Top Five ... Kids & Cooking

The Age

Saturday June 24, 2006

LIZ CINCOTTA

Savour Chocolate and Patisserie School, 126 Weston Street, Brunswick East, phone 9380 9777

Savour Chocolate and Patisserie School director Kirsten Tibballs introduces kids to cooking with chocolate at her Chocolates and Pralines class. "They love it - they get up to their elbows in chocolate," she says. A two-hour class allows kids to master the skills of chocolate making, learning to make moulded and hand-dipped delights using chocolate from Belgium and France. Children's classes are provided in two age groups: Four-10 years and 10-16 years. Children are also taught the importance of cleaning up and get to take their chocolates home. The next children's class is August 5. Visit savourschool.com.au.

Queen Victoria Market Cooking School, 69 Victoria Street, city, phone 9320 5835

Melbourne's celebrated Queen Victoria Market is home to a cooking school that has culinary classes for all ages. Adults can learn how to prepare bouillabaisse or souffles but during school holidays, there are classes for kids and teens. Shani Burke shares easy, fun recipes with children that might include comfort food such as puddings, healthy after-school snacks, stuffed breads or Mexican hot chocolate with cinnamon cookies. Winter classes for teens focus on preparing the perfect sweet and savoury pie or soups as starters or as a meal. Kids classes $40, teens classes $45.

Gourmet Kids, 1397 Malvern Road, Malvern, phone 9824 5979

Susan Yarrow's Gourmet Kids kitchens provide fun cooking sessions and children's parties according to demand. Hands-on classes are offered to children from the age of two years and up with the emphasis on kitchen fun. Children have their own bowl and ingredients. Healthy classes can be arranged on request and children with food allergies are also catered for. Classes are available from Monday to Friday next week and from July 3-8 according to demand. Visit gourmet-kids.com.au.

Little Kitchen, phone 5429 6415, littlekitchen.com.au

Sabrina Parrini, early childhood teacher and the mind behind the Little Kitchen brand of child-inspired cookware, has branched out into children's cooking classes. Recipes use organic and biodynamic produce with no artificial food colours, flavours or additives. Classes incorporate a mini Foodies Tour of the produce along with food-related songs and stories. Classes are held at the Green Grocer Organic Cooking School in North Fitzroy from August to December, plus select classes in Daylesford and Koonwarra. Cost $50.

Como Historic House, corner Williams Road and Lechlade Avenue, South Yarra, phone 9827 2500

During school holidays, Como Historic House and Garden offers old-fashioned cooking classes as part of its children's program. The Sweets and Treats classes enable children to experience a slice of life in the 19th century with a tour of the kitchen (built in the 1800s) and vegetable garden. Hands-on classes are held in the garden pavilion; recipes include rocky road and coconut ice and kids are given a cookbook to take home. Parents can enjoy the historic gardens' sloping lawns, water garden and fountain terrace during the one-hour class. Classes June 27, 28, $18. -- LIZ CINCOTTA