At Lil Chef Institute, we believe that cooking skills are essential life skills.
Our cooking classes teach everything from math and science to fire safety and fine motor skills—all while creating delicious meals. Kids also build confidence, planning, and time management skills as they follow recipes, organize tasks, and work together.
It's the perfect mix of learning and fun that prepares them for success in the kitchen and beyond!
Our mission is empowering kids with life skills, confidence, and independence—one recipe at a time.
Whether it’s cracking an egg, chopping vegetables, or setting the table, every task is an opportunity for children to take pride in their abilities and make decisions.
By encouraging self-sufficiency in the kitchen, we help kids develop a sense of accomplishment that extends beyond cooking.
Our Core Values
The physical, mental and social well-being of the children in our care is our number one priority.
Safety
Independence
We focus on teaching practical life skills and allow children to safely make mistakes.
Equity and Inclusivity
We strive to make our programming inclusive to all levels of education, ability, cultural background, neurodiversity, gender identity and sexuality.
Kindness
We use a gentle approach to teaching centered on mutual respect that encourages compassion, welcomes emotions and accepts each child as a whole, capable being.
Wherever possible, we partner with community organizations and small businesses for mutual support.
Community
Healthy Living
We focus on creating approachable, affordable and balanced meals.
Hi, I’m Sophie, and this is my story.
I never understood how anyone could love their job.
At this time last year, I was living in Chicago, and working a prestigious job at a well-known biotechnology company. I should have been at the peak of my career, but I never felt happy. Eventually, I burned out of my corporate job, fell into a deep depression, and moved back to my hometown of Winnipeg. As I found myself back in my parents’s basement in my 30s, I felt lost and directionless.
In an effort to dig myself out of the deep depression I was in, I started spending time with an old friend and her 3-year old son. We decided to make pizza for lunch. Her son was so interested in helping in the kitchen, happily spreading sauce and shredding cheese. Watching him, I was amazed - after just a little bit of guidance, he was so independent. I felt a spark, and that day, the seed of Lil Chef Institute was planted in my brain.
I started teaching cooking classes out of a local community centre. I realized that there was an unmet need - The children I worked with were interested in cooking and very eager to learn, but their parents were busy working parents who needed to get dinner on the table every night.
It was amazing to watch the kids’ confidence grow in the kitchen. Many of the parents shared some incredible feedback - they told me that their otherwise picky children were starting to try new foods, and that many of them were remaking our recipes at home. One parent even shared with me that her 8-year old son made pancakes for the whole family one Saturday morning!
I quickly outgrew the small community centre kitchen and decided to open up my classes to the greater Winnipeg community. I’m so excited to be able to teach a whole new generation of kids about the joy of cooking and watch them become confident, independent young chefs.
I am also proud to report that I finally love my job.
