Two local business women have all the key ingredients to grow their cooking club venture now that they have entered into a new partnership with The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL).
Now two years old, Stir Krazy Kids cooking club is the brainchild of Cathie Reuben from Thorner, who was looking for a new challenge following redundancy from a corporate role. Having invited her daughter’s friends over for a cooking day, Cathie describes the “lightbulb” moment when she realised this could be a business opportunity.
Having started small with a half-term workshop in a local cricket club, Stir Krazy Kids now runs over 15 holiday workshops a year and Sarah Crennell from Harewood has joined the team as a director.
This February half-term Stir Krazy will be running junior and senior workshops at GSAL, catering for children aged between 4 and 16. Young people will get hands on in the kitchen to learn about ingredients and nutrition, develop essential skills and techniques and sample different cuisines through a range of interesting recipes.
This is the first time that GSAL and Stir Krazy have worked together, and Cathie is excited about the potential for the partnership.
Cathie said: Our workshops were previously for ages 4 to 10, now working with GSAL means that we can extend our provision for children up to the age of 16. The food technology staff are very accommodating, and the department has everything we need, enabling us to bring industry experts on board to work with the older age group.
Sarah added: This is a great opportunity to work with older children and help them to learn independent cooking skills, while working with the school will allow us to develop courses that complement the curriculum.
The senior group, aged from 11 to 16, will be working with cake maker Zoe Hopkinson of Zoe’s Fancy Cakes.
Zoe said: Children are so creative; I’m looking forward to the workshop which will give them the chance not only to bake but to come out with a work of art!
The junior workshop (ages 4-10) runs from 9.00am to 3.30pm each day from Wednesday 19 February to Friday 21 February, at a cost of £38 per day. The senior workshop (ages 11-16) takes place over two days, Wednesday 19 February and Thursday 20 February, and costs £96 for both days. All ingredients and equipment are supplied and children bring home the dishes they have made.
The courses take place at The Grammar School at Leeds, Alwoodley Gates, Harrogate Road, Leeds LS17 8GS. Book online at www.stirkrazykids.co.uk