Kids Kitchen is a youth programme run by the Rotary Club of Felixstowe, and created by Rotary member Andrew Rowden, Youth Co-ordinator, to help inspire young chefs.
“Our aim is to give children and young adults the opportunity to experience new things that may not usually be available to them.”
Our aim is to give children and young adults the opportunity to experience new things that may not usually be available to them.
“Kids Kitchen gives them just that experience, it teaches them about cooking, it gives them the chance to see what it’s like to work in a kitchen environment, they have to work with both adults and their peers and they learn new skills.”
Using the facilities at Felixstowe Academy, along with the support of local restaurants and cafes, the Kids Kitchen programme gives these aspiring chefs a professional place to learn and try new recipes.
Kids Kitchen gives them just that experience, it teaches them about cooking, it gives them the chance to see what it’s like to work in a kitchen environment.
An extremely exciting part of the programme is over the course of 6 weeks the young chefs are able to get hands on experience and work with a professional chef to create new and exciting dishes.
After weeks of learning new skills in the kitchen, it is time to put them into practice by planning, preparing, and cooking a 3 course meal for their families and guests at the Alex Brasserie in Felixstowe.
After weeks of learning new skills in the kitchen, it is time to put them into practice by planning, preparing, and cooking a 3 course meal
Mark and Kate Hayward, whose daughter Mille was one of the six pupils in the kitchen, say it’s a fantastic initiative.
Mark added “It’s wonderful to see a local business working with local schools to give children the opportunity to work with a chef in beautiful surroundings, exposing them to the hospitality industry in such a brilliant way.”
Millie herself said “It has been great fun but was it did get quite stressful in the kitchen when we had to get the food out. Being a chef is a very stressful job.”
The Alex Brasserie in Felixstowe, where families and friends on the young chefs enjoyed a delicious 3 course meal
President of Felixstowe Rotary, Andy Miller, commented on how the participants had developed over the course of the project: “It’s been wonderful to watch them develop and to see their confidence grow.
“They seemed to enjoy themselves immensely and my fellow Rotarians and I are extremely proud to have been able to give them this opportunity. I congratulate them all on their achievement.”
Find out more about Rotary youth programmes here
