top of page

OUR STORY

The Kiddie Kitchen provides an exciting, fun, and new way of inspiring creativity, celebrating an event, teaching, and empowering your young kids or teens. Whether it’s fun family time, birthday, sleepover, celebration, graduation, or a “Just Because Party” it can be made an unforgettable memory.
​
They will learn to be creative, discover a hidden potential plus learn cooking techniques that could last a lifetime. What makes The Kiddie Kitchen so unique and exciting is that we took all the work out of having to plan what to do next to keep the kids entertained but also use it as a teaching method.

Neena pizza.jpeg

MEET CHEF NEENA

Chef Neena Perez is the founder and CEO of The Kiddie Kitchen and an Executive chef of a farm-to-table eatery and is a ServSafe instructor. She teaches these kid culinary classes like a real culinary school so the kids can grow into their full cooking potential.

Chef Neena

She started the Kiddie Kitchen over 15 years ago because she believes that spending quality time with children is essential to their future. She is a mother of 3 boys and 1 girl. They are all independent adults and now are fantastic cooks!! They tell her that when they were younger their fondest memories were around food and cooking with her in the kitchen. She believes in working hard to help to develop strong, independent, respectful, and well-rounded children; and cooking is a fun way for children to develop these qualities.

Neena-Profile.jpg

THE KIDDIE KITCHEN CULINARY ACADEMY

The Kiddie Kitchen Culinary Academy involves many areas of food creation including food basics and preparation, baking at different levels, international foods and sanitation, and nutrition. 

Neena knows that nutrition is very important in today’s fast food-oriented society. Even more important is the need to get back to the kitchen with our families. She truly believes that it is very important to listen to our children and be involved in their lives as much as possible. 

One of the most fundamental ways she has found to communicate with her children has been through cooking and family meals. It is a tradition in her home to eat together as a family and be open to one another. It is a nonthreatening environment and they feel encouraged by what they can accomplish in the kitchen. It teaches them life-giving skills that they can use in other areas of their life including math, organization, and responsibility, that start in the kitchen and then spread out into the rest of their world.

Why Kiddie Kitchen Online Culinary Classes?

  1. Fun, Fun, Fun

  2. Informative

  3. Easy to follow and delicious recipes

  4. Detailed shopping list

  5. Chef guided culinary videos

  6. You can eat the delicious creations

Cooking Skills For All Kid Chefs In Your Life

​

Supervision is the key to cooking with kids. Children develop cooking skills at different rates, so it’s important to have an adult introduce children to skills that match their ability level. We believe “Every Kid Can Cook!” Getting your child to feel competent at cooking pays off for everyone and builds their confidence and independence. Begin by inviting him or her into the kitchen during a time when you do not feel rushed when there is time to instruct them, watch them, and share responsibilities. They will be more willing to try new things as well!! The best way for her to gain cooking knowledge is by helping out and observing.

​

If they can read, they can assist you by reading recipes aloud. This will help them learn cooking terms. They can also do the Mise en place which is to set out the correct amounts for all the recipe ingredients ahead of time.

​

Refer to the list below to see how your children can help with meal preparation. Every child and skill level are different, this is just a guide, use your best judgment.

 

Ages 3-6 years

Start practicing reading recipes for ingredients

Stir ingredients together in a bowl
Scrub and wash all fruits/vegetables
Tear lettuce to make a salad put in ingredients for the salad

Ages 6-8 years

Read recipes for ingredients

Fill and level measuring cups and spoons 

Stir food together with supervision

Set the table

Beat ingredients with a wire whisk

Ages 6-8 years

Read recipes for ingredients

Fill and level measuring cups and spoons 

Stir food together with supervision

Set the table

Beat ingredients with a wire whisk

Ages 10-14 years

Use an oven cook on stovetop with supervision
Use a knife with supervision
Use a grater to shred ingredient

In the Video Cooking Classes, we will answer some questions you and your kids may not know.

Does your child know:

  • Where food comes from?

  • About Kitchen safety?

  • What are the groups?

  • What herbs and spices are?

  • Why are some foods sweet, and some are sour?

  • How to follow directions in a recipe?

  • Different units of measurement - solids & liquids?

  • How to safely use Kitchen tools & Cooking utensils?

  • That FOOD is FUN, and cooking is CREATIVE

Your children will:

  • A life skill they will carry into their adulthood

  • A feeling of accomplishment that can increase confidence
    and self-esteem

  • Refinement of fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination

  • Increased vocabulary and reading comprehension skills from
    following recipes

  • Familiarity and willingness to try new foods and understanding
    of different cooking techniques and processes

  • Sense of how to be a team player, take turns and work together
    to achieve a specific outcome

  • A sense of responsibility that comes with following directions and
    delegating tasks

  • Awareness of different cultures and flavors

  • Increased patience and time management

  • A better understanding of nutrition

  • Math skills including addition, division, and logical thinking

  • An outlet for their creativity

bottom of page