The air is filled with the scents of spices and pumpkin. The aroma wafts out of the industrial stoves lining one wall, past the large overhead vents and fills the room, which is occupied with a plethora of tables, chairs and cooking supplies.
The two chefs responsible for the treats baking are 4 and 1/2 years old.
Lawrence Saenz and Hannah Kell are students at the Cooklicious Club in Issaquah, a cooking school run by Vivian Yuen.
Yuen got the idea for a school after searching for place where she could cook with her daughter, now 8 years old.
“Cooking is a major event at our house,” Yuen said, then a stay-at-home mom. “I tried to find a good cooking class.”
However all of the classes that Yuen found nearby really limited what the kids were able to do. Most only let each child do about one step each and turned it into a large group project rather than a hands-on learning experience.
“So I thought, maybe I’ll just start my own,” Yuen said.
And so, four years ago, Cooklicious was born.
“We teach everything,” Yuen said. “Don’t limit the kids, because they can do anything.”
Yuen also works with what many parents call “picky eaters.” But don’t let Yuen catch you saying that.
“I say they are just being cautious,” Yuen said. “It takes time to get to know things. If it smells stinky or looks weird, sometimes you need time. Some kids wouldn’t touch stuff. Now they wouldn’t mind trying it.”
Yuen’s classes are broken up based on age, 3-4, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12 and 13 and up.
Classes are $29 each for the regular sessions, and most of the money goes toward the ingredients that they use, Yuen said.
“Parents may see it as pricey,” Yuen said. “Once they come here though, they know it’s worth it.”
There is also $40 start-up fee to enroll at the school. This covers the cost of chef’s jacket, a binder for the recipes that Yuen hands out after each lesson, a tote bag and 20 percent off any merchandise purchased at class.
“It’s the best gift you could give to your kids,” Yuen said. “Think about it, when they grow up and go to college.”
Every class, even the youngest groups, make all their food from scratch, including cakes, pasta and full meals.
Sometimes the recipes are seasonal, such as the mini-pumpkin cakes Lawrence and Hannah made, and sometimes “it’s just what I want to eat that week,” Yuen said.
Most classes are just over an hour. However, the teen classes, which take place on Friday afternoons, are two hours long. In that two hours the teen chefs make a dinner for four, completely from scratch, to take home and serve.
For the younger ones, like Lawrence and Hannah, Yuen does plenty of prep work, setting out all of the ingredients beforehand as well as the tools, such as measuring cups, spoons and a sifter that the kids used to mix the dry ingredients. Putting everything out beforehand is one of Yuen’s recommendations for parents wanting to cook with young kids.
“Have all the tools ready,” Yuen said. “Don’t give them the time to make a mess.”
Each lesson includes a bit of math, counting and reading skills as the kids and Yuen go through the recipe step by step.
During a recent class, Lawrence and Hannah are working together to mix the ingredients. Normally each student gets their own bowl, but this time Yuen asks them to work together so they will have more time to decorate.
“It kills my nose,” Hannah says of the spices. Later, Hannah reports that her favorite part was putting the spices in.
Lawrence and Hannah take turns mixing the cake batter, then scoop it into muffin pans they brushed with butter.
As they wait for the finished product, each with their own pan full of cakes, they clean up their table, put the dishes in bins, wash their hands in the kid-level sink, throw egg shells in the compost bin and then get a glass of milk – to wash down the samples.
When the cakes were done, it’s time to frost.
Both Hannah and Lawrence quickly frost their cakes then turn to sucking the remaining frosting from the bag.
The verdict?
“I liked em!” Hannah says. “Especially the frosting.”
“My favorite part was making them,” Lawrence adds. “I’m gonna share with my mom.”
Then, class is over and Hannah and Lawrence, with their remaining mini cakes in their tupperware, scamper off, with waves for both Yuen and each other.
If you go
730 NW Gilman Blvd # C105
425-369-0800
