Young Chefs Cooking & Baking Club celebrates 20 Years

For Latoya Panton, the clearest sign of the Young Chefs Cooking & Baking Club's success comes years after children leave the kitchen. Former students return to tell her they still cook for their families, pursued culinary careers or simply developed a lasting love of cooking.

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We wanted children to become more independent, develop healthy eating habits, learn teamwork and gain confidence through hands-on experiences in the kitchen.

The Jamaican programme is celebrating its 20th anniversary after reaching more than 2,000 young participants. Founded by Panton, it combines cooking lessons with broader goals, including independence, healthy eating, teamwork and confidence.

“We wanted children to become more independent, develop healthy eating habits, learn teamwork and gain confidence through hands-on experiences in the kitchen,” Panton said. She added that the programme now focuses on creativity, responsibility and a lifelong appreciation of food, not only recipes.

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Twenty years later, I can confidently say those goals have grown beyond what I first imagined.

CB Foods has supported Young Chefs for more than a decade through brands including CB Chicken, Copperwood Pork, Caribbean Passion Smoked Meats and Bad Dawg. Assistant Brand Manager Samantha Fisher said cooking builds confidence and creativity, and brings people together.

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Cooking shapes so much more than what’s on the plate. It builds confidence, sparks creativity and creates moments that bring people together.

Panton described CB Foods as more than a sponsor, saying its continued backing helped the programme educate and inspire young Jamaicans. The organisers say the partnership will continue to expand opportunities for children to develop skills they can use throughout their lives.

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One of the most rewarding moments is when former students return years later to tell me they still cook for their families, have pursued careers in the culinary arts or simply developed a lifelong love for cooking because of what they learned at Young Chefs.