When children learn the basics of cooking at an early age, they develop life skills and healthy eating habits that last a lifetime. It is important to help children and allow them to explore in the kitchen so they can apply their basic math skills and measuring knowledge to make connections with their learning in real-life applications.

Whether your mini-chef is 3 or 13 years old, cooking will help hone their cognitive skills, help develop their problem-solving abilities, and help support their creativity. Here are suggestions for trying out kids’ cooking classes near Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Young Chef’s Academy

“Young friends helping in puff pastry preparation” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by shixart1985

The Young Chef’s Academy is a place that can harness a child’s imagination and help them develop their ideas into a truly unique dish. They’re geared toward developing young minds using a whole-child educational approach that sees the value in children being fully engaged in their learning and agents capable of guiding the learning process. The multi-tactile experience of being in the kitchen allows learners in multiple levels with different learning styles a vehicle to learn easily at their own pace. So, auditory, visual, kinesthetic learners, and everything in between benefit from the cognitive development that cooking in a kitchen provides. 

Young Chef’s Academy offers a variety of options, so it is easy to fit your needs and those of the little chef in your life. You can choose from the traditional weekly classes and memberships, parties to celebrate special events, culinary camps, workshops, field trips, and the Master Chef Program. Weekly classes are planned around a thematically linked monthly curriculum. 

The courses offer an immersive experience that help students focus on learning new skills and building upon prior knowledge to create and present dishes in professional and inventive ways. Students (and parents) can opt to attend classes individually for around $25 per class or take part in their membership program for $89 to $99 per month depending on the participant’s age and skill level. 

Kids love their summer camps and loyal participants look forward to the Christmas in July workshop, where kids can take a little break from the warm sun and enjoy a little taste of the holidays. Another program called “Families in the Kitchen: Tour of Italy” is a great bonding experience for young and old as you work together to create a fine Italian meal to nourish the heart and body. 

You can find them at 227 Sandy Springs Place Ste. #368 in Sandy Springs, Georgia. For further details, contact them via phone at 404-255-9263. They are open Tuesdays through Sundays and closed on Mondays. 

The Cook’s Warehouse

The Cook’s Warehouse, specializing in selling kitchen tools and accessories, is also host to The Cooking School. The Cook’s Warehouse has fully hands-on classes that are limited to 12 students at a time while a partial hands-on class is capped at 16 students. They also host private events that are limited to 18 participating students at a time for the best experience possible. 

When in class, students are expected to work in teams of two, so it is suggested that you pre-register your children with a partner so they can enjoy the experience with someone familiar. Because children under the age of 18 are expected to be accompanied by an adult, it is the perfect bonding experience for parents and children. Make an evening of it and plan a sweet father and daughter date by ending the night with a stop at Sweet Charlie’s in Buckhead Court. 

Single classes begin at $79 per person while a camp experience for a five-day teen or kids camp begins at $399. Young students learn how to make a variety of kitchen staples from varying cultures. They may learn how to make warm, soft and chewy flour tortillas, juicy dumplings, sticky rice with mango, beef empanadas, homemade caramel, potato gnocchi, and savory crepes or chocolate mousse with chantilly creme. 

Their Midtown Cooking School is at 1544 Piedmont Ave. Ste. #403-R, in Atlanta, Georgia. You can call them for more information at 404-815-4993. Or, you can email them for inquiries regarding special topics or to be added to a waitlist in case spots become available.  

Marcus JCC of Atlanta

The MJCCA believes that quality cooking with fresh ingredients can help make a house a home. They offer quality cooking classes to everyone and provide a safe and welcoming environment for participants of all backgrounds. Cooking classes and events are offered for youths from early childhood to teens. Marcus JCC of Atlanta welcomes students into the Henry and Etta Raye Hirsch Culinary Arts School to learn special culinary techniques and tips from some of Atlanta’s finest chefs practicing in the business today. The marvelous kitchen is the perfect learning environment to filter out distractions or create a team-building experience.

Kids and parents can choose from different lessons from kitchen basics to how to make sushi. There are after-school programs taught by master chefs that help to create lifelong chefs and learners capable of applying advanced problem-solving skills in real-life situations. Experience in the kitchen will help to create a growth mindset for little ones and foster adaptability. These character traits are essential to balanced adults and will help build resilience for children. Families can also opt to take classes together and build lasting memories while learning about health, nutrition, and gaining valuable food preparation skills. 

You can find them at 1580 Spalding Drive in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Call 678-812-3770 for more information or to begin the process of setting up a special event. Here at Creme de la Creme of Buckhead, we understand how important active learning is and we aim to provide our children and community with high-quality experiences to help kids develop socially, emotionally, and educationally. A love for learning instilled at an early age develops children into lifelong learners and enables them to take an active role in their growth and development. Did we miss a favorite of yours? If we did, let us know. Drop a line or call us and we’ll add your suggestions to our list.