Cooking up confidence with Cook Stars

As a mum of two, cooking and crafting have always been a big part of family life in our house. My children and I have always loved making things together – and it's played a large part in our chosen free time activities! 

So when I came across Cook Stars, it felt like the perfect fit.

Before starting Cook Stars Ilkley to Saltaire, I worked as a nurse for many years. Nursing was a career I was incredibly proud of, but after having children and seeing how much joy they got from hands-on, creative activities, I started to think about doing something that fitted more closely with family life and with the things we genuinely loved doing together.

Cook Stars combined two of our favourite things: cooking and crafting. It gave me the chance to take something I already loved doing with my own children and turn it into a business that could benefit other local families, too.

It was a big change to move away from nursing, but it felt like the right one. I still get to use so much of what mattered to me in that role – care, patience, safety, encouragement and helping people feel confident – just in a very different setting!

At first glance, Cook Stars might look like a children’s cooking class, but it is so much more than that. Each session gives children the chance to make their own dish from scratch, with their own workstation and child-friendly equipment. They weigh, mix, roll, chop, stir, knead, decorate and create.

Each week, we alternate between savoury and sweet dishes and, while the food is cooking, we enjoy a craft activity, too.

For children, there is so much learning happening without it feeling like school. They use maths when they weigh and measure ingredients. They build listening skills by following instructions. They practise patience while they wait for things to cook. They develop coordination and confidence by using their hands and having a go themselves.

There is something really special about watching a child carry their dish out at the end of class and say, “I made this.” It might be a calzone, chocolate brownies, soda bread, Caribbean ginger cake and even classics like a toad in the hole and bread and butter pudding, but to them it’s a real achievement. They have created something from start to finish and that gives them such a lovely confidence boost.

Cook Stars is also a gentle way to help children explore food. Lots of children are unsure about new ingredients and many parents will know how difficult mealtimes can sometimes be. In class, children can touch, smell and prepare foods in a relaxed way, without pressure. Often, they are much more willing to try something when they have made it themselves.

One of the biggest long-term benefits of all of this is that these children are learning skills they will genuinely use for the rest of their lives. I love the idea that, years from now, when they are teenagers, students or living independently, they will know how to make themselves proper food — not just rely on pot noodles or toast!

They will understand ingredients, feel confident following a recipe, and, hopefully, have the creativity to make meals that are healthy, affordable and enjoyable.

That is such an important gift to give children. Cooking is not just a hobby – it’s a life skill. If we can help children feel comfortable in the kitchen from a young age, we are setting them up to look after themselves, make better food choices and enjoy the process, too.

The social side is lovely as well. Children cook alongside others, chat, laugh, share ideas and encourage each other. Some arrive a little nervous at first, but once they realise the sessions are friendly and supportive, they soon settle in. It’s not about being perfect. It is about trying, learning and enjoying the process.

Parents benefit, too. Cooking and crafting at home can be wonderful, but it can also mean a lot of preparation, shopping and cleaning up afterwards. Cook Stars gives children all the fun and learning, while parents can enjoy the finished product without having to deal with quite so much mess.

Children go home with their freshly made dish, a recipe card to keep and usually a big smile. Parents get to see their child building independence, learning practical life skills and spending time away from screens doing something creative and useful.

My background in nursing still plays a big part in how I run Cook Stars. Safety, care and reassurance are really important to me. I want every child to feel comfortable, included and supported, whether they are confident in the kitchen already or trying something like this for the very first time.

I now run weekly classes, workshops, parties and school sessions across the local area, and I genuinely love seeing the difference it can make. I have watched children grow in confidence, try foods they were unsure about, make new friends and leave sessions feeling proud of themselves.

For me, Cook Stars is not just about recipes. It’s about giving children the chance to be creative, independent and brave enough to have a go. It is about the joy of making something with your own hands, even if it is a bit wonky, sticky or covered in sprinkles.

And really, that is where the magic is.

For more information and how to book a class or classes for children aged between 2–17, check out the website here.