Cooking Classes for Jr. Chefs (Ages 8–13)

The Jr. Chefs program is for kids ages 8 to 13. This is Kidinary's most popular weekly class — structured for kids who are ready to work with real ingredients, real techniques, and real kitchen tools. If your child is younger, check out Mini Chefs (ages 4–8). For older or more advanced kids, explore our Tween Chefs (ages 11–15) program.

Jr. Chefs classes are held at multiple locations throughout Plainfield, Naperville, and Oswego, IL. Our primary public location is PCC/Sportsplex in Plainfield, where Tuesday evening sessions run from 6:30–7:30pm CDT and are open to all families. School-based Jr. Chefs sessions are also available at Grande Park Elementary and Wallin Oaks Elementary for enrolled students. Kidinary is fully mobile — we bring everything to every location.

Jr. Chefs is built around real culinary skill development. Over the course of a semester, kids practice knife safety, sautéing, baking, measuring, grating, and cooking from scratch. Beyond technique, each class incorporates nutrition education and life skills like following instructions, working as a team, and building kitchen confidence. Our lead chef holds a Master's degree in Pediatric Nutrition — so every dish is as intentional as it is delicious.

Register online through our Sawyer booking calendar. Browse current Jr. Chefs sessions by location and date, and sign up in minutes. Spots are limited and fill quickly each semester, so we recommend registering as early as possible. All classes are nut-free and allergy-friendly, and no prior cooking experience is required. Questions? Contact us and we'll help.