We can't wait to see you this Summer!
CREATING CONFIDENCE & INDEPENDENCE IN THE KITCHEN
Through demonstration and personalized instruction, our culinary staff works with young chefs to learn cooking skills, be creative, and gain confidence in the kitchen while preparing a variety of delicious and nutritious meals and snacks.
Our cooking classes emphasize kitchen safety, clean workspaces, and the nutritional value of the food that we eat.
Every class we will create new and exciting dishes, with recipes your friends will be asking you for! From the discipline that cooking requires to the delight it creates, KidSpirit's Cooking Academy will guide chefs along a culinary journey to remember!
Cooking Academy Summer Camps
June 22 - July 2
Time: 8:30 AM - 1 PM
Price: $607 ($13.49/hr)
In our Top Chef: Beaver Edition course, young chefs in grades 3-8 will experience a hands-on culinary journey where they’ll learn essential cooking skills, explore creativity, and gain confidence in the kitchen.
With personalized instruction and demonstrations, participants will prepare various delicious and nutritious meals and snacks while embracing their inner chef.Our classes emphasize kitchen safety, clean workspaces, and the nutritional value of food. Cooking helps children develop critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and skills in counting, measuring, sequencing, and following directions. With friendly cooking challenges inspired by "Top Chef" and a fun OSU twist, participants develop confidence and independence that stretch far beyond the kitchen, guided by a growth mindset and supportive instruction.
July 6 - July 17
Time: 8:30 AM - 1 PM
Price: $607 ($13.49/hr)
Get your green thumb ready! – In this session chefs will be cooking herb centered recipes while growing their very own herb garden. Chefs will be learning about the farm to chef relationship, and what it means to eat seasonally. In addition, chefs will learn about cooking safety, cooking strategies, science, math, and community building. We intentionally choose our recipes to provide nutritious, creative, and colorful meals. We learn and accommodate all different dietary needs. The goal of this session is for chefs to understand how our food grows while becoming well versed in the knowledge, abilities, and confidence to cook!
July 20 - July 31
Time: 8:30 AM - 1 PM
Price: $607 ($13.49/hr)
Food is fuel! –Chefs will train for a 5k while learning what foods will help us recover and fuel us. The themes we will cover in this session include digestion and microbes, energy, vitamins and minerals, balance, hydration, the timing of food, and food as medicine. In addition to these themes, chefs will learn about other cultures, science, math, community building, and other cooking-related topics.We intentionally choose our recipes to provide nutritious, creative, and colorful meals. We learn and accommodate all different dietary needs. This session aims to learn about food's role in the recovery process and the fueling process while simultaneously training for a 5k."In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport." – Julia Child
August 3 - August 14
Time: 8:30 AM - 1 PM
Price: $607 ($13.49/hr)
Einstein who? – In this session, chefs will learn about science in the kitchen. It will be full of color changes, state changes, critical thinking, discoveries, and delicious food. We will dive into topics including, emulsification, acids and bases, microbes, etc. In addition, chefs will learn about cooking safety, cooking strategies, science, math, and community building. We intentionally choose our recipes to provide nutritious, creative, and colorful meals. We learn and accommodate all different dietary needs. The goal of this session is to gain knowledge on the connection between science and the kitchen while gaining abilities and confidence to cook.
August 17 - August 28
Time: 8:30 AM - 1 PM
Price: $607 ($13.49/hr)
Calling all explorers! – Chefs will indulge in foods from all across the Northern globe. These chefs won’t just be eating exquisite dishes from around the world. We will also dive into the cultures that come with the foods. Chefs will be dipping into themes, including languages, climate/geography, and current events. In addition, chefs will learn about cooking safety, cooking strategies, science, math, and community building. We intentionally choose our recipes to provide nutritious, creative, and colorful meals. We learn and accommodate all different dietary needs. The goal of this session is for chefs to become well-versed in foods and cultures from around the world.“Cooking and shopping for food brings rhythm and meaning to our lives.” — Alice Waters.
Discounts:
OSU Staff, Faculty, Students and OSUAA Members save $25 per session.
If you register before April 15, you get the early bird discount, which saves $50 per session!
Prepare for Anything with Cooking Academy!
Cooking encourages children's thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. It also helps them develop skills in counting, measuring, following a sequence, following directions, and analyzing cause and effect. With diligence, patience, and supportive instruction from a growth mindset, developing culinary skills can develop a child's confidence and independence far outside of the kitchen!
Our Cooking Academy is for chefs in grades 3 to 8. During summer term, consider the grade you are about to enter. We deliver our classes at our kitchen on the OSU Corvallis campus, on the third floor of Milam Hall.
Whether your child is an independent chef or is still learning, they will develop their skills and prepare a wide variety of delicious meals, with recipes they can take home for the family! Of course, they will also get to eat the food they make each day in class.
Recipes
Want to make it at Home?
Check out our ever-growing catalog of kid-friendly recipes, and make them at home for the whole family to enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
KidSpirit Cooking Academy
How can I see what my Chef has been working on?
There will be a Cooking Showcase day on the last Friday of the session! This is a great opportunity to see your Chef in action and taste their delicious meal!
When you arrive for Showcase Day, please check in with our cooking staff on the second floor of Milam Hall. One visitor is allowed per child and that visitor must be listed as a guardian, emergency contact or authorized pick-up on their profile.
Can my child stay for Summer Day Camp after Cooking?
Yes! Register for Cooking in the morning, then contact our office to add Summer Day Camp in the afternoon. Call our office at 541-737-5437 or email [email protected] and we’ll take care of the rest.
When you reach out, please let us know which Summer Day Camp group you would like to join. You can find the full list of groups in our Summer Day Camp flyer. Our office will add Summer Day Camp to your registration and adjust the camp price to reflect the partial-day schedule.
Thank you to the Moore Family Center for use of their kitchen facility!
We Offer Scholarships!
Click here to learn more about our scholarships.
Wondering About Parking?
See our parking page!