Cozy Fall Cooking Retreat at Highland Nature Sanctuary
Escape to a cozy four-night retreat where warm, nourishing plant-based comfort foods meet the beauty of nature in autumn.
October 29 to November 2, 2025
The T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies is excited to present its Cozy Fall Cooking Retreat, nestled in the stunning Highland Nature Sanctuary. This retreat offers the perfect balance of culinary creativity, outdoor adventure, and meaningful connections with like-minded individuals who embrace a whole food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle. It’s also the perfect opportunity to unplug and recharge. See pricing details.
*Due to the location of the lodges, wifi is limited, and participants will need their own transportation during the event. See FAQs below for more details.
Hands-On
Cooking Classes
Learn to craft hearty WFPB dishes that celebrate the flavors of the season.
Scenic Late-
Autumn Hikes
Immerse yourself in the serene beauty of Highland Nature Sanctuary, where crisp air and peaceful trails will refresh your spirit.
Community &
Connection
Spend evenings sharing stories, laughter, and delicious food with a supportive and inspiring WFPB community.
Highlands Nature Sanctuary
A 3000-acre preserve in Highland County, Ohio. The Highlands Nature Sanctuary is the oldest and largest preserve within the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System. The Incomparable Rocky Fork Gorge is the heart of the preserve with a 100-foot high steep-walled dolomite canyon and breathtaking rock formations, ancient white cedars, grottoes, springs, and stone arches. The Highlands Nature Sanctuary is known for its superb hiking trails, overnight nature retreats, a wealth of botanical diversity, and spectacular spring wildflower displays – some of the most stunning showcases in all of the Eastern United States.
Retreat Cooking Classes
Making the Most of Seasonal Ingredients
Learn how to use and highlight fresh seasonal ingredients in soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.
Knife Skills & Kitchen Techniques
Hone your chopping, slicing, and dicing techniques, plus other invaluable kitchen techniques, to enhance efficiency and make the cooking experience smoother.
Cooking without Oil
Sauté, roast, and bake without added oils while keeping food flavorful.
Mastering Whole Grains & Legumes
Improve your techniques for cooking beans, lentils, quinoa, brown rice, and other whole grains for comfort food staples.
Developing Rich Flavors with Herbs & Spices
Expand your plant-based flavor palate and elevate dishes with seasonings.
Sweetening Naturally
Learn how to use versatile ingredients like dates, fruit purées, and other whole food alternatives to refined sugar.
Meet Your Instructor: Del Sroufe
Del Sroufe is a Culinary Specialist with the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies (CNS) and the host of CNS Kitchen, a supportive group for those looking to adopt a whole food, plant-based lifestyle. Del has owned and operated several plant-based businesses, worked as a plant-based personal chef, and written four cookbooks, including the New York Times bestseller Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Guests will stay in lodges nestled in the nature sanctuary. There are several rooms in each lodge, all with shared bathrooms. Rooms will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. CNS will contact attendees after registration to determine their lodge.
Check-in starts at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 29, followed by dinner and a welcome reception. The retreat will conclude at 11 a.m. on Sunday, November 2.
Registration includes four nights, three full days, six hands-on cooking classes, and all meals.
Because of the retreat’s remote location, there are no televisions, phones, or Wi-Fi services available at the lodges. However, you are welcome to visit the Appalachian Forest Museum at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary during open hours and use their Wi-Fi. Cell phone service is limited on Cave Road except for Verizon. Nearly all carriers can be picked up on US Route 50, and you can easily park at one of the two trailheads off of the highway.
Everyone will be cooking and enjoying each meal together. All the meals will be whole food, plant-based with no added oil. Minimal amounts of sweeteners and salts will be used. If you have dietary questions, please reach out to us at cnskitchen@nutritionstudies.org
Outside of our cooking classes, attendees will have access to over 3,000 acres of wilderness and hiking trails to explore during their free time.
Guests will need to arrange their own transportation to and from the retreat. At the retreat, attendees must be able to drive to the various lodges where the cooking classes will take place. Please note that the lodges are 4-5 miles apart.
If you plan to fly, John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) is approximately 80 miles southwest of the retreat location; the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) is approximately 85 miles east. Both routes offer scenic drives through Ohio's countryside, taking around 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic and road conditions.
For the October retreat, cancellations received in writing on or before Friday, September 26, will be refunded the full registration fee, less a 10% administrative fee. No refunds will be issued thereafter. Substitute participants will be accepted up to the start date of the event.
Registration
We expect this to be a sold-out event, so please register early.
Registration is $1395 for single occupancy and $1195 per person for double occupancy. This includes:
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Four nights and three full days
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Six hands-on cooking classes (for topics, see above)
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Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on each full day (plus dinner on Wednesday and breakfast on Sunday)
*The program fee does not include airfare.
Still have questions? Email us at CNSKitchen@nutritionstudies.org