Most children squander kindergarten by drawing pictures of Patricia Arquette riding dinosaurs or by dressing up like pirates. Today's Groupon encourages creativity in the youth of today, who are the former children of tomorrow. For $15, kids ages 3 to 18 get a 60- to 90-minute cooking class at Young Chefs Academy (up to a $35 value). This Groupon is good for the following locations: North Druid Hills, Sandy Springs, and Duluth.

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, safety, table setting, proper food handling, and more in youngsters who are growing up in a world full of laser can openers and pasta rakes. Classes vary at each location and educate a variety of age groups—with specially catered classes for the kindergarten elite (ages 3–5) and junior line cooks (around ages 6–11)—about basic food-prep skills for nutritional meals. Senior flambéists (teens and tweens) are offered advanced classes that dig deeper into kitchen secrets and hone specific skills and techniques that expand the parameters of cooking creativity. Check out the respective schedules for North Druid Hills, Sandy Springs, and Duluth to see what appeals to you.

The lessons learned from early cuisine classes spark a valuable communion between a child and a stove. Imaginations stretch as they contemplate the infinite possibilities when combining ingredients, spices, and presentation. With the skills taught at Young Chefs Academy, parents will swell with pride and staple grilled wild shutomi and pan-seared peppercorn-crusted filet mignon to their refrigerator doors.

Reviews

Young Chefs Academy's Sandy Springs location has been given a four-star average by three Parents Connect reviewers and a shining five-star rating by six Kudzu users:

• Both the girls AND the boys enjoyed making their pizzas -- the cooking lesson was taught in a very entertaining but age-appropriate way, and the kids enjoyed seeing the results of measuring and kneading the pizza dough. – Missa, Parents Connect
• Wonderful, caring staff, creative take home goodie bags, cute invitations and happy kids. Best birthday experience we've had in Atlanta by a long shot. – LisaFarmer, Kudzu
• Very lovely staff. Fun tools. Recipes are great, and more sophisticated than usual childrens' fare. – gabriella, Kudzu