On February 1st, 2010 Lil’Chef School opened it’s doors for the first time and for the past nine years, we have been so incredibly blessed.
Before opening our doors, I was a stay-at-home, single mother, who had been out of the work force for over ten years. I felt like being a mom was my identity, it’s who I was, but I knew there was something more. I had a passion for cooking and truly enjoyed cooking with my children.
While watching one of my favorite channels, the Food Network, an idea sparked inside of me. I wanted to open a cooking school and teach preschoolers how to cook. Cooking is an essential part of our daily lives. What an inspiring business opportunity, to have the chance to introduce cooking to young children!
I started at Marguerite Christian Preschool in Mission Viejo. I taught 3-5 year olds, making lunches, like grilled cheeses, quesadillas, home-made pancakes, eggs in a basket, pizza and much more. I ran that alone for 3 years before I stumbled on the franchise for sale. The class was held during their lunch bunch and the sole purpose for the class was to introduce independence, basic nutrition and help develop their fine motor skills. From the start, the class was a hit and adorable!! I got lots of hugs everyday!
In January, 2013, I was told a similar Business model was for sale. A friend of mine stumbled upon Young Chefs Academy, a cooking school in Irvine, which was currently for sale. This school would give me the opportunity to continue doing what I love, on a much larger scale. My eyes suddenly begin to shift to this exciting, new venture.
After a year of dreaming and strategizing on how to make things work, my dream came to fruition, thanks to the wonderful help of an amazing broker, who has now become one of my very best friends. He and his wife helped inspire and motivate me and made my dream, Lil’ Chef School, a reality.
Lil’ Chef School, celebrates nine years this coming February 2019. It all began with a vision. Owning a business that you are truly passionate about, is a gift and I thank God every day for this wonderful blessing!
Lil’ Chef School is a children’s cooking school that offers birthday parties, cooking classes, workshops, special events, field trips and camps, to children, ages 3 to adult.
We specialize in kitchen safety, and teach children how to cook by introducing various, age-appropriate, cooking techniques. We also teach children how to set and clear a table, execute proper table manners and introduce various cooking utensils and appliances.
We educate students on nutrition and we use all fresh ingredients. Most of our dishes are made from scratch.
These classes and camps allow children to be creative and explore the Culinary Arts experience. It also encourages them to try new foods because they are more likely to try something that they have created.
We offer a fun, educational and unique experience that children will savor for their rest of their lives. It’s never too soon to cook and we are never too old.
http://lilchefschool.com/
