Savor Santa Barbara | Nancy Martz

The Founder of A to Z Cooking School Shares What They Have Cooked Up For Santa Barbara Culinary Experience

Nancy Martz of A to Z Cooking School | Photo: Courtesy

This story is part of a series of exclusive interviews with the incredible people shaping Santa Barbara Culinary Experience (SBCE) 2025. These interviews highlight the makers, storytellers, and flavor-chasers whose work defines our region’s vibrant food and wine scene.

This week, I sat down with Nancy Martz, founder and executive director of Apples to Zucchini Cooking School, a Santa Barbara–based nonprofit dedicated to teaching children, teens, and adults how to prepare delicious, nutritious, and affordable meals, using seasonal, local ingredients.

What inspired you to participate in the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience this year?

We’ve been involved with SBCE for several years now, and it’s been an incredible journey watching our programming at A to Z Cooking School evolve. What began as kids-only classes has grown into a vibrant mix of adult and children’s offerings, especially our signature Farmers’ Market experiences. Each year, we’ve been able to pitch new ideas, and the SBCE team says yes! That creative freedom is exciting. This year, we’re bringing more in-house talent to the table with our own local chefs and educators who highlight Santa Barbara’s bounty in every dish.

Can you share a little bit about what you’ll be offering or showcasing during the event, and what makes it special to you?

This year feels like a dream team of purveyors I’ve long wanted to collaborate with. We’re featuring incredible partners like Fairy Blood Mix, Santa Barbara Fish Market, Sprout Craft Creamery, Avila Farms, Tilden Zero Proof, and Il Fustino. Each class kicks off with a tasting, think Avila’s dried pears and almonds, Tilden’s elegant non-alcoholic cocktails, and Sprout’s plant-based cheeses. It’s a delicious way to begin, and it celebrates the producers who make our region so flavorful. For me, this lineup is what makes our SBCE offerings truly special.

Santa Barbara is known for its bounty. How does the region influence your work or philosophy as a cooking instructor?

We’ve actually rewritten our mission statement to better reflect our commitment to seasonality and local ingredients. At A to Z, we cook strictly within the season — if it’s not fresh and local, it’s not on the menu. We source almost everything from the Santa Barbara Farmers’ Market and let the produce guide us. We even teach kids about seasonality: What’s in bloom, what’s ripe, and how to transform that into a recipe. That sense of connection to the land and its rhythms really anchors our classes.

What do you hope attendees walk away with after your event?

Confidence! Whether it’s learning knife skills, how to eyeball when veggies are perfectly cooked, or plating with purpose, we want guests to walk away feeling empowered in their own kitchens. We’re the only public-facing cooking school in Santa Barbara, and we really focus on the home chef. And beyond the skills, we want to remind people of the joy of gathering: sitting down at a thoughtfully set table, sharing a meal, and engaging in delightful conversation.

Lightning round time. Favorite local bite?

I’m obsessed with the grilled octopus at Loquita; it’s always a favorite.

Favorite local sip?

Handlebar Coffee’s London Fog with oat milk is my go-to.

Favorite local spot to unwind?

It depends on the weather! You might find me playing pickleball at Muni, paddle boarding with Santa Barbara Sailing, or relaxing with a drink and a view at the Mission Rose Garden — bike, chair, and all.

The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience takes place May 12-18. For more information, see https://sbce.events/. And stay tuned for more of the stories behind SBCE 2025.