Cooking Classes for Little Chefs in the Bay Area

If you worry your child may never learn how to do more than use a microwave and toaster, there’s plenty of help. A variety of cooking classes throughout the Bay Area expand kids’ culinary skills and set them on their way to becoming competent home chefs and healthy eaters. 
Bay Area-wide
Bliss Belly Kitchen – Kids who take these classes get a dose of yoga training while using organic, locally-sourced ingredients. They learn the fundamentals of healthy Ayurvedic cooking and learn about yoga, breathing and meditation. 1710 Carleton St., Berkeley. 180 Montgomery St., #100, San Francisco. 510-936-1841.  
The Culinary Dude – This professional educator offers after-school enrichment classes, camps and birthday parties. Instruction is hands-on – focusing on fun, health, safety, nutrition and teamwork. This is a nut-free business. Programs are available in San Francisco and Marin County. 415-242-4192.   
Sprouts Cooking Club – This group teaches healthy cooking classes in classrooms, hosts birthday parties and operates camps all over the Bay Area and New York City. They use farm-fresh ingredients and teach nutritional lessons, including sugar reduction. 
East Bay
Cooking Round the World – The tag line of this group is “where culinary arts and cultural education embrace.” Kids not only learn to cook but learn about the background of the places where the recipes came from. This business offers after-school cooking classes, camps and birthday parties throughout the East Bay. 510-593-5285. 
FARMCurious – Among the classes offered are a family cheesemaking course. Kids ages 7 and up and their caregivers can make ricotta and goat cheese. 825 Bancroft Way, Berkeley.  510-877-9955. 
Marin
Kids Cooking for Life – Designed to inspire life-long healthy eating habits, these classes offer hands-on cooking skills and nutrition instruction. Classes are held at different schools in Marin County. 415-637-1414. . 
Peninsula
Junior Chef Stars – Kids are encouraged to explore new worlds of flavor with imaginative and original recipes, while learning nutritional and cultural elements of the culinary arts. Classes are available throughout San Mateo County and beyond. Summer camps and parties are also available. 650-898-8742.
San Francisco
Culinary Artistas – Kids and teens can take cooking classes, attend daylong and multi-day camps, enjoy birthday parties or go on field trips. Ghiradelli Square, 851 Beach St. 415-735-5234.  
Dandelion Chocolate – Families with kids ages 7-13 make chocolate together in a three-hour class. 740 Valencia St. 415-349-0942.   
Jordan’s Kitchen – This business uses only organic ingredients sourced from local farms for its summer camps and birthday parties. 413 10th St. 415-872-9160. 
Tinker Kitchen – This Mission district kitchen has about every cooking gadget you can think of. Check the website for camps and classes. It’s also a maker space for cooking where members can drop in to make what they like. 3233 22nd St. 650-796-7279.  
Silicon Valley
Cucina Bambini – Trained chefs and instructors provide an environment where kids can experience the joys of cooking, learn cooking techniques, become more independent and express their creativity. This business offers classes and camps that teach food preparation and handling, nutrition and proper etiquette. Locations in San Jose and Los Gatos. 408-564-7773. 
Hidden Villa – Check the website for a variety of offerings including ice cream making, pickling from garden vegetables and preparing a feast. This organic farm also has farm animals to enjoy. 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos. 650-949-8650.  

Lisa Renner is a calendar editor at Bay Area Parent.