Things to Do With Teens in Vancouver Over the Holidays: Cook a Meal Together

Every December I hear the same thing from parents. The kids are home, the screens are on, and everyone is getting a little restless. If you are searching for things to do with teens in Vancouver over the holidays, here is my honest suggestion: come cook with us.

Our public cooking classes in Burnaby welcome ages 12 and up, so teens can roll up their sleeves right beside the adults and learn real skills they will actually use. No lectures, no watching from the back of the room. Everyone cooks.

Why a cooking class works so well for teens

• It is hands-on. Teens learn by doing, and in our classes they chop, mix, roll and plate their own food.

• Groups are small, usually 8 to 14 people, so there is always help nearby when they need it.

• Beginners are welcome. Nobody needs to know how to cook before they walk in.

• Dinner is part of the deal. All ingredients and the meal are included, so you sit down together and eat what you made.

Most classes run about 2 hours, which is long enough to feel like a real outing and short enough to keep everyone's attention. Our pizza and French nights run a little longer, about 2.5 to 3 hours.

Classes teens tend to love

Some menus are an easy win with younger cooks. A few favourites:

• Pizza Party: hand-stretched pizza with veggie or meat toppings, plus bruschetta and apple crostata. Stretching your own dough is half the fun.

• The Sushi Beginner: learn to cook sushi rice and roll salmon, tuna and tempura prawn sushi. Teens are always surprised by how good their first roll looks.

• Pasta from Scratch: a Ravioli Love Story: mix, roll and fill your own ravioli, then finish with apple crostata.

• For families who enjoy bold flavours, Mexican and Get Stuffed Asian Snacks are worth a look too.

December nights fill up quickly, so see upcoming dates on our class calendar and pick the evening that works for your crew.

Booking for your family

If your group is 4 people or fewer, you can book a public class online in a couple of minutes. Just choose your class and the number of seats.

Bringing the whole extended family, or a group of teens and their friends? A private class might suit you better. We host private groups of 5 to 50, with ingredients and equipment provided and recipes to take home. Groups of 5 to 7 are welcome too, though a minimum venue charge applies, so please call us at 604-773-7829 for a quote. You can read more on our private groups page.

A gift that gets them off the couch

If there is a teen in your life who is hard to shop for, a Key Experiences gift card is an easy answer. You buy it online, it can be used for any class, and it never expires, so they can choose the class and the date that suits them. Buy a gift card here.

Getting here

We cook at Gray Olive Cafeteria, 4190 Hastings Street, Burnaby, BC V5C 2J4. There is free street parking on Hastings after 6pm, and there is also a parking lot next to Tim Hortons.

Have a question before you book? Call me at 604-773-7829 or send us a message on Facebook. You can also browse all our cooking classes in Vancouver or go straight to the calendar and book your class.

I would love to see your family in the kitchen this holiday season.

Chef John