LIFE SKILLS COOKING CLASSES FOR NEURODIVERGENT STUDENTS
Gaining Independence through Cooking and Community
Our unique cooking classes are specially designed for the neurodivergent student. Classes are taught in a real-world kitchen to simulate cooking at home. Class sizes are designed for small group instruction. Each class is limited to 5 students per 8-week term, meeting one time per week. Two instructors are designated for each class in order to give students individualized instruction throughout the course.
Lead culinary instructor, Meka Morrow, has been teaching culinary classes for autistic students for multiple years and has developed cooking curriculum to meet the needs of diverse learners. Students leave our cooking school with noticeable improvement in their independent cooking ability; following recipes, measuring ingredients, chopping, prepping and clean up. Our students can cook far better than the average home cook!
In addition, following our course many students have even gained employment in the food and beverage industry.
An important goal in our program is encouraging students to try new foods, flavors, and
textures. We have found that when students are part of the cooking process, they are more willing to try foods that are out of their comfort zone. We also encourage healthy eating habits and making balanced meals.
In a class session students will prepare, cook and share a meal. In the shared mealtime, students will practice mealtime etiquette and social communication with peers. This is where the real magic happens as students develop friendships in a comfortable and natural dinner setting.