Young Chefs Academy

What is Young Chefs Academy?

Young Chefs® Academy is a fun, scalable business that meets kids where they are by offering several skill levels to carry students from pre-school through high school: KinderCooks®, JuniorChefs™, and SeniorChefs™.

At every step, kids learn to prepare dishes of varying complexity, which gives them confidence in and out of the kitchen. Along the way, students are learning valuable life lessons about where food comes from, different customs and cultures, nutrition, teamwork, leadership, just to name a few!

Revenue Opportunities

Memberships

The Young Chefs® Academy cooking franchise model is built around a membership platform, where parents enroll their children in a series of kid-friendly culinary classes. Each class is an entirely new experience planned around a unique monthly theme, incorporating culinary skills that build upon each other. This allows progression into more complex food preparation and presentation. The model enables owners to benefit from a recurring revenue stream.

Camps

YCA offers camps during summer and other school break periods throughout the year. These camps create another income stream for franchise owners, providing ongoing engagement when school is out.

Parties

YCA hosts private parties for birthdays and special occasions, which are a popular way for members and their parents to introduce others to the program and drive new sign-ups on the spot.

Workshops and Special Events

Young chefs love participating in themed events such as building gingerbread houses for Christmas or baking Valentine’s Day cookies. These interactive sessions offer additional opportunities to engage the community.

Adult Workshops

The YoungChefs @ Heart curriculum offers rewarding workshops for adults, including team-building events for companies, church groups, and community organizations. These sessions strengthen rapport and culinary skills in a fun, interactive way.

Real Estate Support

Young Chefs Academy partners with a national real estate broker to assist franchisees in site selection. Franchisees are introduced to Morrow Hill, who can identify listings and negotiate leases. Lease agreements are subject to YCA approval, and real estate commissions are covered by landlords.

Staffing

Franchisees typically need 3–6 part-time employees depending on operating hours and scheduling. Formal culinary training is not required for staff.

Corporate Support

• Pre-opening site selection & build-out assistance
• Operational and training support
• Marketing tools
• Curriculum tools
• Technology tools
• Ongoing business and franchise coaching

Training

On-Site YCA Training

The 4-day on-site training is designed to:

• Teach them
• Show them
• Let them try

Training covers culinary instruction, class simulations, role-playing, and core operational elements of the business.

Initial Training

• Online pre-training
• Pre-opening and grand opening checklist and support
• 4-day initial training program
• Training for franchisee and manager
• Comprehensive training on proprietary systems

Ongoing Training

• Regular check-ins with support teams on all aspects of the business
• Guidance on promotional events and marketing
• Regular group and one-on-one coaching sessions
• Annual conference

Operations

Support begins as soon as the franchise agreement is signed. Franchisees receive:

• Access to business and technology tools (POS and scheduling)
• Pre-opening and build-out support
• Regular business coaching and field coaching
• Ongoing curriculum development and classroom management support
• Monthly benchmark reporting
• A collaborative culture where franchisee voices are heard

Marketing

• Support for grand openings and re-openings
• Marketing for programs and campaigns
• Local marketing coaching
• Guidance on digital media and email campaigns
• Public relations coaching
• Templates and marketing guidelines
• National strategic partnership initiatives aligned with the brand mission

Curriculum

Since 2004, Young Chefs Academy has offered culinary classes using the Montessori method, tailored to skill levels from beginner to advanced. The curriculum encourages independence, inquiry, and exploration of culinary interests. Lessons are delivered through STEAM objectives, using the kitchen as a lab for hands-on discovery.

Classroom Management

• Training in classroom management and teaching recipes
• Skill-based and proprietary curriculum
• Timelines and structured guidelines
• Extensive support documentation and activities

National Footprint

Young Chefs Academy is growing across the U.S. with established locations and additional centers coming soon in states including Texas, Georgia, Florida, New York, and more.