Teen Summer Cooking Camps 2025

TEEN Cooking Camp is Back for fun Summer Afternoons!
Teens will love cooking and baking together in our small group classes at Portage Park!

Teen SUMMER Cooking Camp ‘25

Teens will love learning new skills, cooking fundamentals, and being creative in the kitchen at our Schoolhouse Summer Camp in Portage Park.

We offer camp for teens ages 11-15 YRS.

Cook+Create Camp Summer 2025 at Friendship Community Place

Chill vibes • Real skills • Tasty food
- Be a creator, not just a consumer
- Cook & eat your own lunch daily
- Learn practical life skills (kitchen prep, cleanup, teamwork)
- Enjoy crafts & board games in a relaxed, safe space
- Lowkey fun, big confidence boost

Brought to you by Schoolhouse Kitchen+Studio
in partnership with Friendship Community Place

We offer camp for teens ages 11-15 YRS.

Each class is unique and every week is packed with recipes and projects!

Everyday we will make new recipes that encourage skill development, creativity and help young chefs build confidence. Chefs will create a new recipe each day, building on skills throughout the week.

Skill Building!

Kitchen sanitation and safety, knife skills, measuring fundamentals, recipe reading, finding recipes, time management, working with meat (optional!), sautéing + skillet techniques, pastry, cake decorating (piping) + yeasted doughs.

Recipes are sent home each week so that you chefs continue practicing skills at home.

Camp Days: Monday - Friday
4AM - 6PM
$250/ person
For children ages 11-15

Camp Schedule

June 9 - 13:  Food Court Faves
June 16 - 20:  Food Network Camp
June 23 - 27:  Cake Trends
July 7 - 11:  Food Network Camp
July 14 - 18: Cake Trends
July 21 - 25: Food Court Faves
Aug 4 - 8:  Cake Trends

Food Court Faves

Young Chefs will learn real kitchen skills as we tackle these recipes. Yeasted dough, baking with proper measuring techniques, kitchen safety + sanitation, working with meat, knife skills, how to use ALL of the kitchen tools safely, seasoning, sauteing, recipe reading and more!


Giant Mall Cookie, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels/ Sbarro Baked Ziti + Orange Julius/ Egg rolls + Lo Mein/ Nachos Bell Grande/ Einstein’s Bagels & Cream Cheese

Food Network Camp

Young Chefs will learn real kitchen skills as we tackle these recipes. We're going to have so much fun in these light hearted and fun competitions as young chefs tackle new recipes, learn valuable kitchen skills and get to put their creativity to the test. Teens will have a lot of support from our very engaging instructors. BAKE!


Nailed it / Chopped Challenge / Iron Chef/ Snack v/s Chef + Great British Bake Off

Cake Trends Camp

Young Bakers will take on exciting recipes that challenge both their precision and creativity. They'll master essential skills like accurate measuring and mixing, crafting glazes and buttercreams, and creating stunning decorations with piping techniques. Each participant will bake full-sized cakes, making this a deliciously rewarding week!


Chocolate Swiss Roll / Ombre Cake / Gravity Defying Ice Cream Cone Cake (2 days) / Sheet Cake (Piping Fun!)

HOW OUR WAITLIST WORKS:

If a camp reaches full capacity we cannot accommodate additional campers. However, you have the option to join our WAITLIST. (through the SAWYER registration system).


Once a spot becomes available, we will email EVERYONE on the waitlist. It doesn’t matter what position you are on the list.


As registration adjustments frequently occur before the camp commences, being on the waitlist increases your chances of securing a spot. Feel free to join the waitlist if you're interested in obtaining a spot!

NOTES ABOUT OUR CAMPS:

Accommodations: We strive to welcome everyone at the Schoolhouse and are committed to providing a safe environment for all students. If your child may need behavioral/ emotional accommodations, please let us know when you register or before camp begins so that we can be aware and do our best to be inclusive. Physically rough, destructive or disruptive behavior is not permitted as we are in a kitchen setting and you will be asked to pick-up your camper if they repeatedly engage in behavior that is unsafe or disruptive.

Cancellation Policy for Camps:
CHANGES:

We will change registration with a $25 admin fee


CANCELLATION:

  • 2+ wks notice = refund - $25 admin fee
  • Less than 2 wks notice = credit - $25 admin fee
  • Less than 1 week notice = no credit offered. You may transfer camp to another child.
  • Email us to let us know cheryl@iloveschoolhouse.com. NOTE: We can not offer credits or transfers with less than 1 week notice. No exceptions.


What to Bring:

  • WATER BOTTLE with name clearly labeled
  • Close toed shoes are ideal and tying long hair back is helpful.
  • Some kids like to bring aprons - we provide them, as well.
  • You may bring clearly labeled “to go” containers for your child. Reduce plastic!
  • Dress for Mess!


Arrival + Dismissal:

  • Camp staff will be ready to check in campers 10 mins before camp is scheduled to begin. 
  • FIRST DAY: Please greet the staff counselor with the roster and we'll check in your camper.

Allergies:

We can accommodate most food allergies and do not serve any peanuts or tree nuts. When you register your child please list any food allergies and we are happy to accommodate. Our recipes are all vegetarian. We may offer meat options (like pepperoni for pizza) so please include your child's dietary restrictions in your registration. (vegan, no pork etc). We strive to be 100% inclusive and celebrate every person's choices.