THE YOUNG CHEFS KITCHEN

Our school holiday program is designed for high-school-aged young chefs, generally between 12 and 16 years old. If your child falls just outside this age range, please contact us before booking so we can make sure the class will be suitable for them. 

Not at all. The program welcomes complete beginners as well as confident young cooks who want to develop their skills.

Our chefs demonstrate each technique clearly and support everyone throughout the day, while encouraging young chefs to think for themselves and become more independent in the kitchen.

Yes. Most sessions run from 9:00am to 3:00pm.

Please arrive between 8:45am and 9:00am to allow time for sign-in and aprons. We ask parents and carers to return promptly for collection at 3:00pm.

Please check your chosen class when booking, as session times may occasionally vary.

No. The Young Chefs Kitchen is a drop-off program created specifically for teenagers.

Young chefs are guided and supervised by our experienced cooking instructors throughout the day.

Absolutely. Each day is a complete, stand-alone cooking experience, so your young chef can attend one session or join us for several days.

Each workshop has a different menu and introduces different skills, making every day a new culinary adventure.

Young chefs take part in a full day of hands-on cooking, demonstrations, teamwork and shared meals.

They learn practical skills such as safe knife handling, food preparation, dough making, cooking techniques, presentation, kitchen organisation and cleaning as they go. Most importantly, they gain confidence by creating real dishes from start to finish.

Everything needed for the day is included:

• All ingredients and cooking equipment
• Aprons to use during the class
• Chef demonstrations and hands-on instruction
• Food to enjoy throughout the day
• A shared sit-down lunch
• A digital recipe book to recreate the dishes at home

No. The young chefs prepare and enjoy the food they make, including a shared sit-down lunch.

There is plenty of food throughout the day, although we recommend having breakfast before arriving. Depending on the menu, there may also be something delicious to bring home.

We provide all ingredients, equipment and aprons. Your young chef only needs:

• Closed-toe shoes—this is essential for kitchen safety
• Comfortable clothing suitable for cooking
• Long hair tied back
• A water bottle, if they would like one

Please do not send valuable jewellery or anything that could become damaged in a busy kitchen.

Phones may be carried for contact with parents, but we ask that they remain safely put away during cooking unless the instructor invites the group to take photographs.

The program is designed to be an active, social and largely screen-free day.

Absolutely. Many young chefs arrive without knowing anyone.

Cooking together makes it easy to connect, and our instructors create a warm, welcoming environment where everyone is included. Participants work alongside different people, share tasks and usually finish the day with new friends as well as new skills.

 We will always try to place friends or siblings together when requested. However, part of the experience is learning to communicate and collaborate with others, so groups and partners may change during the day. 

Please tell us about all allergies, intolerances and dietary requirements before booking.

Our kitchen handles many different ingredients, including wheat, gluten, eggs, dairy, soy, sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. We cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment or eliminate the risk of cross-contamination.

We do not keep EpiPens at the cooking school. If your child has a serious allergy or medical condition, please contact us before booking so we can discuss whether the program is suitable.

Please contact us before booking if your child has additional learning, behavioural, sensory, mobility or medical needs.

We want every young chef to have a positive experience, but participants must be able to follow safety instructions, work within a group and manage themselves with age-appropriate independence in a busy kitchen environment.

Cooking involves knives, heat and electrical equipment, so everyone must follow the chef’s directions promptly and behave respectfully towards staff and other participants.

If a participant behaves in a way that is unsafe or seriously disruptive, we may ask their parent or carer to collect them early. A refund would not normally be provided in this situation.

We are located at:

Roving Larder Cooking School
Building 2, The Barracks Precinct
2 Gunner Road, North Head Sanctuary
Manly NSW 2095

Stay on Bluefish Drive until you reach The Barracks Precinct car park. We are located at the opposite end of the car park in Building 2.

Yes. Free parking is available in The Barracks Precinct car park. Please use the marked long-term parking spaces and check the signs when you arrive. 

 Please email info@rovinglarder.com.au and ask to join the waiting list. We will contact you if a place becomes available. 

We generally require at least seven days’ notice for cancellations or booking changes. Requests must be emailed to info@rovinglarder.com.au.

Cancellations or changes within seven days are not normally accepted. However, bookings are transferable, so another eligible young chef may attend in your child’s place—just let us know their details beforehand.

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for complete information.

Occasionally, a session may need to be cancelled because minimum numbers have not been reached or due to circumstances beyond our control.

If this happens, we will offer you the choice of transferring to another suitable session, receiving a credit or receiving a refund.

We sometimes take photographs or short videos during our classes to celebrate what the young chefs have created and to share the program with other families.

If you do not want your child photographed, please let us know in writing before the session.

We’re happy to help.

Email info@rovinglarder.com.au or call 0410 733 278.