School Holidays Boredom Buster: Kids’ Cooking Classes at The Providore

Let kiddos learn from the best (accomplished cookbook author Ghillie James) with super fun new cooking classes at The Providore!

My daughter Esme (5) was super excited to be invited to her first ever cookery class; older bro Bertie has rugby, golf, football and swimming in his jam-packed week, so poor Essie hasnt really found her hobby to pursue, until now!

This fab little cooking studio opened about 6 months ago at Pasarbella, The Grandstand. It’s got all the equipment you can dream of thanks to owners, The Providore! A huge variety of different cookery classes are run by various food experts; Ghillie James is a bit of a UK legend really – having being the food editor for Sainsbury’s magazine for five years before becoming a freelance journalist and food consultant. She has also written four cookbooks – Jam, Jelly and Relish, Fresh from the Freezer, Asia Light and Grains are Good. Having three children of her own helps, too!

It all kicked off with homemade biscuits and a chat around the table about the menu. Three biscuits later (luckily Ghillie had more than prepped for greedy biscuit munchers) and we were all set to go. Homemade Granola, followed by salmon and noodle parcels and then a magical chocolate pudding, all washed down with raspberry and mint lemonade. YUM!

It’s really a very chilled session: kids are paired by age and can really get stuck into the preparation of their food. Armed with aprons and menus – and ingredients all prepared beforehand – everyone really works at their own pace, gently guided by Ghillie and The Providore team. I loved the way that there was often no right or wrong and many ingredients optional – so the children really did make their own bespoke dish. Hilariously the loose mention of “You can always add a bit of cocoa to your granola” did mean that, yes – ALL the granola then became chocolate flavoured!

Speaking of cocoa, Esme’s favourite part was the magical chocolate pudding, where adding hot water into a cocoa and sugar mix makes your own pool of delicious chocolate sauce when they cook!

At the end of the session the children all gather together and have a big dinner party enjoying the fruits of their labour  – and loving it – because it was all their own!

Ghillie is super chill about age groups with an aim to appeal to all, but under-7’s must be accompanied by an adult – which I did – and I must say I had as much fun as Esme and it was lovely time spent together.

Ghille’s got more kids’ cooking classes tentatively scheduled for 14 and 21 January, 2017, along with “Ghillie’s Get Healthy Class” (scheduled for 24-25 January, 2017), which will focus on superfoods and healthy cooking while never compromising on taste and flavour. It’s the perfect way to kickstart a new, healthier New Year. She can do birthday parties, too. What a lovely idea! Check out her Instagram for more updates!

In the meantime The Providore Cooking Studio is offering a number of festive-themed classes for kids with instructors, including “Me and My Christmas Cupcakes” on 3 and 7 December and “Christmas Favourites” on December 10. Prices range from $80-$95 per child.

Studies have shown that kids who cook their own food are likely to make much healthier eating choices, and there are myriad other reasons why it’s great for kids to start cooking as early as possible. I know we’ll certainly be doing more together in the kitchen now!

The Providore Cooking Studio, 200 Turf Club Road #02-K73, Pasarbella at The Grandstand, Singapore 287994, www.theprovidore.com