Youthage Culinary Program
Youthage Culinary Program, 208 Lake Street, Waukegan, IL 60085
About
Youthage Culinary Program offers cooking and culinary training through chef programs, engaging workshops, youth camps, and hands-on weekly classes. The program includes virtual cooking classes, restaurant management courses, monthly cooking challenges with rewards, recipe competitions with virtual prizes, and health-focused and seasonal classes. Families and groups can join family fun nights such as Taco Tuesday and Global Dinner Party, birthday parties, homeschool groups, Girl Scout badge sessions, corporate team-building events, virtual events, and Parent Date Night and couples Date Night cooking workshops.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
Youthage Culinary Program includes career talks with Chef Collins, internship opportunities, and a school-based and homeschool culinary curriculum. The program offers Global cuisine workshops, Family Cook Nights, and custom menus with hands-on instruction for private parties, along with virtual and in-person culinary classes for a wide range of age groups and skill levels. Classes are tailored to be engaging, age-appropriate, and confidence-building, with options for all dietary needs, including dairy-free, gluten-free, and low-sugar alternatives.
Tiny Chefs have colorful, interactive virtual cooking classes with monthly themes such as Rainbow Foods, Cookie Monsters, and Little Bakers, along with hands-on fun using themed kits sent ahead, a monthly class bundle subscription, and parent-child interactive sessions where parent participation is encouraged. Junior Chefs can join skill-building series such as knife safety and baking basics and a Monthly Junior Chef Club, while Senior Chefs follow a pre-professional cooking curriculum. For all virtual classes, a supply list is provided ahead of time, most tools are basic kitchen items found at home, and optional add-on kits include kid-friendly utensils, aprons, and pre-measured ingredients.
Youthage Culinary Program is a nonprofit culinary program founded in 2016 by Chef Robert Collins. Its mission is to educate and empower children with a vast knowledge of culinary arts and to give students of all ages and abilities the opportunity for culinary training led by experienced chefs. The leadership team includes Robert Collins as President and Executive Chef and Chef Robert Collins as Founder.
Chef Robert is a retired Navy Veteran and former owner of Rob's Delight Catering, Inc., is a graduate of Robert Morris University, and has 29 years of food service experience in the military and civilian sectors. The program emphasizes educating children on nutrition, culinary techniques, and youth and career development, and students build leadership skills, learn organizational concepts, and begin creating the framework for making healthier lifestyle choices. Youthage Culinary Program is aligned with educational standards for enrichment programs and offers optional add-ons such as supply kits and virtual guest chef days, as well as gift cards and newsletter subscriptions with tips and class updates.
Youthage Culinary Program is involved in the community through internship and volunteer opportunities for teens, school enrichment partnerships, homeschool groups, and Girl Scout troop classes. One parent shared that Youthage was one of their favorite parts of childhood and described the organization as nice, accepting, and caring, with experiences that included supporting multiple fundraisers. Another parent noted that Chef Robert taught ten 7–8-year-olds how to cut vegetables and cook chicken and described his patience and grace with both their daughter and neurodivergent son, stating that the program is raising a generation of children who will know how to safely prepare nutritious foods. A third parent shared that Chef Robert has been very encouraging for their daughter with ADHD, meets her where she is, and that she has learned enough to start critiquing her parent’s cooking skills.
Last updated May 23, 2026.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
Youthage Culinary Program includes career talks with Chef Collins, internship opportunities, and a school-based and homeschool culinary curriculum. The program offers Global cuisine workshops, Family Cook Nights, and custom menus with hands-on instruction for private parties, along with virtual and in-person culinary classes for a wide range of age groups and skill levels. Classes are tailored to be engaging, age-appropriate, and confidence-building, with options for all dietary needs, including dairy-free, gluten-free, and low-sugar alternatives.
Tiny Chefs have colorful, interactive virtual cooking classes with monthly themes such as Rainbow Foods, Cookie Monsters, and Little Bakers, along with hands-on fun using themed kits sent ahead, a monthly class bundle subscription, and parent-child interactive sessions where parent participation is encouraged. Junior Chefs can join skill-building series such as knife safety and baking basics and a Monthly Junior Chef Club, while Senior Chefs follow a pre-professional cooking curriculum. For all virtual classes, a supply list is provided ahead of time, most tools are basic kitchen items found at home, and optional add-on kits include kid-friendly utensils, aprons, and pre-measured ingredients.
Youthage Culinary Program is a nonprofit culinary program founded in 2016 by Chef Robert Collins. Its mission is to educate and empower children with a vast knowledge of culinary arts and to give students of all ages and abilities the opportunity for culinary training led by experienced chefs. The leadership team includes Robert Collins as President and Executive Chef and Chef Robert Collins as Founder.
Chef Robert is a retired Navy Veteran and former owner of Rob's Delight Catering, Inc., is a graduate of Robert Morris University, and has 29 years of food service experience in the military and civilian sectors. The program emphasizes educating children on nutrition, culinary techniques, and youth and career development, and students build leadership skills, learn organizational concepts, and begin creating the framework for making healthier lifestyle choices. Youthage Culinary Program is aligned with educational standards for enrichment programs and offers optional add-ons such as supply kits and virtual guest chef days, as well as gift cards and newsletter subscriptions with tips and class updates.
Youthage Culinary Program is involved in the community through internship and volunteer opportunities for teens, school enrichment partnerships, homeschool groups, and Girl Scout troop classes. One parent shared that Youthage was one of their favorite parts of childhood and described the organization as nice, accepting, and caring, with experiences that included supporting multiple fundraisers. Another parent noted that Chef Robert taught ten 7–8-year-olds how to cut vegetables and cook chicken and described his patience and grace with both their daughter and neurodivergent son, stating that the program is raising a generation of children who will know how to safely prepare nutritious foods. A third parent shared that Chef Robert has been very encouraging for their daughter with ADHD, meets her where she is, and that she has learned enough to start critiquing her parent’s cooking skills.
Last updated May 23, 2026.
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