Chef’s Village for You and your Kids

Thank you for coming to our Village. The site is targeted at kids and young adults but really can be taken advantage of by anyone. In this section you will find information, tools, and resources to help your kids gain confidence, skills, and pride, and you will learn how to help them, whether using this program or just making Sunday brunch.

How to support your child

The best way to support your kids is by encouraging them to have a Growth Mindset. “Growth Mindset?,” you ask. While there is a whole book* on this subject (and definitely a recommended read), the upshot is this: most people believe that a person is born with certain capabilities. They are good at music but bad at sports. They are bad at math and science but good at drawing. The truth is that anyone can not only learn any skill, but the act of working on a skill actually physically changes your brain and improves your ability to learn that skill. So if you’ve always been bad at math (or cooking) and you start working on it, you will not only get better, but it will get easier for you to learn more.

“This sounds great!” I hear you say, “But how do I encourage this Growth Mindset?” Well, it’s all about not only what you say, but how you say it. If you tell your kid she is a natural at sports, that actually encourages a Fixed Mindset (boo!) and discourages learning — believe it or not.

Also, when you give feedback, be specific. Don’t say, “Great job with those eggs!” Instead, say, “These eggs are creamy and seasoned really well. I like how you cooked them gently so they didn’t get rubbery.”

Keep your eye on this section of the web site as we put together more comprehensive resources for you and your kids. This will help them not only with our program but in every aspect of their life, no matter what they want to do and learn.

* Mindset, by Carol Dweck, is available from most bookstores and on line. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy, please let us know. We are putting together a program to offer this book at a discount and for free to parents of kids in our program.