Latest news with #culinaryskills
The National
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Cooking classes for children this summer: Homemade tacos, Asian fusion and more
If your children are done bouncing at the trampoline park, have bickered for hours over the PlayStation, are bored of the pool and can't face another round of Monopoly, it's time to let them get creative in the kitchen with these cooking classes they'll love. Mamalu Kitchen, Dubai The Mini Chef cooking classes at this Nakheel Mall cooking school are geared towards teaching children culinary skills as they create the foods they love. Already this summer, little ones have created pasta from scratch to whip up creamy chicken and mushroom alfredo rolls, cooked mini pizza muffins and tried their hand at Italian chocolate cream buns. Summer camp runs throughout July and August, with a mix of sweet and savoury dishes. The team also run Mini Chef – Snack Heroes classes, in which children can learn to make bites such as mini pulled chicken tacos with homemade taco shells from scratch. Summer camp: Monday-Friday; 10am-12.30pm; Dh1,000 per person per week inclusive of ingredients; Mini Chef – Snack Heroes: days vary; 4pm-5.30pm; Dh200 per person; Nakheel Mall, Palm Jumeirah Dubai; 052 747 9512 Ecole Ducasse Abu Dhabi Studio Children are invited to embark on a culinary journey with classes tailored for different age groups. The Summer Beginner Kids Camp is for children aged six to 10 to build their confidence in the kitchen while making an array of colourful and creative dishes with new recipes each week. The Summer Advanced Kids Camp, for older children from 11 to 17, offers the chance to try more complex dishes from savoury to pastry. There is also the option of the 4 Hands Pastry Session for parents and children, aged six to 12, to come together and create something delicious. Summer Beginner Kids Camp and Summer Advanced Kids Camp: June 30 to August 21; 1.30pm-3.30pm; Dh1,050 per person; 4 Hands Pastry Session: July 25 and August 2; 2pm-4pm; Dh630 for two; Cultural Foundation, Al Hosn; 052 663 7689 Scafa, Dubai Open to children aged seven to 14, summer camp at the School of Culinary and Finishing Arts focuses on teaching young ones the basics so they can use their skills at home. The course teaches the foundations of cooking, baking, pastry and world cuisines including Mexican, Asian and Italian, along with kitchen safety, best use of equipment and – parents rejoice! – how to effectively clean up afterwards. Sessions focus on breakfasts, cold and warm desserts, main courses and starters. Classes are available to buy in packages of one, five, 10 or 15 sessions. Daily throughout July and August; 2.30pm-5.30pm; between Dh290 (one class) and Dh3,480 (15 classes); Cluster I, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai; 052 110 0232 Top Chef Cooking Studio, Dubai The studio caters to young children and teens via its Kids Cooking Camp and Teens Cooking Camp this summer. From Monday to Friday, little ones aged six to 12 can don an apron and get stuck into making dishes such as dynamite shrimp, breaded seabass, vegetarian empanadas and mini pizzas. They also get to create inventive soft drinks, as well as desserts such as lemon cheesecake, cake pops, mango sticky rice and strawberry tart. Teens aged 13 to 16 are invited to stretch their skills further by whipping up dishes such as three-cheese souffle, beef tenderloin with peppercorn sauce and chicken and mushroom vol-au-vents. Kids Cooking Camp: Monday to Friday; 10am-1pm, Dh250 per session; Teens Cooking Camp: days vary; 2.30pm-5pm; Dh300 per session; Villa 196, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai; 04 385 5781 Wagamama, various locations across the UAE Children aged three to 11 not only get to create some of the dishes the Asian fusion chain is famous for – think gyoza and katsu chicken curry – but also get to take home a home chef apron after a hard hour or so in the kitchen. All about 'fun, flavour, and getting hands-on', the sessions invite children to dive into a range of spices and ingredients to cook up their dinner themselves (and take home any leftovers). Dates, timings and prices vary; Mirdif City Centre, Palm Jumeirah, Motorcity and City Walk in Dubai; Abu Dhabi Mall, Reem Mall and Khalifa City in Abu Dhabi Shvili, Abu Dhabi and Dubai The Georgian restaurant with outposts in Abu Dhabi and Dubai runs Kids Masterclass cooking classes throughout the summer and beyond. The hour-long sessions for children aged four and above lets little ones try their hand at a spot of culinary creativity while mum and dad dine at the restaurant. What they make is dependent on the time of day and location of the restaurant, but this summer children have been making Caesar salad, Georgian penovani cheese bread with puff pastry, Georgian cherry pie and jallab, the popular Middle Eastern drink made from date molasses, grape molasses and rose water. Daily; timings vary; free but pre-booking required; Dubai Festival City (052 220 0868), Dubai Hills Mall (052 929 2088), Nakheel Mall, Dubai (058 512 6795); The Galleria Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi (052 438 3880), Marina Moon Tower, Abu Dhabi (058 562 5251)
Globe and Mail
12-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
This retiree went to culinary school and worked in a retirement residence during the pandemic
In Tales from the Golden Age, retirees talk about their spending, savings and whether life after work is what they expected. For more articles in this series, click here. Heather Walker, 70, Waterloo, Ont. I retired in 2016 at the age of 61 after a career in technology and administration. My last job was working in health and safety training at a remote mine site in northern Ontario. I was working on a rotation: I flew into the site, worked for two weeks and then went home for two weeks. At first, I loved it, but after six years, I started finding it very stressful and difficult to leave home. The mine was winding down, so when the company announced another set of layoffs was coming, I volunteered to be let go with a bit of severance pay. I was ready to move on. My timing was perfect since my first grandson arrived the day after I officially retired. He came a month early. I wasn't set on retiring fully. I assumed I could find something closer to home with my software skills, but the technology I worked with at my last company turned out to be outdated. That set me back. After about a year of retirement, I started to get bored, so I took a culinary course at the local college. With my newly upgraded skills, I hoped to land a part-time job at a bakery or restaurant. It was quite an experience being the only senior in a class of 18- to 24-year-olds. It was a lot harder than I thought. You've heard of Hell's Kitchen? I was going in for pleasure, but they teach the kids the pressures of the pastry and baking world. I ended up quitting before the course finished. I got a part-time job front-of-house at a little bakery, but COVID-19 hit, and they didn't need me anymore. During the pandemic, I moved on to a server position at a retirement residence, wearing the full personal protective equipment and getting daily health checks. I thought it would be good for me to be around people and that the work would be fulfilling. I expected to work there for two or three months, but stayed for two years. Working for a group of residents ranging from 60 to 101 years old during the pandemic was an experience I will always remember. Next, I went to work at a country bakery, but couldn't keep up with the work. That's when I realized something was going on with my health. After getting it checked out, the doctors found several blockages, and I needed heart bypass surgery immediately. It was a bit of a shock to me because I'm a relatively healthy person. The heart issues forced me to change my retirement plans and adjust my bucket list. I planned to travel overseas a lot more, get involved in pickleball, and keep active with my two grandkids in their sports, but I can't do that now. I stay active, doing what I can. I have a community garden in Guelph and joined a mature singles group for nature walks, dining, theatre and many other events of interest. I also participate in some studies at the University of Waterloo in areas such as the aging brain, bone loss and nutrition. At first, I did worry about money in retirement, which I think is common. There are so many unknowns. It takes time to adjust to no longer receiving a paycheque and what your income looks like when you start collecting your Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefits. I started to relax once I saw the true retirement picture after taxes. For most people, retirement is very doable if you save, invest and live within your means. The most challenging part of retirement was finding a lifestyle that would provide a healthy balance. It took me about five years to settle in, but now I love it. The one thing I would have done differently is not to wait for retirement to see more of the world. My advice for others? Don't put off today what you may not be able to do tomorrow. And plan for changes. There are lots of them. - As told to Brenda Bouw This interview has been edited and condensed. Are you a Canadian retiree interested in discussing what life is like now that you've stopped working? The Globe is looking for people to participate in its Tales from the Golden Age feature, which examines the personal and financial realities of retirement. If you're interested in being interviewed for this feature and agree to use your full name and have a photo taken, please e-mail us at: goldenageglobe@ Please include a few details about how you saved and invested for retirement and what your life is like now.
