Junior Chef Culinary programs are cooking up change that lasts a lifetime for youth and their families.
Fanjoy’s Junior Chef programming provides teens and young adults with innovative cooking classes and therapeutic programs that build confidence, increase social connection and teach healthy life skills for optimal mental health. When youth feel that they belong and can feed their body, mind and soul, they will thrive and reach their potential. Let’s connect and cook together.
Junior Chef programs are offered through Cooking Up Change and other partnerships.
Inquire about Junior Chef partnership opportunities.
“It’s been an amazing experience for staff and for students and we’ve all learned so much, not just about cooking but also about working together as a team and taking on new roles and being inclusive of all different people and all of their strengths.“
– Mary Beth Tersigni McCuen
Principal, St. Peter Catholic School, Guelph, Ont.
Cooking programs for resilience + connection at school & home
Helping teens & young adults with mental health & autism
Culinary + life skills classes for LGBTQ2S+ youth
Junior Chef Culinary Therapy Program Overview
RAINBOW CONNECTIONS
Culinary and life skills pod for LGBTQ2S+ and NON-BINARY teens
Finding a safe place where you belong is not only important, but critical for our physical health and mental wellbeing. This program is designed exclusively for youth identifying as gay, lesbian, non binary, trans or anywhere on the LGBTQ spectrum. Gathering together to learn the basics of cooking up healthy food, budgeting, creative plating and our 3 C’s— Communication, Collaboration and Cooperation, teens will find delicious new ways to feed healthy connections and accept themselves AS IS.
Ask about our custom agency youth drop in plans that are available for select Not for Profit or Charitable Partners working within the field of youth mental health, or committed to preventing youth food insecurity and/or homelessness.
Please contact pam@chefpamfanjoy.com for further information.
Fanjoy Junior Chef™ Culinary Fundamentals Level 1 & 2 for Teens
This 4-week cooking program focuses on teaching the fundamentals of knife skills, using heat to create flavour, wet and dry cooking techniques, basic sauce making and how to use what is at hand in the kitchen to reduce food waste. Teens will build their confidence, make new friends and experience how food can bring us together for more connection. Menus will focus on using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and developing the skill of cooking without needing to even have a recipe.
Fanjoy Junior Chef™ Culinary Fundamentals, Classics + Life Skills
These small therapeutic culinary classes run by Chef Pam Fanjoy and Cai, our Child & Youth Worker, teach youth with autism, mental health concerns or learning differences to cook AND cope better with life’s more complex challenges. Teens in this program may be dealing with anxiety, depression, family illness or loss, trauma, autism, ADHD, learning challenges, separation and divorce or eating disorders. With 30 years of social work experience as an adolescent and family therapist before becoming a chef, Pam has developed a unique way of using milieu therapy approaches in these specialized culinary classes. Teens disconnect from their screens, take a break from parents, and make new friends all while learning how to cook up their favourite dishes!
Fanjoy Junior Chef™ Culinary Summer Camp for Teens
This program features daily technical culinary instruction with Chef Pam along with life skills coaching that focuses on building confidence, developing problem-solving skills, enhancing communication skills and developing self-care strategies while working in the kitchen. Teens will also learn about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, food insecurity, eliminating food waste and food’s impact on climate change.
More information on which fees may be covered by your healthcare provider
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT JUNIOR CHEF
Learn more about the Fanjoy Bursary for Junior Chef Programs