The best cooking classes for kids in KL

Smart Junior Chef’s location in Puchong might be the biggest drawback for those who live in the city centre, but its enjoyable classes and friendly chefs make it well worth the distance. Boasting a sleek open kitchen, this spacious space believes in letting students explore their creativity which means classes aren’t too structured – just the way we like it. The school offers two main categories – the Senior Chef class focuses on baking for kids aged four to 17, while Master Chef classes (for ages nine to 17) train kids in cooking from scratch. There’s also a new programme called ‘Study Abroad’ focusing on simple cooking for students on their  way to study overseas. Lessons here are easy to follow and are well organised with recipes and their background information handed out before the class starts. 

Senior Chef, RM170 per month for four sessions; Master Chef, RM220 per month for four sessions.

If you think your little one could be the next Jamie Oliver, hone their talent by sending them to Young Chefs Academy – a cooking school just for kids. Located in Desa Sri Hartamas, this candy-coloured cooking school offers three types of classes – Kinder Cooks for kids aged three to six, Junior Chefs for kids aged seven to 11, or Senior Chefs for kids aged 12 to 17. Classes are very much hands-on, with participants fully immersing themselves by measuring, decorating and more on their own. Kids’math skills are also given a boost when they calculate amounts needed for the recipe, and the academy helps instil the importance of kitchen safety and cleaning up. Instructors keep it fun by changing the themes monthly and sharing interesting cooking tips. At the end of class everyone gets to eat their tasty creations. Other than cooking classes, the school also hosts birthday parties, school field trips and holiday camps.

Kinder Cooks and Junior Chefs, RM380 per month for four sessions; Senior Chef, RM500 per month for four sessions.

Meaning ‘ABC’ in old Japanese, Iloha teaches students young and old the ABCs of cooking specialty Japanese dishes. The language and culture centre runs the gamut of cooking classes from sushi making to baking the coveted Tokyo-style banana cake – students have also made matcha mille crêpe cakes, mochi sweets and a whole sakura-themed dessert course. Iloha’s tidy kitchen off ers plenty of room for food preparation, but the small number of stoves (six in total) means having to cook elbow-to-elbow if a class is full. Even though Iloha is predominantly a Japanese centre, the cooking classes aren’t limited to just Japanese cuisine. Past events include a French cooking event, hands-on Italian cooking classes making risotto and ravioli, cupcake and cookie baking workshops, and more.

Prices differ per class, check their website for fees.

Tucked away in Damansara Heights, this cooking studio can be recognised by the banner with its distinctive moniker hanging outside. With its spacious green garden to ample parking space, it’s a very pleasant place for a cooking school. Classes are kept small and instructors are friendly and will put the kids at ease immediately. Recipes are easy to follow, ensuring you can recreate them easily with the kids at home. With its well-equipped kitchen and quality ingredients, courses here will teach not only the basics but also encourage young cooks to take it up a notch at home. Past classes have included Middle Eastern feasts, local classics and puff pastry desserts. Don’t forget to bring containers to bring home the food. Parents can pair up with their kids if they’re between four to 11 years old while older kids can attend class by themselves. There are holiday programmes so check their website regularly for updates.

Prices differ per class, check their website for fees.

Founded in Japan in 1985, ABC Cooking Studio has 135 studios throughout Asia, including the gleaming facility in Pavilion Elite. The studio’s sleek, modern kitchen and the company’s reputation is reason enough to put your kids in the care of ABC’s instructors. The kids’ courses for four- to eight-year-olds are limited to four students per session, so there is personalised attention and little chance of falling behind. A key objective is to nurture a sense of gratitude for food and instil a taste for healthy ingredients. Each month’s menu highlights a vegetable, protein or fruit – think tomato-based pasta in May and strawberry desserts in July. ABC takes cooking seriously and requests a certain level of commitment from their students – there are no one-off classes; multi-class packages encourage students to participate in a minimum of six classes within a given time frame, but you can be sure your kids will learn well and take home skills to last a lifetime.

From RM1,140 for six classes.