Testimonials From Parents


"Making sushi with my girl!  Thanks LIFT Enrichment!" - Heather Beckman, mom

“The Chef teacher was very thorough with explaining how to prepare, and she asks nutrition questions to keep the kids involved and learning.”

- Christine, mom

My daughter Natalia is doing great and enjoys her cooking class.   (I help her with prep like cutting and chopping).  We have had a positive experience!  Our family enjoys her cooking and she receives positive feedback to build her own confidence.   She tried foods that she usually would not try and we also have  added some vegetables to her diet.  This is definitely a positive outcome!  Pasta Primavera and and the Chicken Parmesan have been her favorite dishes".

 - Faith, mom

“Your Chef did a great job of engaging kids and teaching them safety as they went along with the lesson.  (My daughter) Maggie took a liking to her and is asking to do more lesson!”

- Jill, mom

“Amazing energy!  The Chef made the kids feel confident and encouraged having fun.  It was a great example of how cooking doesn’t have to be rigid, and instead you can be flexible and creative with the ingredients.  I loved all of the additional information regarding food, ingredients and health.” - Leah, mom

“Chef Jennifer was awesome!  Her pacing is perfect and I like how she talks about the nutrition of each meal" - Tami, mom

“The Chef did a good job of keeping people engaged throughout the lesson!"

- Sammie, dad

“The Chef teacher was very thorough with explaining how to prepare, and she asks nutrition questions to keep the kids involved and learning.” - Christine, mom

“Chef Kim was fantastic and engaging with the kids!”

- Maria, mom

“The Chef teacher was attentive, amazing, and so much fun”

- Shanda, Mom

“We have had Chef Kim teach and she’s amazing.”

- Grace, Mom

“Engaging!  The Chef kept the pace appropriate for the age group. I really enjoyed her energy and hope she stays” - Ana, Mom

“Your Chef was very sweet and easy to follow. She did an awesome job.” -Ashley, Mom

“Chef Kimi was incredible! Very upbeat, calm, engaging. She was excellent at getting everyone involved.” - Stacy, Mom

“Chef Jennifer was very kind and patient” - Georgia, Mom

“Amazing energy!  The Chef made the kids feel confident and encouraged having fun.  It was a great example of how cooking doesn’t have to be rigid, and instead you can be flexible and creative with the ingredients.  I loved all of the additional information regarding food, ingredients and health.” - Leah, mom

“Chef Kimi was very patient and thorough with her explanations. She let the kids take their time and encouraged them to always maintain a clean station. She kept the kids encouraged and excited about the recipes; and was open to letting the kids explore alternate spices.” - Anu, mom

“My kids have been having fun making and tasting food recipes from around the world.  They are trying new foods and actually liking them!  They are proud of what they make and can’t wait to share it with us." - Sandy, mom

“I love how we cook together, prep together and then we have dinner together.”

My son had a good time (making healthy pasta) and you could see his independence creeping up through the hour!  He was intrigued and had a great time and ate zucchini and bell peppers which aren't normal :).  Chef Yvette was great haha She brought that aloha spirit for sure.   

Testimonials From Clients (Schools/Districts)

I have to tell you that since joining the cooking classes, my daughters have been more adventurous in what they will eat and try.

- Thomas Ambriz, Principal, Our Lady of Grace School 5/24/19

“LIFT Enrichment’s Culinary Workshops have been a great experience.  The students are getting an introduction to eating healthy foods with hands on experiences.  (This) real world experience is the key to the development of each student."  

- Susan Shaw, Teacher Specialist, Pomona Unified School District

“The culinary workshops for our ASES program were fantastic!  Kids tried new foods and embraced them! They are more engaged with their families at the grocery store and help out in the kitchen at home.  The kids can’t wait for the new set of recipes each shool year!/”

- Adria Jefferson, Business Manager, Keiller Leadership Academy

“I love the fact it’s real cooking instead of cupcake wars.”

- Kathryn Dippong Lawson, City of Ventura, Program Supervisor.

“Cooking is quite the popular class!  2 more kids added so we now have 15.  I won’t let anymore in the class.  Attached is a new list”. 

 - Jill Los Encinos, Director of Enrichment, Los Encinos School

"The kids enjoyed the LIFT Enrichment cooking workshop!  The teacher was very enthusiastic, knowledgeable passionate about the topic at hand—kale. The activity itself was very engaging for the students. Chef Eric made sure to use everyone in the class to help prepare our Kale Bruschetta and Kale salad.  Every thing turned out delicious and the students absolutely loved it!  I would definitely recommend a LIFT Enrichment cooking demo for your school" 

- Kourtney Hicks, Health Coordinator, Village School

“Thank you so much! It’s always great having you at (our) camp. You are great with the kids and put on a really fun Kid Restaurant experience for the parents on the last day.  (It’s) a wonderful thing to be able to teach kids to eat healthy, use kitchen equipment safely, and try new things.”

 - Gricelda Gamboa, Director of Enrichment, Village School

“Every session we have offered cooking through LIFT Enrichment, we have reached maximum enrollment.  The kids really enjoy the recipes and working with the chef instructors.  It has been a great partnership!”

-  Whitney Stange, After School Enrichment Coordinator, Laurence School

“We've had the Cooking class as a part of our enrichment program at Seven Arrows for several years and it's always a hit with our families. Students enjoy working with their hands and tasting the results of their work; everyone, parents and students, get a delicious, healthy snack!

- Sonja Carlson, After-school Coordinator, Seven Arrows Elementary School

“The kids at Children’s Community School enjoyed the cooking class and looked forward to it each week. They liked the process of making the food and loved eating it afterwards.”

- George Nersisyan, After-School Enrichment Director, Children’s Community School

“Everything was great.  We look forward to working with your Cooking class each year!”

- Layne Pflierger, After-School Director, John Thomas Dye School

“The class was very well-received by the parents and students. Great class!”

- Sharon Varnell, St Monica Elementary

And more Testimonials from Parents

“Thanks for bringing this class to our school – it has been a positive experience for my daughter overall.” 

- Toni, parent

“Thank you for the love and care that you are putting into your cooking.  Niki absolutely loves your class and always looks forward to cooking on Tuesdays.” 

“My son loved his experience at (Cooking) Camp.  He was excited about cooking his delicious lunch. The counselors did a great job with the kids - each day was fun and filled with learning”

“My daughter is really enjoying the cooking class!” 

“My son take the cooking class after school. He hasn't eaten salmon despite our best efforts, but came home saying he LOVED a salmon he cooked at his class 2 weeks ago. " 

 "She loves your class so much and we are so grateful. One of her chores is to make Tomato and Basil Bruschetta before dinner at least once a week. It's better than any restaurant we've been to. We've also learned about a number of Italian cities, including Genova, Rome, and Parma. Anyway, she has grown a bunch in your class. Thank you so much."

“Your classes changed our girl’s life. She cooks more at home. We love all your cooking and recipes. Thank you. We hope to have you in the fall. We will sign up for every single class you have.”  

“Thank you for making one of my son’s favorite dishes, Pasta Primavera with all the veggies, as well as incorporating veggies into all of the other recipes he prepared in class.”

“My child loves making the Broccoli slaw.  She’s made it twice for two events!  It’s a great recipe.  Thanks.”

“My daughter enjoys helping out in the kitchen more, the preparing and cooking the food”        

Case Studies

Case Study: Belen

How A 9-Year-Old Girl Made Over 100 Recipes Through Online Cooking Classes


“Chef Jennifer was awesome!  Her pacing is perfect and I like how she talks about the nutrition of each meal”

- Tami, Belen’s Mom

Belen’s mom Tami signed her daughter up for our weekly online cooking class in June of 2020 because Belen kinda liked cooking, after she had tried out a few in-person cooking classes, but still had some diet issues.

She rarely ate lean protein like chicken breast and ate some, but not all vegetables.

Belen’s passion for cooking was growing, but there weren’t any lessons available for her to take in in 2020.

She was on LIFT Enrichment’s mailing list (link) and heard about our Kids Can Cook Inner Circle, a series of weekly lessons, and joined!

Each week she started to get more and MORE confident in the kitchen.  She was only 8-years-old when she started, but within a few months she was able to chop vegetables like zucchini, onion and bell peppers entirely on her own.  Her dad would supervise and help out, but soon Belen could do 95% of the culinary lesson on her own.

Her teachers, Chef Jennifer and later Chef Becca, observed how she came to class each week excited and enthusiastic to experience the group lessons.

She’s been cooking with LIFT Enrichment for a FULL year and has now made over 100 recipes including:

  • Sushi Handrolls
  • Homemade Pasta with Pesto
  • Crispy Chicken Milanese
  • Chinese Egg Rolls
  • Pan-Seared Steak with Garlic-Herb Butter
  • Healthy Orange Chicken with Jasmine Rice
  • Peruvian Lomo Saltado (Steak and Veggie South American Stirfry)
  • Vegetarian Enchiladas with Sauce 
  • And even some desserts like Cream Puffs with Vanilla Custard and a Gingerbread House from scratch!

Through our online cooking classes she has developed true confidence in the kitchen and now, along with her older sister Sophia, they have the ability to make dozens of healthy recipes from scratch!

Case Study: Sammy

How This 12-Year-Old Went From ONLY Making Canned Soups for Lunch To Being Able to Make A Full Meal From Scratch (Crispy Chicken Milanese and Cobb Salad with French Vinaigrette)

“Sammy now has a real passion for cooking!”

- Margie, Sammy’s mom.

When Sammy first started cooking with LIFT Enrichment’s online cooking class for kids, he was kinda lost.

His mom, Margie, hadn’t seen Sammy find a favorite sport or hobby that caught his interest.

On a whim, she tried out one of our cooking classes for kids, and Sammy was instantly hooked.

For the past 6 months, Sammy has made over 50 recipes and has developed a lot of independence and culinary skills through our weekly healthy dinner lessons.

Originally, for lunch, he would go to the cupboard, take out a canned soup, put it in a bowl and microwave it.

His mom was concerned because soups have a lot of sodium and preservatives.  Plus they are not fresh.

Today, Sammy can go in the cupboard and make a quick lunch from scratch using pasta, canned tomatoes, onion, fresh herbs, garlic and some vegetables.  

He’s made incredible progress in the kitchen and can go through our online cooking classes entirely on his own from start to finish.

One time, he made his mom homemade gnocchi with marinara sauce and served it to her like he was the waiter of his own restaurant!

His favorite recipes include: Cobb Salad with French Vinaigrette, Crispy Chicken Milanese, Homemade Pita Bread with Beef Kabobs, Pizza from scratch and homemade sushi!

Sammy, who is now in middle school, has developed a true passion for cooking and continues to develop his culinary skills to this day!