From Morroccan and Vietnamese cuisine to cake decorating and pizza making, Flavors on Fire owner and chef Tim van Ee invites home cooks in Katy to test their skills in his kitchen.

“I always have a chef that can do whatever people are looking for, because we have a lot of diversity and backgrounds when it comes to cooking,” van Ee said.
From left: chef Ryan, owner and chef Tim Van Ee and chef Shannon all have a diverse skill set that helps widen the scope of what is available to learn at Flavors on Fire, van Ee said. (Courtesy Flavors on Fire)
From left: chef Ryan, owner and chef Tim Van Ee and chef Shannon all have a diverse skill set that helps widen the scope of what is available to learn at Flavors on Fire, van Ee said. (Courtesy Flavors on Fire)
A team of three chefs, led by van Ee, teach a variety of cooking classes, but they also cater and host intimate 15-seat dinners and private events.

The background

The concept was created in August 2019 and began as private chef engagements in his and customers' backyards, van Ee said. He decided to quit his corporate job on his birthday, Nov. 12, 2018, to fully invest in his passion for cooking.

“I started thinking about what I really want to do and what I like doing, which is cooking. So I came up with Flavors on Fire,” van Ee said.


As van Ee sought to transition from a home-based business teaching and cooking for clients to a permanent brick-and-mortar, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. This forced him to take his classes to an online platform, which he said helped him round out his teaching model.
Head chef and owner Tim van Ee decided to change careers and focus on his passion for cooking in late-2018. (Courtesy Pizza making classes are popular among customers because they can put their own spin on it, van Ee said. (Courtesy Flavors on Fire)
Head chef and owner Tim van Ee decided to change careers and focus on his passion for cooking in late-2018. (Courtesy Flavors on Fire)
“It was really great because that also taught me which dishes worked and what kind of menus people liked,” van Ee said. “As soon as I opened this place, I [already] had 10 or 12 classes ready to go with different dishes that I'd been teaching people.”

Flavors on Fire finally opened on Avenue D in August 2022.

What they offer
There is variety in the types of classes offered, but each will be interactive and engaging, van Ee said. (Courtesy Flavors on Fire)
There is variety in the types of classes offered, but each will be interactive and engaging, van Ee said. (Courtesy Flavors on Fire)
Van Ee’s main goal is to make his classes as challenging, engaging and interactive as they can be, he said.

“How do we have everyone cook the entire meal and have them focus on the interesting pieces of those dishes, as opposed to peeling a carrot? Maybe we show them how to cook it or blanch it and then turn it into puree and get that super silky texture,” van Ee said.


Cooking classes change every week, and include teachings on how to make:
  • Sushi
  • Gnocchi
  • Pastries
  • Brazilian dishes
  • German cuisine
Van Ee’s favorite thing to make is steak over an open flame, he said. There’s a certain excitement people get when they see a tomahawk steak on fire that they won’t get from, say, a carrot, van Ee said.
The two XL Big Green Egg grills are a focal point of the business. (Courtesy Flavors on Fire)
The two XL Big Green Egg grills are a focal point of the business. (Courtesy Flavors on Fire)
“It's a nice show piece, because you can hold it up and put it into fire, and you'll see flames,” he said. “So I think it kind of unlocks something in everyone that's like, ‘Oh, this is awesome.’”

What’s next?
Classes will challenge participants to go beyond chopping vegetables and other tedious tasks, van Ee said. (Courtesy Flavors on Fire)
Classes will challenge participants to go beyond chopping vegetables and other tedious tasks, van Ee said. (Courtesy Flavors on Fire)
Van Ee has had two chefs join his team—one with a Persian and Turkish background and an emphasis in pastry and Middle Eastern cuisine; and one with an extensive knowledge in grilling and barbecue. He anticipates this year will focus more on these styles of cooking. ‘

In addition, Flavors on Fire will roll-out a walk-in weekend brunch, starting on Mother’s Day, van Ee said.