Every Wednesday evening, Anna Martin and her 13-year-old daughter, Lucille, log into Microsoft Teams to learn a new recipe from Chef Mallory. The free program, called Allkids in the Kitchen, is offered to the community through Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.

“As a parent, I’m proud and thrilled that Lucille is making dinner once a week,” says Martin, of Swannanoa, North Carolina. “It’s a huge help to our household. It’s teaching Lucille skills she’ll use her whole life.”

According to Community Nutrition & Wellness Program Manager Mallory Carteaux, also known as Chef Mallory, Allkids in the Kitchen is offered in sessions and is open to everyone.

“We have families from all over the country as well as families from Canada and Mexico,” Carteaux says. “It’s a great way for kids to eat more fruits and vegetables.”

Carteaux says many participants start out with little experience cooking or eating healthily. The classes offer a creative way to try something new and build confidence in their cooking skills.

“Cooking can be fun,” says Carteaux. “Instead of just me being there talking, the kids ask questions, and I ask them questions. All recipes take 45 minutes. It can save you money, and it’s an activity your family is doing together.”

For Martin and Lucille, the class is a fun and pressure-free way to learn new recipes.

“It’s easy and teaches you good skills,” Lucille Martin says. “If you have the ingredients, you can just jump right in. It goes at a pretty fast pace, so it’s good to have someone there to help.”

Lucille says she has learned a lot about holding different vegetables while cutting them and little tricks like keeping the pot top on while making a stew. She appreciates that Chef Mallory makes the recipes flexible because the Martin family is mostly vegetarian.

“I liked when we did build-your-own bowl,” Lucille says. “If you don’t love meat, we don’t put on the sausage. If I don’t love olives, I don’t have to put that on there.”

The Martins’ bowls consisted of beans, rice, vegetables and homemade salsa. Lucille says she even learned how to grate her own cheese. When talking about the class, Lucille says, “I learned a lot more than I realized.”

Vince Siu and her 6-year-old daughter, Lily, also participate in Allkids in the Kitchen.

“We found it on Eventbrite,” says Siu, who logs in from New York. “We love the recipes. Chef Mallory always has all the different food groups covered in the recipes.”

Siu says the class has been a great way to learn easy, healthy recipes kids can make.

“They build confidence in cooking,” Siu says. “Chef Mallory also covers a lot of different techniques and tools. Lily learned how to crack an egg and then learned different things to do with it. Having that exposure at such a young age is so important.”

Siu says Lily has learned to make pesto pasta, jambalaya and baked stuffed peppers. 

“I’m surprised how easy it is to cook healthy meals,” says Siu. “Chef Mallory finds some ways to cook vegetables, and it always tastes really good. Eating well isn’t that difficult if you know good recipes. Chef Mallory is a wonderful instructor!”

Lucas Marin, executive chef at Johns Hopkins All Children’s, sometimes supports Chef Mallory during recipe preparation.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to help families have a more balanced diet. We tend to forget how important fuel is to our bodies,” Marin says. “It is fun, but they’re getting to enjoy something nutritious.”

Marin says he appreciates how engaged the families are during class.

“They want to understand more about cooking,” he says. “A meal needs to be made every single day, and Chef Mallory is passionate and takes food seriously. She puts in extra effort and goes the extra mile to serve the community.”