. All our meals are served on a buffet, with ingredients listed next to each dish, enabling guests to avoid dairy, as well as glutens, nuts and other allergens.

What's Included

Comfortable accommodations with queen bed in every room
All linens
Three delicious, farm-fresh vegetarian meals a day
Tea station and fruit bowl always available
Large Meditation Hall and private Meditation Room
Extensive library of dharma books
Cozy chairs and fireplace
90-acre campus with walking trails and outdoor meditation spots
Fire pit
Outdoor practice pavilion

What's Not Included

Travel to the Center

Customer Reviews

5.00 out of 5.0 average rating

Anonymous • Dec 01, 2025

5.0

Verified

Above and beyond

I was amazed how much care and effort the people who work/volunteer there put into what they do. Food was delicious and healthy, accommodations and facilities sparkling clean, the area is so beautiful and you can enjoy it by doing small hikes on the trails. I've learned a few new things about mediation techniques that I look forward to applying to my practice.

Thank you so much for this incredible experience of peace and tranquility.

Catherine • Dec 14, 2024

5.0

Verified

thanhgiving retreat

hello

My retreat was great met alot of interesting people from everywhere as far as Brazil and China most people were from New Jersey. The food was great. I was in the yoga class on a chair and then decided I wanted to sit on the mat i miss and landed on the floor. There was so many people that just jumped out to help me. The place is very peaceful it feels like one big family. Catherine Asaro

Laura • Feb 01, 2023

5.0

Verified

Peace in a comfortable environment

From the moment I arrived I was impressed with how peaceful and immaculate the entire facility is. The rooms had exactly what I needed with a comfortable bed and pillows, meditation table and cushions, and a desk. Towels were provided as well. Vegetarian meals were delicious. I was able to immerse myself in the silent meditation retreat and focus on deepening my practice. This is a perfect place for me and I’m already planning my next retreat.

Anonymous • May 18, 2022

5.0

Verified

Beautiful spot

Dharmakaya Center is a beautiful & peaceful spot. Highly recommend! The center is immaculate and well maintained. Great staff and facilities.

YELENA • Nov 10, 2021

5.0

Verified

Amazing place Amazing experience

If you are looking for a place to unwind and grow spiritually while eating the best food this place is for you. Brand-new beautiful facility, super friendly stuff and relaxing atmosphere - I don’t know the better way to spend a weekend. I enjoyed my stay and I’m coming back!

Creative & Healthy Seasonal Cooking

Retreat Highlights

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Chef Eytan Kurland

Details of this retreat

Schedule

Getting Here

Directions