Jan’s On 4th, which includes a Cooking School and Catering service, is a family owned and operated business. It was created in 2006 by Chef Jan Laird and her husband, C.E.. Jan wanted to share her love of cooking and created the school to focus on teaching cooking as a life skill. The business is established in 2009 and located in a renovated 100-year old adobe home in Albuquerque’s North Valley, specifically at 10004 4th Street, NW.
The core mission of Jan’s On 4th is based on the heartfelt belief that cooking and serving good food is an act of love. Jan believes that cooking can better the lives of everyone by providing the freedom of creating a healthy home-cooked meal. Their desire with every meal prepared, class taught, and cake baked is to touch the lives of people and try to bring happiness into their lives in some small way.
•Cooking Classes: The school focuses on a personal one-on-one approach with hands-on classes that teach skills ranging from basic knife skills to advanced kitchen technique. Classes are offered for beginners, kids, private groups for special occasions, and scheduled calendar classes. Specific classes mentioned include a Vegan Mediterranean Style class and a Six week cooking class that starts with basics and builds on skills like knife skills and time management. High-altitude baking wisdom is also passed on in baking classes taught by C.E. and Jan. Feedback from participants includes descriptions like “fabulous,” “fun and easy,” and “FANTASTIC”.
•Catering: This is a service offered by the company. Jan has been a successful caterer for over 30 years.
Customer feedback mentions catering food being “perfect” and looking and tasting “exactly like what we were hoping for”. Vegetables grown by C.E. are used in catering.
•Custom Bakery: This service is handled entirely by C.E., who does all the baking.
•Personal Chef Meals: This service is provided by Jan.
The adobe home where the business is located was remodeled by C.E. to be a professional kitchen. The business also utilizes locally grown ingredients, with C.E. growing many of the vegetables used in classes and catering from his garden and selling his onions, garlic, and tomatoes locally to restaurants. C.E. believes firmly that the best ingredients make the best food.
Jan Laird is a native New Mexican who grew up in Santa Fe. She moved to Albuquerque to pursue her college degree and holds a Degree in Home Economics/Nutrition Education from the University of New Mexico. Before starting Jan’s On 4th with her husband C.E., they raised 7 children together. Jan put her culinary ambitions on hold while she homeschooled her children.
In 2004, Jan became a certified Personal Chef and began preparing and delivering meals to clients, a role she continues today. She particularly loves the personal interaction with her Personal Chef clients, especially the elderly.
With the opening of Jan’s On 4th Cooking School, Jan created a personal one-on-one approach to teaching. Her classes are hands-on and cover a wide range of skills from basic knife skills to advanced kitchen technique. She enjoys teaching classes for beginners, kids, and private groups. Jan is deeply passionate about helping people of all ages grow in their culinary experiences, whether it’s food preparation, gaining confidence in the kitchen, or simply enjoying exceptional food. She is a Member of the USPCA (United States Personal Chef Association) since 2004. Jan is also noted as a successful caterer for over 30 years.
Outside of her culinary work, Jan enjoys hiking in the New Mexico mountains, is an enthusiastic cyclist, and loves spending time gardening.
C.E. Laird is the husband of Chef Jan Laird. Together, they raised 7 children before starting Jan’s On 4th. Before becoming the baker at Jan’s On 4th, C.E. had a career designing and building custom adobe homes. Upon retiring from home building, he transitioned his skills, taking his attention to detail and creativity to the kitchen.
C.E. is a self-taught baker who excels at perfecting every project he undertakes. He is responsible for all the baking at Jan’s On 4th, including cakes, pies, breads, desserts, and custom ordering. His most popular cake is the Italian Cream Cake, which is made using a secret family recipe. C.E. also teaches pie, baking, and dessert cooking classes alongside Jan. He shares his expertise, including the wisdom of the perfect pie crust and baking at high altitude, with his students.
In addition to baking for the school and classes, C.E. makes and distributes scones and macaroons to local coffee shops across Albuquerque. In his spare time, C.E. is also a gardener, growing many of the vegetables used in cooking classes and catering from his garden. He also sells his onions, garlic, and tomatoes locally to restaurants. C.E. is a firm believer that the best ingredients make the best food.
Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque’s culinary scene is a celebration of vibrant Southwestern flavors infused with deep Native American heritage and robust Mexican and Spanish influences. Here, the local food culture thrives on iconic staples like green and red chilies, which serve as the backbone of many beloved dishes. Traditional New Mexican fare, such as stacked enchiladas smothered in chili sauces, tender tamales wrapped in corn husks, and fluffy, golden sopapillas drizzled with local honey, are at the heart of the dining experience. Whether it’s fresh ingredients sourced from local farms or the smoky aroma of slow-cooked meats, Albuquerque brings bold and earthy tastes to every plate. From lively street food markets to time-honored family-run restaurants, this city’s dynamic food culture offers a feast for the senses at every turn.
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