Kids Explore World Cuisine With Green Apron Kitchen

Can’t get your little ones to eat adventurous foods? Try teaching them how to cook.

Green Apron Kitchen  (7122 Bay Parkway) just wrapped its five-day winter camp, during which children embarked on a culinary adventure “around the world.” Timed to coordinate with public school’s winter break, kids ages 7 and up cooked and sampled foods from France, Italy, Spain, Eastern Europe, and Japan. They also discussed regional customs and languages, and played games that children in those countries traditionally play.

The kids’ cooking school was launched in mid-October by four local moms, Olga Sklyut, Ella Royzman, Elaine Fridlin, and Rebecca Glaz, when they discovered there was a dearth of fun activities available for their 10- and 11-year-old kids in the neighborhood.

The women all have fairly demanding day jobs – Sklyut, Royzman, and Fridlin are attorneys, and Glaz is an accountant – so they decided to take turns running the classes on weekends and during after-school hours.

Sklyut tells me that despite the demands of running a private law practice and raising two kids – she has a 7-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter – she has been cooking her entire life.

“It’s really something I enjoy doing, so this hasn’t really been a stretch for me,” she says. “A lot of the kids’ classes I teach myself.”

The idea seemed to resonate with local parents immediately. Sklyut says she and her partners were surprised to get many inquiries from parents of younger children, so Green Apron Kitchen quickly expanded, offering Mommy & Me classes for 3- and 4-year-olds, as well as adult classes lead by professional chefs (where bringing your own bottle of wine is encouraged).

“People are saying there is nothing like this in Brooklyn. And it serves a population that has been underserved: kids in Brooklyn that are a little older who are looking for things to do,” says Sklyut.

My 7-year-old son and I sat in on a day of winter camp last week, during which the kids made oladushki (Russian pancakes), borscht, pelmeni (meat-filled dumplings), and apple cake. Children who did not grow up with Eastern European cuisine were particularly skeptical of the pink borscht, but like clockwork, after peeling, grating, chopping and simmering ingredients, those same kids were asking for seconds when it was time to eat.

On several occasions I have tried to persuade my own son to try pelmeni in Russian restaurants, to no avail, but somehow the experience of rolling out the dough and filling it with meat changed his mind about the dumplings. It is wonderful to watch kids experiencing food in this hands-on, immersive way.

And, apparently, this small miracle is a daily occurrence at Green Apron Kitchen.

“In every class there are kids that say,  ‘Oh, I don’t eat green things.’ But then, when they make it themselves, they want to try it and they like it,” Sklyut says.

During the school year, kids’ classes range from cookie and cupcake baking, to making pasta or gnocchi from scratch. For events like birthday parties, Green Apron Kitchen can be rented out, a professional chef is hired, and staff will help you plan an elaborate cooking party from start to finish. The creativity of the women behind Green Apron Kitchen is evident in their suggested party ideas found on the website. Themes include “Spongebob in Training” (think Krabby Patties), “Dr. Seuss,” “Pinkalicious,” and “Superheroes.”

The multi-purpose space is modern, spacious and colorful. One room is strewn with multi-colored bean bags and has large flat screen for movie nights, and the kitchen area is stocked with child-friendly equipment.

Safety is a priority at Green Apron Kitchen, but even little kids are encouraged to use knives and graters.

“We make sure every tool we use is age-appropriate, but we try to encourage them to use something that is outside of their comfort zone,” says Sklyut. “With younger kids, we give them safety knives so that they feel that sense of accomplishment.”

Clearly, Green Apron Kitchen is tapping into something much needed in Southern Brooklyn. Every weekend the location is booked for private parties and play dates, and weekly classes fill up quickly. Now local schools have been reaching out to Green Apron Kitchen, and Sklyut tells me a daily after-school program is in the works.

For more information about Green Apron Kitchen or to book a party, call them at 718-676-4792 or drop by their store at 7122 Bay Parkway.