WACO, Texas – Young Chefs Academy partners with the National Mango Board to launch a hands-on culinary program that places mango at the center of cooking instruction for children, using the fruit to teach produce selection, safe cutting techniques and recipes drawn from both sweet and savory global cuisines.
The partnership pairs Young Chefs Academy’s cooking instruction with the National Mango Board’s consumer education work, built around a fruit that crosses sweet and savory cooking and adapts across cuisines. “A mango is a fantastic choice for a kids’ cooking series because it hits a sweet spot, both literally and educationally, that makes it especially effective for younger chefs,” says Lavanya Setia of the National Mango Board.
Through classes, camps and workshops, students work each recipe from ingredient selection through plating, practicing knife handling and produce selection in a single session and preparing mango in both desserts and savory dishes. “Teaching kids to cook with mangos goes beyond nutrition; it builds foundational kitchen skills like produce selection, safe cutting techniques, and an understanding of how fruit functions in both sweet and savory cooking,” says Rachel Solano, director of curriculum at Young Chefs Academy.
Children who prepare a dish from start to finish more often taste foods they would otherwise avoid, a pattern the program uses to reach picky eaters. “Cooking can help kids become more confident, more curious, and more open to trying new foods,” Solano says. “The goal has always been to create an environment where healthy eating feels engaging rather than restrictive, and where learning to cook becomes a way for children to develop life skills that extend far beyond the kitchen.”
Leigh Feldman, chief executive of Youth Franchise Brands, the parent company of Young Chefs Academy and Flour Power Cooking Studios, frames the partnership around shared standards. “At Young Chefs Academy and Flour Power Cooking Studios, we’re always looking for partners who believe what we believe: that kids deserve real food experiences,” Feldman says.
Mango education, recipes and nutrition information is available at mango.org.
About Young Chefs Academy
Young Chefs Academy is a children’s culinary education franchise founded in 2003 and based in Waco, Texas. The company operates locations across the United States, offering cooking classes, camps, workshops and parties for children. It is part of Youth Franchise Brands, which also operates Flour Power Cooking Studios.
About the National Mango Board
The National Mango Board is an industry-funded organization that supports mango education, research and promotion in the United States. Resources are available at mango.org.
Media ContactCompany Name: Young Chefs AcademyContact Person: Leigh Feldman Email: Send EmailCountry: United StatesWebsite: https://youngchefsacademy.com/
