Children’s Cooking Classes at etcetera
By Sharyn Smart
With a great passion for cooking, Naomi Ward has years of experience in the hospitality industry. She has worked as a chef and has trained them.
Deciding it was time for a change, she purchased Etcetera in New Plymouth in 2003. The shop specialises in tableware and kitchenware. The first thing to add to the shop was a kitchen. Naomi started holding classes in the evening for adults looking to expand their cooking skills. These proved popular and within 18 months she decided to introduce children’s cooking classes.
“I am passionate about children learning to cook in this day and age. They need the basics of cooking for when they go flatting or move on to university.”
Watching Naomi teaching a class of six eager children, all with their aprons on, questions come thick and fast once cooking is underway. Everyone has had a turn at adding ingredients and stirring as the make chocolate muffins and chocolate crackles.
All too soon it is time to pack up. Parents come to pick up their children and many exclamations are made about the wonderful designs. Another class over and Naomi tidies up and does the dishes before the next class is due to start in an hour.
Naomi puts out a newsletter every two months advertising classes. Send your details to her and she will happily send you one out.
CLASSES
Classes have a maximum of eight children per class from 5 year olds upwards. You can bring your own apron or they can be supplied. At the beginning of the class there is a discussion on hygiene. Great importance is placed on washing hands and cleaning benches.
During the two hours of the class the children will spend time baking and decorating. Remember to bring a container to safely transport their creations home.
Themed parties are proving popular. Guests make their food and then take it to the party to enjoy. One group met at the shop with their sleeping bags, baked and went on to the birthday girl’s house to eat it as a midnight snack.
Classes are $18 per child for 2 hours of creativity. This includes all ingredients. Classes are held in the school holidays.
Etcetera Homewares – Naomi Ward, 18 Devon St East, New Plymouth
This article was published in LIVE Magazine Issue 34 September 2007 in New Plymouth