Food & Drink
How Local Kids Are Learning Life Skills Through Cooking Classes
www.stock.adobe.com/lightfield studiosKids Cooking for Life, a Bay Area nonprofit, is working to make sure kids can find their way around the kitchen when they’re at just the right age for it. “These days, there are so many students who graduate from high school, and they can code, but they can’t cook,” says Saeri Yuk.
“We work with children who are in fourth grade to eighth grade,” adds Yuk, Kids Cooking for Life’s president. In this age range, she says, they’re old enough to follow a recipe, handle heat cooking, and use knives, graters and blenders. Since the nonprofit’s founding in 2009, over 10,000 kids and teens have participated, primarily through programs at Title I (providing financial assistance to school districts for children from low-income families) schools and youth organizations.
Trained instructors drive out to the locations, hauling groceries and induction cooktops for the hourlong classes (though summer sessions can run a little longer), with the curriculum stretching across eight to 10 weeks. Yuk refers to it as progression-based education; the kids start by learning about safety and hygiene in the kitchen and then work their way through basic to more difficult dishes. But they aren’t making soufflés or anything overly ambitious.
The nutritionist-approved recipes must fit the criteria for what you might call the culinary three Rs: reachable, repeatable and relatable. These are recipes the kids can learn in class but also share at home with their families. Think grilled cheese sandwiches, but with a side of roasted red pepper soup. Or pizza, topped with vegetables rather than ham or pepperoni. Because it’s not just about giving children culinary skills and a sense of independence; it’s also about instilling an understanding of proper nutrition.
It’s only been a few years since the nonprofit’s founder, Ted Smith, passed away. After a lengthy career as a restaurateur he chose to retire in Marin, but he was in his 80s when he started this venture that has since expanded to Oakland, Sonoma and Napa. “He realized nobody was cooking in schools anymore,” says Yuk. “But everybody should have this life skill.”
When it comes to skills, the core four that are taught in the classes are cooking fundamentals, kitchen safety, healthy choices and mindful eating. On that last one Yuk highlights the importance of actually tasting what you eat: “We teach them to recognize the textures and flavors, instead of just saying they do or don’t like it.” And healthy eating goes hand-in-hand with the four pillars of nutrition the organization also teaches: being smart about sugar intake, exploring whole grains, incorporating colorful produce and finding protein beyond meat and dairy. The result for participants is more well-rounded palates and, hopefully, a future less dependent on processed foods.
“Every child should have education in learning about Mother Nature, what she gives you in terms of fresh food, and eating with the seasons,” says Yuk. “And we introduce them to herbs and teach them to appreciate complex flavors.” While kids aren’t always known for being adventurous when it comes to eating, Yuk says that cooking can help them expand their horizons, even if it takes several tries to get them there.
“Learning is so digital-based these days,” she says. “We’re missing this tactile type of hands-on learning which is really impactful for children. So much can come just from chopping something and smelling it for themselves.”
