Kids' cooking classes teaching next generation of chefs
Dianne Palmieri of Greensburg is an advocate for building “kitchen confidence” in kids.
A children’s cooking instructor with 15 years experience, she says her mission is to get boys and girls excited about creating delicious and nutritious food.
“Increasing children’s confidence in the kitchen is so important,” she says. “When children are invited into the kitchen as active participants, they see how much fun cooking can be. They learn wonderful lessons about eating well that will serve them all their lives.”
In addition to hands-on classes she offers for groups through her Children’s Cooking Connection, Palmieri also teaches children’s cooking classes through the continuing education departments at Westmoreland County Community College (WCCC) and Community College of Allegheny County’s (CCAC) Boyce Campus in Monroeville.
This fall she also will be teaching cooking classes for children at PA Cyber through their ArtReach program at the Greensburg Center.
Palmieri says she is constantly creating classes with new and different content for children so they can expand their knowledge of and interest in cooking.
Thanksgiving 101
“One of the most popular classes I offer is Thanksgiving 101, where we prepare a delicious Thanksgiving meal including a turkey breast, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn casserole and homemade cranberry sauce,” she says.
Her upcoming classes for ages 9-13 held from
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays at WCCC include: Homemade Pretzels, Oct. 6; Everything Apple, Oct. 20; Thanksgiving Favorites, Nov. 17, and Gingerbread House Workshop (ages 10-13, two-session class), Dec. 1 and 8.
At CCAC Boyce Campus, classes include Pioneer Cooking, Sept. 29, and Homemade Bread Soup, Oct. 13. The fee for kids cooking classes at CCAC is $49 per class; WCCC classes are $39 each, or $69 for the two-session class.
Details: WCCC classes, 724-925-4204 or 1-800-262-2103, ext. 4204, or westmoreland.edu ; for CCAC classes, 412-788-7507 or ccac.edu ; Dianne Palmieri, 724-834-3963 or childrenscookingconnection.com
Growing cooking skills
There are several places in the Pittsburgh area where kids can get hands-on experience in cooking skills.
They include Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Schenley Park, Oakland, which recently opened its new Botany Hall Demonstration Kitchen. The facility serves as a hub for new Culinary Arts courses and youth programming produced by Phipps’ science education and Let’s Move Pittsburgh teams.
Sarah States, Phipps’ director of research and science education, says the children’s classes are designed to inspire curiosity and excitement around nature and the science of growing one’s own food, so kids have a better understanding of where their food comes from.
Upcoming Kids’ Night Out classes held 6-8 p.m. Fridays for ages 4-13 at Phipps include: Culinary Art, Sept. 14; Fall Harvest, Oct. 12, and Nature Configurations Cooking Class, Nov. 9.
The classes are $15 for Phipps members and $20 for nonmembers.
Details: 412-622-6914 or phipps.conservatory.org
Next generation
At Crate Cooking School and Kitchen Store in Green Tree, cooking classes for kids are quite popular, according to Jen Clark, store owner. Classes range from Cooking with Kids classes for ages 6 and up with an adult, to Teen Cuisine classes for teens.
“The classes have been such a hit with this next generation of foodies that they sell out faster than our adult classes,” she says. “We have had so much positive feedback about the impact it has on the children being more confident at school and in other activities.”
She also has found that, even with picky eaters, when a child helps to prepare a meal, they will be more likely to try something that they normally wouldn’t.
Crate launches its new season of classes 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sept. 8 with a hibachi-themed Cooking for Kids class. Young chefs will prepare mixed greens with ginger dressing, hibachi shrimp and chicken, homemade shrimp sauce, veggie fried rice and green tea milkshake.
A Teen Cuisine class is scheduled 5-7:30 p.m. Nov. 26.
The fee for Cooking with Kids classes is $60/adult child, $30/extra child for children 6 and up; Teen Cuisine class is $45 for ages 12 and up.
Details: 412-341-5700 or cratecook.com
Cooking together
Sweetwater Center for the Arts in Sewickley offers a variety of kids cooking classes for ages 7-10 and teen classes for ages 11-14.
Alyssa Virgin, marketing and development associate, says a new parent/child class, “Cooking Together,” is being offered 6-8 p.m. for four Thursdays, Sept. 13-
Oct. 4, with Chef Jeff Berkowitz. Participants will learn about basic knife skills, cleaning, labeling, cooking techniques, and quick meals – with the emphasis on having fun. The cost of $125 includes one adult and one child.
Chef Kate Jeffe will offer two sessions of “Holiday Cookie Extravaganza,” Dec. 15, from 9:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. for ages 7-10 and from 1-
4 p.m. for ages 11-15. The cost for each class is $35. She also will instruct a “Cakes” class for ages 11-15 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 8; the fee is $60.
Details: 412-741-4405 or sweetwaterartcenter.org
More eats and treats
Gaynor’s School of Cooking on the South Side has a full schedule of classes for kids and teens, with topics ranging from Sushi Making from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 21 or Oct. 19 (ages 13-16, $50 fee) to Kids Bread Making Class from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 15 (ages 8-14, $50 fee).
Gaynor’s also offers other classes for children throughout the year. A Mommy (or Daddy) Me program designed for one child ages 2-5 and a parent is scheduled 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 29 or
3-5 p.m. Nov. 17 ($45 fee).
Details: 412-325-2703 or gaynorsschoolofcooking.com
Market District Cooking School at Robinson is hosting a four-day Teen Cooking Boot Camp this week (Aug. 20-23) for ages 12-16. Other cooking classes are scheduled throughout the year; no kids classes are currently on the calendar.
Details: 412-490-5827 or marketdistrict.com
Candy Williams is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
