our story

Anastasia Worrell founded The Green House as a restaurant devoted to local, seasonal plant-based fare, and from the beginning, the cooking school grew naturally out of the enthusiasm of its guests. Again and again, diners expressed a desire to recreate the food at home, often remarking that they would happily eat vegetarian if they knew how to cook this well. In response, weekly classes began about a year after the restaurant opened, and those early sessions evolved into a true school when Dexter Spencer joined as head chef.

Together, Anastasia and Dexter created a curriculum that taught the essentials of home cooking with the flavor, confidence, and refinement of restaurant cuisine, while emphasizing accessible ingredients and adaptable techniques for cooks of every level. Over time, the program expanded from weekly classes to full Saturday sessions, and today it stands as its own entity, offering day-long, weekend-long, and week-long experiences.

who we are

anastasia worrell

Founder

Anastasia Worrell is a restaurateur and longtime vegan redefining how modern households approach plant-based, farm-to-table cooking. After five years operating The Green House, she founded The Green House School to focus on education. Backed by an MBA, she teaches efficient kitchen systems that help individuals source high-quality ingredients, reduce time spent cooking, while consistently prepare nourishing meals. She has hosted 22 sessions with attendees traveling from across the East Coast.

@ANASTASIAWORRELL

dexter spencer

Chef

Dexter Spencer is the Chef of The Green House Cooking School, where he develops and teaches seasonal, plant-based recipes grounded in both accessibility and depth of flavor. A Wilmington native with culinary training in Portland, Oregon, he has worked across a range of kitchens—from the acclaimed vegan restaurant Farm Spirit to a remote resort in Alaska. His work is shaped by a love of local ingredients, a fascination with fermentation, and a belief that great cooking begins with understanding familiar flavors.

@SEASONEDBYSOIL