PIX 11 Monica Morales/BIGVISION & KYU

Free NYC workshop teaching lessons in healthy cooking, living

NOHO, Manhattan (PIX11) — A New York City program called BIGVISION is helping hundreds of people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction maintain their sobriety.

BIGVISION offers free classes and events to help create friendships and community. A workshop in NoHo is helping young people who are in recovery learn how to live a healthy lifestyle, with lessons from a top chef who also dealt with addiction.

Chris Arellanes is the executive chef of KYU restaurant on Lafayette Street in NoHo. It’s a hot new restaurant where the waiting list can sometimes be at a thousand people.

Arellanes, who is now five years sober, is giving his time and talent to teach others to cook with wellness in mind. Arellanes grew up in a Buddhist monastery in California and has cooked for the Seattle Seahawks. 

Arellanes’ cooking workshop is part of the yearlong events by BIGVISION. Every week they put together free social sober activities such as cooking classes and yoga.

BIGVISION was founded in 2015 by Eve Goldberg, who experienced firsthand the pain of an accidental opioid overdose after the death of her 23-year-old son Isaac.