Hot summer days and you don’t feel like cooking. The stove, oven, even the grill…it’s all so hot. But hold on a minute there, maybe *you* don’t have to! With a little foresight (read: now), your kids can learn to cook this summer, get inspired and whoa-oh, looks who’s not in the kitchen anymore?! Beyond your parental joy, though, kids will enjoy learning cooking skills, whipping up some pretty cool menus from around the globe and even having a cooking competition or two just to test their mettle. Just be sure to sign up your aspiring chefs soon, these classes and camps fill up quicker than hot grease will jump out of a pan!

The Fig Cooking School, Milford

www.figcookingschool.com
Held at their state-of-the-art teaching kitchen in Milford, The Fig Cooking School’s “Around the World,” “Best of America,” and “Summer Breeze” 5-day kids’ cooking workshops will feature recipes anchored in the wealth of colorful, fresh food available during the summer. Kids can discover the flavors of Mexico, Italy, India, Thailand, and France and various regions of our good ol’ US of A without traveling a single mile.  Fig’s interactive teaching will strengthen kids’ culinary foundations as they sample local ingredients, learn about flavor profiles, and build strong technique. Fig is also located only 1 block from Walnut Beach, where (weather permitting) kids spend time every day, playing games, and exploring the area. Kids will come away with new friendships, happy tummies, and the skills to explore the culinary possibilities of the world around them. For ages 10-17.

AMG Catering, Wilton

www.amgcatering.com
Kids CIT (Chef In Training) Camp at AMG
This summer, AMG is offering 2 consecutive weeks of the “young chef’s academy” for your young CIT, Chef in Training. Each week is a unique four-day, hands-on kids cooking camp! The CITs will be exploring American regional cuisines, global cuisines, farm to table, current food trends, street foods, and many other culinary delights each day at camp. Menus are planned according to what’s in season and available, so this is seasonal, fresh food. They also like to collaborate with our campers on what they want to learn each day. In other words…let the food teach itself. There will be no duplicate recipes weeks 1 and 2, so register for both weeks! On the last day of each camp week to put the frosting on this cupcake (so to speak), the campers will be participating in a cooking competition. Game on! NOTE: The kitchens are NOT food allergy free kitchens. Nuts, shellfish etc are used frequently. Some of the dishes may contain dairy, seafood and/or nuts. For ages 11-15.

Wakeman Town Farm, Westport

www.wakemantownfarm.org

One of the best parts of kids’ cooking classes and camps in the gleaming new commercial kitchen at Wakeman Farm is that their amazing organic gardens and local farmer friends supply a colorful array of fresh ingredients. Young chefs will learn delicious and healthy seasonal recipes that they can replicate at home (big thumbs up!). They will also learn lifetime culinary techniques, terms, and practices, from mis en place to knife skills, to caramelization to braising to ice-cream making. Their globally inspired recipes are constantly changing to keep things fun and interesting. Whether they are competing for who can make the longest “zoodle” (chef-speak for spiraled zucchini) with their spiralizer to who has the most beautifully presented berry crepes, their chef instructors keep things age-appropriate (more difficult skills for the older kids, plus a fun Top-Chef competition at the end) and more basic skills for the little chefs. Wakeman also hosts private kids’ cooking parties for birthdays, scouting, play groups, or friends. For kids age 7-11.

Camp MasterChef, Kent

www.campmasterchef.com
Cooking, learning, team challenges, nightly theme parties. They even meet and cook with MasterChef and MasterChef Junior contestants. Camp days are rounded out with outdoor activities, dancing and yoga classes. A full camp experience held at the beautiful Kent School.
For ages 8-16.

Common Ground, New Haven

www.commongroundct.org
Farm to Feast Cooking camp where kids learn to cook and eat right! Each day kids will gather ingredients from the farm for each day’s cooking adventure, which varies from day to day. Themes include campfire cooking, edible food art and desserts from the farm. For ages 7-10.

Essex Parks and Recreation Summer Program, Essex

www.essexct.gov
Master Chef cooking camp will explore foods and culinary traditions from around the globe! Includes a day trip to Cedar Lake. For campers entering grades K-7.

The Unquowa School, Fairfield

www.unquowa.org
Farm to Forest Camp will have campers cooking, making art and learning environmental science while visiting organic farms and community gardens. Harvest and cook and learn what it’s like to work on an organic farm. For campers entering grades 1-7.

Westport Continuing Education, Westport

www.westportsummerschool.com
Learn cooking skills and prepare menus of American Regional, Asian, European, Latin American cuisines and desserts using fresh ingredients. Camps for students entering grades 3-5 and grades 6-9.
Pink Rhubarb
www.thepinkrhubarb.com
The Pink Rhubarb, at Fodor Farm, develops and supports cooking, gardening, craft skills and yoga. Dig in the garden, learn where food comes from, and connect with nature. For ages 5-11.

Foodology

www.foodologylab.com
Enjoy a summer of culinary eureka moments with Summer Cooking Intensives such as Passport Food, Brunch and Munch and Classic Dessert, as well many more. For grades 2-10.

Tiny Chefs

www.tinychefs.com
Tiny Chefs holds cooking classes at area schools, camps, and community centers. Let your kids try their hands at a Chopped Camp, The Art of Cupcakes, Healthy Hacks, Restaurant Creation and more. For grades K-8.

Nouveau Nutrition

www.nouveaunutrition.com
Expand your child’s palate by using a “learn by doing” way of teaching, making several fun and healthy recipes per day while learning valuable kitchen skills. For ages 5-14.

Ambler Farm

www.amblerfarm.org
Sign up for Adventures on the Farm Summer Program. Each week includes woodworking, hayrides, planting, visiting animals, harvesting, cooking, and more! For Preschool ages and grades 1-7.

Aux Delices

www.auxdelicesfoods.com
Each day of the week-long sessions has a different theme to keep things fresh and interesting for the CITs-Cooks in Training.Check website for recipe menus to choose for your camp experience. For ages 8-14.

Stew Leonard’s

www.stewleonards.com
“Join the fun!” says Stew! At their Newington location, summer cooking camps and classes will be offered that you can join for the week or the day. So convenient! Keep an eye on their website (events page) for details, coming soon.

Sur La Table

www.surlatable.com
3 or 5-Day Summer Cooking Series for kids and teens. Boost kitchen confidence, have fun with “Mystery Box Competitions” and learn to cook a variety of favorite summertime foods. For ages 8-17.