Young Chefs Academy • Round Rock

Young Chefs Academy • Round Rock

By Christi Covington Friday, 03 April 2009

When Lisa Turkovic saw the ad on craigslist, she was intrigued. It asked two questions: Do you love kids? Do you love to work in the kitchen?

“That’s me,” she said. “I was so excited.”

Turkovic was working in the music industry in Nashville, Tenn., but realized it was not what she wanted to do with her life. It was an epiphany for her, she said.

So Turkovic responded to the ad and soon began working for a Young Chefs Academy in Nashville. It was a locally owned franchise where children learn to cook. Within three to four months, she decided she wanted to start her own academy. So she and her husband, Alex, moved back to her native Texas to begin the venture, which opened in Round Rock last year.

Turkovic remembers when they first visited the space on Gattis School Road. She and Alex painted the shop themselves in bright colors, and they still spend most of their time there. He works at Dell, Inc., but goes to the shop after work nearly every day to help her.

“We put this together ourselves,” she said. “It’s surreal. I can still see the concrete and the smell of dust.”

Young Chefs Academy regularly holds classes and special events. Children as young as 3 years old can participate in the Kindercooks class. All the cutting and preparation work is done ahead of time, so younger students can concentrate on mixing and dipping.

“They love to stir,” Turkovic said of the 3 year olds. “But you have to plan things that are fast. They have an attention span of about 15 seconds, and then it’s too late. They are my favorite because they’re so excited.”

The largest class, the Jr. Chefs, range from 6 to 11 years old. For an hour and a half, they learn about ingredients and the history behind them, and explore using different kitchen tools. Because they use gloves and safety knives, no one has ever been cut.

Chef Jobie Hanson works with the 12- to 17-year-old Sr. Chefs, who get to use real knives and experience the entire cooking process.

“They learn practical cooking,” Turkovic said. “They learn how to go home and make themselves a snack so they can stop going to McDonald’s.”

Turkovic said her love of cooking did not begin as a child, although she appreciated fresh foods because her family enjoyed gardening. It was later while watching cooking shows that she began to explore new recipes and techniques.

Her entrepreneurial spirit came from her father who owned a small business. He has given her a few valuable tips.

“It’s almost all about customer service,” she said. “You have to return their calls. The customer is always right. Customer service is 90 percent of making it work.”

Summer camps

A variety of camps are offered, including:

• Fairy Tale Fiesta
  • Children ages 3-5 can enjoy classic fairy tales and make recipes to fit the stories.
  • June 16-18 • 8-10 a.m.
  • $99 session or $40 per day
• Surf & Sand
  • Children ages 3-5 learn beach-themed recipes.
  • July 21-23 • 8-10 a.m.
  • $99 session or $40 per day
• All About Pasta
  • High school students learn how to make fresh pasta and sauce.
  • June 16-18, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
  • $145/session or $50/day
• Pastry and Cake Decorating
  • High schoolers learn pastry and cake decorating techniques.
  • Aug. 4-6 • 1:30-4:30 p.m.
  • $145 session or $50 per day

Young Chefs Academy, 1300 Gattis School Road, Ste. 100, 692-9637, www.youngchefsacademy.com/roundrock