Browse our 2026 photo gallery from the POP-UP CAMPS, ans SPRING I & II SESSION classes, which cover various culinary techniques: knife skills, piping, grating, peeling, concepts related to vocabulary development, direction following, critical thinking, and teamwork. 

 VALENTINE POP-UP CAMP 2026

PINK VALENTINE PASTA AND STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Our Valentine’s Day Camp was filled with sweet treats, savory skills, and so much heart. From scratch-made **beetroot pasta** (hello, naturally pink noodles!) to the dreamiest strawberry shortcakes, our students truly *poured their hearts* into every step. We kneaded dough with care, cracked eggs with confidence, measured with precision, and used manual pasta makers like true chefs. As we worked the dough, we talked about how **gluten bonds are formed** and explored vocabulary like *translucent*, *elasticity*, and *pliable*. Watching them see (and feel!) how dough transforms as those gluten strands develop was pure kitchen magic.

Our strawberry shortcakes were the perfect sweet finale. Students practiced knife skills while slicing strawberries, measured ingredients carefully for shortbread, and whipped up fluffy Chantilly cream with electric mixers. From macerating berries to mixing and assembling, every step was a chance to build confidence, coordination, and communication. Happy Valentine’s Day from our Kidz Kitchen family to yours!

 SPRING I CLASSES 2026

Irish Soda Bread and Leprechaun Shakes

Our Junior Chefs helped us celebrate the first day of our Spring Session and the start of our third year in business! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces returning, along with some new chefs joining us for the very first time. Today’s recipe was a classic Irish Soda Bread, and each chef had the opportunity to make their own individual loaf. As we mixed and measured, we talked about how soda bread gets its name and how this traditional Irish quick bread uses buttermilk and baking soda as its leaveners instead of yeast. Our chefs also practiced important cooking vocabulary like zest, score, incorporate, leaven, and hollow while preparing their dough. During class, we also introduced our chefs to currants—tiny, sweet berries that grow on shrubs. Currants are smaller and sweeter than raisins and are a classic ingredient often found in traditional Irish soda bread.

A small pat of rich, creamy Kerrygold butter melted beautifully over the warm soda bread and added the perfect finishing touch.

Our Junior Chefs also practiced an important kitchen skill: separating an egg yolk from the white. Before trying it with real eggs, we practiced the technique using plastic eggs. It takes patience and concentration, and we were so proud of our chefs for sticking with it and working hard to learn this new skill! To go along with their Irish treat, the chefs made delicious Lucky Leprechaun Shakes. And the bright green color? No food coloring at all! The color came entirely from dark leafy spinach, along with the refreshing flavor of pure peppermint extract. It was a fun and tasty way to add a little nutrition to our festive drink. We loved spending the afternoon cooking with this fantastic group of Junior Chefs and can’t wait to see them again for our next class.

Chicken Pot Pie

Today in The Kidz Kitchen, our Junior Chefs rolled up their sleeves and made chicken pot pie from scratch!  We focused on building strong kitchen skills, practicing safely holding a knife, properly holding food while cutting, and exploring several cutting techniques. Our chefs worked hard chopping carrots, onions, and garlic—our flavorful aromatics—while learning how these ingredients create delicious aromas that fill the kitchen. We also introduced the term “mise en place,” helping our students understand the importance of preparing and organizing ingredients before cooking.  We practiced sautéing, making sure to keep our “awkward elbow” up and out of the way to stay safe while cooking. After cubing chicken breast and bringing all of our ingredients together, each chef topped their creation with a light, flaky puff pastry. The result? A warm, savory dish that was the perfect complement to today’s sunny but chilly March day. So proud of our Junior Chefs for their focus, teamwork, and growing confidence in the kitchen!

Spring Surprise Cupcakes

Springtime sweetness was in full bloom in The Kidz Kitchen today! Our Junior Chefs celebrated both spring and Easter by creating Spring Surprise Cupcakes—and what a delicious adventure it was! The chefs learned to make three different fillings and compared and contrasted their flavor profiles. On the menu: a bright raspberry cream, a zesty lemon cream, and a rich chocolate cream. Using heavy cream as our base, we explored how simple ingredients can transform into something truly special. Safety was front and center as we practiced using a hand mixer, and we built our culinary vocabulary with words like aerate, incorporate, mixture, sift, and decorative. After filling cupcakes using a piping bag, it was time to get creative! Our chefs topped their treats with buttercream and had so much fun decorating—turning their cupcakes into adorable bunnies, blooming flowers, and cheerful baby chicks using marshmallows and colorful candies.

Two-Ingredient Flatbread

Our students created 2-ingredient flatbreads using a simple, nutritious base of self-rising flour and Greek yogurt.

Not only is this recipe easy and accessible, but the addition of Greek yogurt adds protein and extra nutritional value, helping us understand how ingredients can be both delicious and nourishing. Students explored flavor by seasoning their dough with either classic Italian seasoning or trying something new for many—za’atar, a fragrant Middle Eastern spice blend. We discussed the role of leaveners and how they help create a soft, tender texture in baked doughs and breads. Each chef rolled their dough into neat oblong shapes before cooking the flatbreads on the griddle until golden and warm. Once cooked, we built layers of flavor and texture:  A creamy, flavorful dill spread. Fresh greens, choosing between arugula or spinach. A colorful variety of fresh-cut vegetables, including tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, and sweet peppers. Our focus also included a review of knife skills, as students carefully prepped vegetables with growing confidence and precision. Throughout class, we reinforced key culinary vocabulary: leavener, oblong, versatile, incorporate, and savory. We are incredibly proud of their growth, independence, and kitchen skills throughout these four classes, and we look forward to inviting many of them back for our next session, where they will continue to build on and improve the skills they are learning in the kitchen!

SPRING II CLASSES 2026

Mother's Day Cheesecake Bites and Savory Canapés 

We celebrated Mother’s Day with a class full of creativity, cooking, and special treats for our moms and other important ladies in our lives!

Our Junior Chefs made both savory canapés and sweet cheesecake bites while addressing direction following, sequencing, and communicating through teamwork.  We learned that the word canapé is French for “couch” because these delicious little appetizers are designed to “hold” toppings just like a couch holds a person! Our chefs created a variety of colorful and tasty combinations, including shredded carrots with sunflower seeds, creamy cucumber dill toppings, and pesto with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. For dessert, our Junior Chefs made homemade graham cracker crusts and cheesecake filling from scratch. After baking, their creativity truly shone as they decorated their cheesecake bites with strawberries, blueberries, lemon curd, mint leaves, and mini chocolate chips. Wishing all of our amazing moms and the special women in our lives a wonderful Mother’s Day!

BBQ Chicken Cheddar Biscuits with Tangy Apple Slaw

Our junior chefs were channeling upcoming Memorial Day vibes with a delicious homemade meal featuring BBQ chicken cheddar biscuits paired with a tangy apple slaw on the side! We focused on important culinary skills, including grating, knife skills, and measuring ingredients. Our chefs learned the secret to making flaky, tender biscuits — using frozen butter grated directly into the flour mixture! We also discovered how buttermilk helps create that soft, tender texture everyone loves. After preparing the biscuit dough, the chefs filled it with shredded BBQ chicken and cheddar cheese before baking them to golden perfection in the oven. We also continued building kitchen confidence by practicing safe knife skills while preparing our colorful apple slaw made with fresh apples, purple cabbage, shredded carrots, and a delicious tangy dressing. What a flavorful combination and such a fun way to transform BBQ chicken into something creative and delicious!

Vegetable Egg Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce 

Our Kidz Kitchen chefs had a fantastic time creating homemade vegetable egg rolls and sweet and sour sauce from scratch!

Today's class gave our young cooks another opportunity to strengthen their knife safety and vegetable preparation skills as they chopped and grated ingredients for their colorful fillings. We also expanded our food vocabulary by learning about umami, a savory taste often found in ingredients like soy sauce and sesame oil, which helped give our egg rolls their delicious flavor.

The Junior Chefs were excited to master the art of folding and rolling egg roll wrappers. As they cooked, we discussed how the wrappers transformed from soft and pliable to crisp and crunchy, using descriptive words to talk about texture, appearance, and taste.

We also explored how recipes can be adapted by discussing different fillings that could be added or substituted to create unique egg roll combinations. This encouraged creativity while helping students think critically about ingredients and flavors.

Throughout the class, our chefs demonstrated excellent teamwork, listening skills, and direction-following as they worked together to prepare their meal. By the end of class, many students shared that making homemade egg rolls was much simpler than they expected—and several said they may never be satisfied with takeout egg rolls again after tasting their own creations!

Wonderful work today, chefs! We are so proud of your growing confidence and culinary skills.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

What a sweet way to wrap up our Spring II session! Our Junior Chefs made decadent chocolate lava cakes from scratch. They practiced cracking eggs, melting chocolate, whisking, measuring, and leveling ingredients while learning new culinary vocabulary like molten and invert.

The biggest challenge? Timing! Our chefs discovered that the secret to a perfect lava cake is baking it just long enough for the outside to become cake-like while keeping the center warm, rich, and gooey. Paired with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream on a hot day, it was the perfect treat!

We are so proud of everything our Junior Chefs have learned and accomplished over these past four classes. Thank you for a wonderful session—we can't wait to cook with you again soon!