From passionate foodies to professional chefs, the Mediterranean Culinary Acadamy, MCA for short, has over the years, attracted various students to join their academy, equipping them with the technical abilities to excel in any culinary role. Rooted on a unique set of contemporary values, the MCA is continuously looking for new ways to help people learn more about the food they eat and how to cook local and sustainably-sourced dishes. Today, the academy is also cultivating the next generation of culinary artists through specifically targeted courses, which provide children and young teens a wealth of information and skills on how to make delicious, fresh food.

Summer Junior Chef Programme

If you’ve noticed that your children have a taste for the kitchen or perhaps you would like to encourage them to improve their culinary skills in a professional, yet creative environment, the Junior Chef Programme is the ideal place for hand-on cooking this summer. Covering a variety of integral cooking techniques; food safety procedures; as well as information on the use of local, seasonal and sustainable produce, this course is designed to foster well rounded and competent young cooks.

The MCA has cultivated a team of chef mentors and experienced educational teachers who share the academy’s underlying values and will guide the whole course, ensuring that students receive the correct instructions and individual attention to evolve into more confident cooks in the kitchen. Individually, each lesson takes a key technique as its starting point and showcases a dish from around the Mediterranean that has been chosen to truly highlight the skills in question. In this manner, students will not only learn how to cook some delicious dishes, but more importantly come to understand the underlying principles, which will give them the ability to adapt techniques to other dishes at home.

The MCA is accepting children from ages of 8 all the way up to teens of 16 years old. The MCA have formed 7 different groups so as to separate ages and also to provide flexible start dates.

Beginners Route

The beginner’s route is targeted for those junior chefs who are new to the academy or who attended the Junior Baker course. There are a total of 8 lessons focusing on core popular recipes. You can find the breakdown below:

Classes for beginners between 8 and 11 years old are eligible for Group A. They will have 3hr classes every Monday and Wednesday at 10am from 2nd August up to 25th August.

Beginner classes for those aged between 12 and 16 all start at 4 in the afternoon and have two groups to choose from. They can opt to join Group B with classes every Monday and Wednesday from 2nd August to 25th August OR join Group F with classes every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 31st August to 16th September.

Intermediate Route

This year, the MCA have introduced an intermediate route for junior chefs who have completed last year’s programme and who now have more culinary experience. These students also have eight lessons focusing on perfecting more challenging dishes.

The first two groups for the intermediate route are both starting on 3rd August and finishing on 26th August. Both groups will have classes every Tuesday and Thursday at 10am and 4pm respectively. Group C is for children between 8 and 11 and Group D is for those aged between 12 and 16.

There are two additional groups for intermediates. Group E is targeted for 12–16-year-olds with classes every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 31st August up to 16th September, while Group G is for 8–11-year-olds every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 30th August up to 15th September. Both sessions start at 10am

Further Information

At the end of every session, your budding gourmands can sit down and nourish themselves on the food that they have prepared. No equipment or ingredients are required; however, the MCA team do kindly ask to send children with reusable containers for them to take any food they don't eat home with them. An apron will be given to students along with a participation certificate after completing the programme.

More from MCA

If you are reading this and thinking that you also want to join in one of the classes offered by the MCA, they have plenty of culinary workshops available throughout the month of June straight from Spinola Park. From couples cooking classes to specific foreign cusines and baking courses, all classes are an enjoyable way to experience food with professionals.

Find your preferred class here.