Young Chefs Academy Rogers Welcomes 5NEWS for a Hands-On Cooking Experience

Families looking for meaningful activities for kids often want something that builds confidence and teaches real-world skills. That is part of what makes Young Chefs Academy Rogers such a valued resource in the NW Arkansas and River Valley community.

Recently, the studio welcomed 5NEWS anchors Tiffany Lee and Jo Ellison for a feature segment on Around the Corner. The visit gave viewers a closer look at how children learn through hands-on cooking in a fun and encouraging environment.

Alongside owner Angela Yao Koch, Chefs Alex and Bethany, and a classroom full of young chefs, the 5NEWS team joined a class to prepare Chicken Cordon Bleu with mashed potatoes.

Young Chefs Academy Rogers Featured on 5NEWS

The segment showed what weekly classes at Young Chefs Academy Rogers look like in real time. Students practiced kitchen skills, followed recipes, and learned techniques they can use at home.

During the visit, children learned how to safely prepare ingredients and work through a multi-step recipe. The experience also gave the 5NEWS team a chance to see how cooking classes can help kids gain confidence.

“The goal of Young Chefs Academy is to make sure that we help kids understand and help kids develop the love of cooking,” Angela shared during the segment.

Hands-On Cooking Classes Build Life Skills

At Young Chefs Academy Rogers, the focus goes beyond preparing meals. Classes help children build independence, patience, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

Angela explained that not every child connects with traditional extracurricular activities.

“There are some kids, they don’t really like sports,” she said. “So it’s a way for us to kind of say, ‘Hey, you know what? Come try something new, something different.’ And they end up liking it, loving it.”

For many students, the social side of class matters just as much as the cooking.

One young chef shared, “It’s a really fun baking class and you just have a lot of fun there and so many memories.”

Another student explained that cooking together and spending time with classmates is part of what makes the experience special.

Family Enrichment Through Cooking in Rogers

As the meal came together, excitement filled the kitchen. Students proudly helped prepare dinner while learning practical skills they can bring home to their families.

By the end of the segment, the 5NEWS hosts praised the students and the welcoming atmosphere at Young Chefs Academy Rogers. They also highlighted how much children can learn through experiential learning in the kitchen.

For families in Rogers, Arkansas, Young Chefs Academy Rogers continues to offer hands-on cooking classes, camps, and seasonal programs that blend creativity with practical life skills.

Whether a child hopes to become a chef or simply wants to try something new, Young Chefs Academy Rogers provides a place to learn, create, and grow.