Kidinary Cooking Academy

Kidinary Cooking Academy offers hands-on cooking classes where kids actually cook, along with day-off camps, summer camps, birthday parties, corporate and group events, and scout badge classes. The program also offers mini chef, junior chef, and tween chef classes, and it brings ingredients, kid-safe knives, cutting boards, equipment, and instruction directly to the class location for some programs.

Programs

• Mini Chefs — ages 4–8 · Weekly classes; day-off camps and summer camps; mobile to partner locations
• Jr. Chefs — ages 8–13 · Weekly classes; day-off camps and summer camps; mobile to partner locations
• Tween Chefs — ages 11–15, summer only · Summer only; mobile to partner locations
• Cooking Classes (Weekly Classes) — ages 4–13; Tween Chef programs ages 11–15 in summer · Weekly classes · Hands-on weekly classes where kids actually cook; Kidinary brings everything to your school or community location.
• Day-Off Camps & Summer Camps — school days off, teacher institute days, holiday breaks; summer camps · School days off; teacher institute days; holiday breaks; June, July, August · Theme-based day-off and summer camps; every camp includes a savory lunch and sweet dessert kids cook themselves.
• Birthday Parties — up to 12 young chefs · 2 hours · Hands-on cooking fun at your home or venue of choice; all food, equipment, and instruction included; nut-free and allergy-friendly.
• Corporate & Group Events — Custom hands-on cooking experiences for libraries, schools, park districts, churches, nonprofits, and corporate groups; virtual options available.
• Scout & Badge Classes — Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors · 1.5 to 2 hours depending on badge level · Preferred Girl Scout cooking partner; also works with Boy Scouts, Royal Rangers, Awana, and more; comes to troop location.

At a glance

• Ages: 4–15 years old
• General schedule: Weekly classes; day-off camps and special events year-round; summer camps in June, July, and August.

About the provider

Kidinary Cooking Academy is led by Jessica Jackson-Nyarko, Director & Lead Instructor. The lead chef holds a Master's degree in Pediatric Nutrition. The program states that it has served 1,000+ kids and serves Plainfield, Naperville, Oswego, and the greater southwest Chicago suburbs. It also lists partnerships with schools, churches, homeschool co-ops, and community organizations.

Completely nut-free and allergy-friendly. Registration is online through Sawyer booking. A minimal travel fee may apply for locations more than 15 miles from Plainfield. Virtual options are available for some programs. Camps, parties, and scout badge classes are open to a broader range.

Last updated August 22, 2026.