I’m excited to learn you may be interested in teaching children to cook from your home or community kitchen. I have been doing this for years and have not only learned the ins and outs, but have witnessed countless little ones change from picky eaters to kids who are independent, confident, and willing to try all sorts of new foods and ideas. I’ve compiled a sampling of information from our program that I sending for your review. I have explained how I can help make you a successful instructor. As part of our network program I’ll share some of what I’ve learned and hopefully convey the fun I’ve had creating this program. I want to do everything I can to help you be as successful as possible.
First, let me tell you a bit about how this began. I started off by wanting to become a teacher. As many do, I changed my college major a few times and ended up with a certification in the culinary arts. After several events and dinners, I learned the field of catering (which to that point had sounded to me like an endless party) wasn’t as much fun as I had imagined. I also felt the high-pressure work of a chef in a restaurant wasn’t for me. As time passed and we had children, I often found myself in the kitchen surrounded by one or more of them and many times even their friends. It seemed natural to entertain them by having them help cook something fun and delicious.
It turns out they absolutely loved it! Friends were surprised how well my little ones knew their way around the kitchen and began asking me to teach their children as well. I sat down and committed to paper what I had been doing. I quickly realized how my studies to become a teacher and my certification as a chef came together to help create a great teaching plan. My experience as a mom taught me how to motivate the children, encourage, and reward them. All of these elements have turned into what many have told me is an “amazing” program.
When I first began teaching organized classes, I would spend hours developing just one lesson. I’d stay up late into the night considering the point and direction the lesson should follow, what the individual children should be able to do at their specific ages, and what culinary skill was to be taught for each recipe. I then had to figure out how to fit all of it into a 45 minute class period. As you might imagine, this was a very labor intensive process. This program has all of that done for you! All you need is to do is print the lesson, buy the ingredients, and teach!
As a military spouse I’ve had the opportunity to start and pass this business on to friends as we have moved from location to location. Although always sad to go, I’ve loved the idea of passing the baton for others to continue to carry. Not all of our new program leaders were parents and none of them were certified chefs, but with careful attention to the instructions and a little help from the network, they have all been successful using the curriculum. They each developed their own schedule that worked for them and their families, and brought in a decent monthly salary without subtracting significantly from other things they loved to do.
After a successful initial launch primarily amongst friends and acquaintances, I am now opening the opportunity nationwide to those who would like to become part of the “Children’s Culinary Institute.” You too can benefit from our established good name and ideas from thousands of our followers. Please contact me if you have further questions. I look forward to discussing with you ways to help establish your own children’s cooking classes, and having you join our team of culinary enthusiasts and budding junior chefs.
Best wishes!
Arlena Strode
Founder, Children’s Culinary Institute
623-255-1922
childrensculinaryinstitute@gmail.com