If your kids show an interest in food and cooking, then there’s a unique opportunity to help them grow their skills with cooking classes for kids. Kids can transform this hobby into a rewarding career if given the right opportunities and guidance.

 

Luckily, there are culinary schools and programs tailored specially for kids, so young learners can master the art of cooking in a productive learning environment. And, even if down the road they change their minds and choose another career path, there are other benefits of cooking classes for kids that will be useful throughout their lives. It can be a career exploration activity or practical education for a future in food.

 

Cooking is not just a hobby—it’s an important skill that has utility outside of a career and can bring much joy and flavor to our lives. In this article, we are going to focus on the benefits of teenage culinary programs and kids cooking camps, and show you how they are typically organized.

The Benefits of Cooking Classes for Kids

Here’s what kids can learn from cooking classes, in addition to cooking itself:

Kids cooking classes can encourage the participants to eat healthy. Teenagers can have unhealthy eating habits. However, teenage cooking classes can easily get them engaged and excited by healthy recipes and the cooking process. As a result, they will develop a passion and interest in a variety of foods.

 

This includes not only the sweets and snacks, but also healthy, nutritious foods. Besides, kids and teens will learn to make smarter food choices and become interested in trying out new dishes that they would have never tried at home. According to studies, kids who get their food right from its source are more likely to enjoy the end result. For example, when they make a sauce from fresh ingredients instead of buying a ready-made sauce, they enjoy it more.

 

Cooking requires skills outside of food. During culinary classes for kids, children learn various lifelong skills by practicing the basic math skills such as counting, weighing, measuring, and time tracking. Besides, they get to know biology (where food comes from) and chemistry (how high temperatures can change the items or how the egg yolk changes its structure while being whipped).

 

They also gain social skills by working in teams and communicating in the kitchen. Finally, they get familiar with kitchen equipment and cooking technologies. It’s easy to see the benefits outside the kitchen.

 

Cooking and baking classes build confidence. Cooking classes for kids bring a feeling of accomplishment and self-confidence. They get this feeling when they see the tangible results of their work. As a result, kids and teens can cook at home and gladly help their parents with the cooking routine, and even step up and offer their own opinions.

 

Cooking improves the work ethic. Teen cooking classes can help develop a sense of responsibility, because the participants have to do a variety of tasks related not only to cooking, but also to safety and cleanup routines. Kids and teens become more independent in their work ethic, and can handle the meals on their own, without asking someone to help.

 

Teen cooking classes unleash creativity. During the teenage cooking classes, teens can gradually unleash their creativity and experiment with new recipes, of course with the safety instructions in mind. They can also demonstrate their creative talents when serving and decorating the dishes. For example, baking classes for kids can also involve the art of cake decoration.

 

Kids can learn about other cultures with cooking classes. 
Culinary classes for kids can help the children explore new cultures, because as they advance with their studies, they will start learning the international cuisines. This knowledge will awake the open-mindedness in kids and teens and take them on an exciting journey of new tastes.

 

They learn sustainability and food sourcing. Culinary workshops can educate participants about the local cuisine, available farm products, and recipes of local foods. They can learn how these foods are produced and where to sustainably source ingredients.

 

And if the cooking class consists of international students, then each of them can tell other participants about the traditional dishes of their country, and how they are sourced. This is something that might have been overlooked in high school cooking class.

 

It sharpens their senses. Kids cooking classes help children to develop the most of their senses, such as taste, sight, touch, and smell. Some cooking schools encourage their young students to undergo the blind tasting tests, and it can be not only a fun but also an informative experience.

 

They’ll learn how to use common cooking tools properly. Cooking classes develop the fine motor skills with the help of activities such as chopping, cutting, kneading, mixing, pouring, rolling, whisking, etc. They’ll also get hands-on experience with tools and utensils that will be useful throughout their lives.

 

Learning proper workplace conduct and general etiquette. Some cooking classes for kids can teach your children etiquette and table manners, which may also become handy in their adult life. For example, they can have the hands-on practice on how to use a fork, spoon, and knife.

 

They’ll also learn how to conduct themselves professionally and begin to understand the value of working well within a team environment.

Cooking Classes for Kids and High School Teens in Philadelphia

There is a wide variety of cooking schools all over the U.S., but not all of them are equally comprehensive and productive. If you are looking for culinary classes in the Philadelphia region, for example, then you should consider the Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs’ cooking school as your first option.

 

JKCP offers kids cooking camp in both one-week and two-week residential cooking school and day programs. Philadelphia is a culinary hot spot, making it the ideal place to develop the cooking skills of your kids. At Julian Krinsky Cooking School, the participants will create delicious, seasonal farm-to-table recipes under the careful guidance of professional chefs.

 

This intensive course combines trendy topics with tried-and-true cooking fundamentals and may inspire your kids to pursue a cooking career. At the end of the classes, the participants have a chance to hone in on their skills in a Top Chef competition.

 

Here are the highlights of the kids baking and cooking classes offered at JKCP:

• The Business of Cooking

• Tasting Seminars

• Ninja Knife Skills

•Interesting Pairings

• The Art of Presentation

• How to Mine a Cookbook

• Gadgets and Gizmos

• Classic vs. Trendy

• Flavors of the World

• Eating Like a Food Critic

• Cook Offs and Competitions

• Learn from Guest Chef

 

During the kids cooking program, each of the participants will:

• Learn about recipe development

• Meet the guest chefs

• Learn about college opportunities in culinary arts

• Refine their tastes and explore umami

• Create artful presentations

• Develop their own style and broaden their entertaining experiences

• Learn about perfect pairing

• Discover what makes a cookbook great

We hope that this information has helped you and your kids make a right decision regarding cooking and baking classes. We wish you good luck in raising the talents of your young chef and will be happy to meet them at our kids cooking camp.

 

JKCP offers not only cooking classes for kids but also a range of other exciting summer camps for children of all ages. You child might be interested in how to get into esports, kids tennis camps, or simply how to prepare for high school and getting ready for college.

 

We can help with all of that. Feel free to browse our website and learn more about the available programs at JKCP.

 

 

Photographs courtesy of Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs. 

Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs redefines what a summer should be. Summer should be about doing something you love, meeting people from all over the world, preparing for college or your future career or experiencing something new. We make summer better by creating experiences people love.