The seeds of chefhood blossom from the very first dashes of salt and cinnamon that grace a child's suppertime lima beans. Encourage the culinary spirit in the youths of today, who are the former children of tomorrow, with today's Groupon: for $15, you get one 90-minute cooking class for kids ages 3–18 at Young Chefs Academy. Choose either the Norfolk or Virginia Beach-Hilltop location.
Young Chefs Academy provides a fun, safe, and motivating environment for kids to become acquainted with the art of food and food presentation. Engaging chef instructors instill lessons of kitchen etiquette and safety in youngsters growing up in a world full of laser can openers and shark-shaped pasta rakes, giving children a capable handle on their surroundings as they journey into the land of food. Each month, cooking classes revolve around new regions and cuisines that sharpen life skills and toes, such as January's "Make This, Not That," which showcases healthier food choices in the face of commonly craved cheese puffs and sliders. Kids can further ignite inspiration on the culinary sparks of "Winter Cruise: Island Hopping," which takes young chefs to the shores of the Caribbean, Hawaii, and more. Experienced instructors guide kids with the poise that is kind enough to jolt creativity but directive enough to prevent kitchen grease fires. Check out the weekly schedule for Norfolk and Virginia Beach-Hilltop to see the full array of upcoming classes.
Young Chefs Academy
Julie Fabing Burleson and Suzy Vinson Nettles feel that the kitchen is just another place for kids to flex their creativity. They opened Young Chefs Academy to provide kids aged 3–18 with cooking programs targeted to preschoolers and kindergarteners, elementary schoolers, and older kids ready for trickier techniques and intricate recipes. Regardless of a student’s age, he or she is always taught the pillars of home cooking, including how to be safe in the kitchen, how to properly handle and prepare food, how to bake, and how to talk down an oven that constantly overheats. While participating in the entertaining cooking lessons, kids may not even realize that each class also allows them to practice their math, reading-comprehension, and communication skills.