For the past year I have had
 the pleasure of teaching after school cooking classes at Waldegrave School for Girls.  Working with teens aged 12 to 14 has proved very inspiring and I will be continuing in this capacity in the coming year as well.  

It's good to be back in a school classroom.  I have a BS in elementary education from the Pennsylvania State University and wondered if I'd ever get back to working with children after moving here 3 years ago from America with my husband and pursuing other interests.  

 At present I am not offering any children's classes in the New Year but I hope to begin after school classes again when I get settled in my new venue.  

Each class focuses on different skills and ingredients.  Students work together to create a dish and have many opportunities to ask questions and try their hand at chopping, sauteing, boiling, or baking etc.  All available classes and courses will be listed in the green box at the right.  

Children's Class Info:

• Classes aimed at children 9- 11 and 12-14 years of age.
   

• Each class costs £15 and includes all of the ingredients, recipe sheets to take home, 1 1/2 hours of cooking instruction, and food to take home.
   

• You can sign up for one class or more.
     

• Maximum Class Size: 8 students. 
   

• Classes held at Girasole Fine Foods located at 154 High Street in Teddington.
  

• Book your space as soon as possible to avoid disappointment
  
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Upcoming Classes!!!

I am only doing bespoke children's cooking classes at this time.  If you are interested in planning something with your child and six friends, please contact me at your convenience and we can plan something together.

My  Philosophy

I believe learning to cook is an essential element of a child's education.  There are so many positive benefits: practical, psychological and social.  Firstly, students gain valuable skills that they will need to have when they leave home and cook for themselves.  Statistics suggest that cooking in the home is on the decline... a sad fact considering that childhood obesity is on the rise and our nutrition as a nation is on the decline.  Teaching children how to cook is a way of combatting lethargy in the kitchen, giving kids the tools to make food that is nutritious and soul satisfying.  In my classes kids learn how to prepare food with real ingredients instead of relying on expensive, nutritionally-questionable ready meals for sustenance.   Many students have expressed surprise on finding that they actually LIKE vegetables that they were convinced they HATED when they arrived.  During class I frequently discuss the need to keep an open mind about trying things and it is inspiring how many kids rise to the occasion.

Secondly, cooking builds confidence and self esteem.  I am really surprised at how timid some of my students seem on the first day of class.  They have no idea what to expect but their eyes tell me they think it might not be good.  By the end of the class they are so absorbed in the work of their group and the smell of what they are preparing, that they have lost their inhibitions.  This is what I love about cooking.  Children immediately relax and get into all the tactile pleasures of chopping and peeling and mixing and melting.  How different is this process, after all, to playing with plasticene or pretending in a sandbox?  When we reach the end of the class, however, and the students realise that they have produced something that tastes really good, you can see their pride.  This is what makes cooking with children so rewarding. 

Finally, teaching children to cook also has social benefits.  Making friends can be so daunting, particularly in the early teens when you are beginning to feel awkward and having friends is of the utmost importance.  'Family-style cooking' is an important element of my teaching style.  I make the students in my classes work within a group.  Within this group, there is no time for awkwardness or squabbling.  They have a task to do and it involves a lot of team work.  I often assign team leaders within the group to organise the work.  Interestingly, when asked what they most enjoyed about taking a cooking class 1/3 of the students have said they enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the chance to get to know people.     

In the coming year I hope to offer classes to a wide range of ages: 9-11 year olds, 12-14 year olds and 15 +.  If you are interested in classes for other age groups, please send me an email with your ideas as well as your needs with regards to day and time.  It may be possible to organize a custom cooking class that meets the needs of your child.
  
Feedback is extremely welcome as it will help me 
improve the classes on offer!

My Basic Hopes and Goals in Teaching Children and Young Adults How to Cook:

1.  To introduce children to a variety of ingredients, techniques, and recipes with the aim of developing a practical knowledge and a love of cooking that will be of use indefinetely.

2.  To foster confidence, self esteem, and better social interaction through working with others.

3.  To improve nutrition by showing children and young adults how easy it is to make fantastic tasting food with 'real' ingredients including vitamin rich vegetables, grains, and legumes.

4.  To give kids a positive outlet for their curiosity and their desire to become more 'adult.'

To book a place for your child, please contact me via email or telephone as well as sending
a cheque for the price of the class to my home address.  Cheques should be made payable
to Andrea Hosfeld and can be post-dated for the day after the course you are signing up
for as a way of reserving your place.  Your child should bring an apron and a tupperware container to class.