Fanjoy Junior Chef™ Culinary Programs
Culinary classes, therapeutic programs & life skills training to nourish body, mind and soul™.
Fanjoy Junior Chef™ Culinary programs are cooking up change that lasts a lifetime for youth and their families.
Fanjoy’s Junior Chef™ programming provides youth, age 12-29 years of age, 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.
Fanjoy Culinary + Wellness Centre is the exclusive provider of culinary educational services for Fanjoy Cooking Up Change and in support, also offers & administers a new Fanjoy Bursary program, to ensure that Fanjoy Junior Chef™ programs are accessible to all youth. Fanjoy Junior Chef™ Culinary Fundamentals, Fanjoy Junior Chef™ Culinary Classics + Life Skills, and Fanjoy Junior Chef™ Culinary Summer Camp for Teens are all eligible for the Fanjoy Bursary.
Junior Chef Culinary Programs
Fanjoy Junior Chef™ Baking Bliss
This program is run by Cai Matthews, Child & Youth Worker/Cook with special appearances from Chef Pam in our Hillsburgh Culinary Studio. Join us for three weeks this spring to whisk together and learn how to bake a variety cookies and squares, learn to make pastry then whip up a spring treat with our strawberry rhubarb pie, and enjoy maple season by creating delicious cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing. Menus will vary each day and your fee includes tastings during the class plus a variety of sweet treats to take home to enjoy. No experience necessary. Register early as space is limited for these hands on baking classes. Recommended for ages 12-17 year olds.
Registrations for June classes now open!
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!
Registrations for June classes now open!
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.
Coming in August 2023—stay tuned for dates.
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. Stay tuned for upcoming dates.
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.
We are currently looking for either a corporate sponsor or Not for Profit funding that will allow us to resume & continue offering our in person programs for LGBTQ2S+ youth this fall. These culinary programs are always made available for select partnering agencies to book privately. Stay tuned for upcoming dates.
