Winter Break Camp 2nd Week – AM Block (12/28–12/30) 9 AM–12 PM

Winter Break Camp December 28–30, 2026 | 9–12 PM

All of our Winter Break Camps will be led by our very own Co-Founder Hayley Schilling. Hayley holds a bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Child Development from California State University, Northridge, and is a Child Development Specialist with decades of experience working with children from preschool through elementary school, with specialized expertise in supporting neurodivergent children.

Three mornings exploring New Year’s traditions from around the world while building real-world cooking, hospitality, teamwork, and kitchen-management skills. Campers will cook traditional foods, take on restaurant-style challenges, practice commercial kitchen skills, and discover how different cultures welcome a fresh start.

DAY 1 — Spain & Japan: Precision Prep & Fresh Starts

Campers begin by learning how a professional kitchen gets ready for service. They’ll personalize their own chef aprons, learn essential safety and sanitation procedures, and practice mise en place, knife skills, workstation setup, and proper kitchen cleanup.

In the kitchen, campers will prepare Spanish Lentejas and Japanese Soba noodles while learning about New Year’s food traditions—including the Japanese custom of eating long noodles to symbolize longevity. The morning ends with a shared tasting and reflection on their newly learned kitchen skills.

Skills: Knife safety • Sanitation • Mise en place • Uniform chopping • Kitchen organization • Stove & boiling-water safety • Food preparation • Plating • Cleanup procedures • Cultural awareness

DAY 2 — Italy & the Southern USA: Restaurant Challenge

Day 2 takes campers beyond cooking and introduces them to how a restaurant actually works. They’ll design formal menu cards before taking on the Steady Tray Obstacle Course, where pairs practice balance, situational awareness, tray handling, and professional kitchen communication such as “Behind!” and “Corner!”

Next comes the Scale to the Gram Challenge. Campers will use digital kitchen scales to precisely measure ingredients while preparing Southern Hoppin’ John and sausage, building accuracy and confidence with commercial kitchen equipment.

They’ll finish with a restaurant simulation—taking turns as guests and servers—followed by a Clean Sweep Challenge to see how efficiently teams can clear, sanitize, and reset their dining areas.

Skills: Precision weighing • Recipe scaling • Tray handling • Situational awareness • Kitchen communication • Hospitality • Table setting • Customer service • Teamwork • Commercial sanitation • Speed & accuracy

DAY 3 — Scotland & El Salvador: The New Year Feast

The final morning brings the entire week together with a more celebratory New Year’s feast experience. Campers will create winter greenery centerpieces before heading into the kitchen for a fast-paced Baker’s Relay, working as an assembly line to prepare Scottish Hogmanay Shortbread and Salvadoran Chicha fruit punch.

The dining hall will then transform for a festive New Year celebration using the projects campers created throughout the week. Campers will enjoy what they’ve prepared, compete in a global New Year trivia challenge, and celebrate with a mock countdown.

They’ll finish with the Great Dish Derby, learning the professional scrape-wash-rinse-sanitize system and working together to reset the kitchen and dining space after their feast.

Skills: Baking • Assembly-line teamwork • Timing & sequencing • High-volume preparation • Communication • Hospitality • Table presentation • Global traditions • Commercial dishwashing & sanitation • Teamwork • Kitchen independence

By the end of the three-day camp, campers will have experienced much more than cooking. They’ll have practiced the real-world skills involved in preparing, serving, enjoying, and cleaning up after a meal—while exploring how cultures around the world celebrate the New Year.

Skills We’ll Explore

• Kitchen safety & sanitation• Knife skills & food preparation• Measuring, weighing & recipe scaling• Mise en place & workstation organization• Cooking & baking techniques• Serving, hospitality & table setting• Kitchen communication & situational awareness• Commercial cleanup & sanitation• Global New Year’s traditions• Teamwork, time management & problem-solving• Independence & confidence

Camp Details

Dates: December 28–30, 2026

Camp: 9:00 AM–12:00 PM

Drop-Off: 8:45–9:00 AM

Pickup: 12:00–12:15 PM (unless staying for a full day)

Location: The Makery Studios at the

Encino Retreat Center

4316 Lanai Rd, Encino, CA 91436

What to Bring

Please send your camper each day with a refillable water bottle and sunscreen already applied. All ingredients, cooking supplies, equipment, and materials needed for camp activities are provided.

What to Wear

Campers should wear comfortable clothes that can handle a little mess and closed-toe shoes suitable for an active, hands-on kitchen environment.

Food & Allergies

Campers may taste, sample, and eat the foods they prepare throughout camp with parent/guardian authorization. Please disclose all allergies and dietary restrictions and complete the required camper forms before camp begins.

If your camper has an allergy or significant dietary restriction, one of our Camp Directors will reach out for a consultation to discuss your camper’s needs and the accommodations we can provide. While we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate allergies, our activities take place in a shared commercial kitchen and cross-contact is possible.

Booking & Cancellation

We know plans can change! Bookings may be cancelled within 24 hours of purchase for a full refund. If your camper has an allergy or dietary need and, after speaking with our Camp Director, you are not comfortable with the accommodations we can provide, the standard cancellation restrictions will be waived and the affected camp block will be fully refunded.

See our full Cancellation Policy & Terms & Conditions here.