If you want to become a Piccolo Chef, send us your thoughts and tell us why you want to be a chef. Kids 10 and under are invited to send in an essay of 250 words or less telling us why. All entries are due by December 31, 2007. Our staff, along with our chefs will select one winner and parents will be notified by January 31, 2008. Please send entries to Cooking Vacations, c/o Piccolo Chef, 304 Newbury Street, Suite 318, Boston, MA 02115. You must mark your envelope Piccolo Chef in order to qualify. The winner will receive a 6 day trip to Italy for 2. Trip will be valid in 2008.

The classes are designed to be educational and fun. Each child participates with their parents in measuring, mixing, peeling, chopping, dicing and preparing recipes under the supervision of our trained chefs.

Whether rolling out pasta dumplings for Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, or learning how to make Pizza Margherita in the colors of the Italian flag, kids will enjoy being an Italian chef for a day!

Cooking Classes Children 3 years old and up are invited to participate in our cooking classes, where they will learn facts about healthy “green-light foods,” food groups, the food chain, food origins, vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and fiber content. Everyone enjoys the recipes prepared in class together, while making new friends and sharing conversation. Children will also learn conversational Italian, as our translator will translate words from English to Italian.

Our week-long programs blend cooking classes with artisan food visits to the farmer’s market, where kids can choose from fresh, seasonal produce for the classes; or the country farm, where they will see the process of milking cows for making butter, cheese and gelato. Tastings and informal discussions follow the side trips.

Kids’ side-trips include a visit to a lemon grove, where they will be able to pick their own lemons and bring them back to the kitchen. After learning how to zest a lemon, they will make lemon gelato. At the olive grove, kids will see the process of olive oil making and learn how the green and black fruits are pressed on the old-fashioned wheel. Tastings follow, and tips are given on the healthy Mediterranean diet.