Looking for a weekend or holiday activity that will keep the little ones busy and help them learn about handling food? A mini cooking course might just fit the bill.
The Kitchen in south west London’s Parsons Green runs weekend and holiday cookery courses for children aged 4 years and over.
Children spend an hour preparing food under the guidance of a professional chef and assistant.
Not only is it fun – what child doesn’t like pouring, mixing, squidging and squishing? – but it is also educational. Learning to recognise ingredients, the basics of food hygiene and how to remember and follow instructions, are all important skills.
Even the youngest children on the course we tried out had a great time. And my daughter, who thought she didn’t like cheese, found that it was actually quite tasty, afterall!
Check out listings in your local area to find out whether your children could take part in a kids’ cookery course. Further education colleges sometimes run them, too.
The Kitchen of Parsons Green is a café/restaurant as well as a cooking school, running courses for adults and children. It was set up by Natalie Richmond and Michelin star chef Thierry Laborde.
Weekend and holiday course for kids cover dishes including cookies, cake decorating, making mini-meals, puddings, pancakes, pizzas, child-friendly canapés and more. It’s all basically good bowl-licking fun!
Thierry says, ‘It is important to get children involved right from the beginning – encouraging them to touch, smell and where possible choose ingredients.’
Find out more about The Kitchen at www.visitthekitchen.com or call 020 7736 8067