About Sue
Welcome to Fun with Food!
In Fun with Food, we experiment, taste, smell, assemble, cut, cook and play with food. We learn about healthy eating habits, food appreciation, health benefits, food availability, we incorporate math+science+art, kitchen safety, sanitation and lots more!
Fun with Food is always Vegetarian, can be nut-free, and students' dietary allergies and intolerances are taken into account with all curriculum.
Some of the topics we cover include:
Healthy and Nutritious
Eating Habits
How Science and Food Interact and Relate
How Art and Food Correspond
Basic Knife Skills
Why Math is Important
When Cooking
Measuring Skills
Some sample classes include:
• Kitchen Safety, Sous Chefs, Responsibilities
• Make your own Granola Recipe
• Food Package Design
• The Great Smoothie Experiment
• Super Power Balls
• CSA Baskets
• Vegan Black Bean Chili
• Spiced Cranberry-Apple Sauce
• Eggs and Breakfast Burritos
• Growing your own food
• Vegetarian Sushi
• Honey, Bees and Nut Butter Balls
• Vegetarian Pizza
• Tomato Sauce and Pasta
• Three Bean Veggie Soup
Fun with Food Key Themes
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Creativity
Awareness of Senses
Presentation & Aesthetics
Science Skills
Directions
Math Skills
Confidence and Self-Esteem
Open-mindedness
Community
Patience
Sharing
There are no rules (except safety rules!)
Focus on smells, tastes, sounds, textures, beauty
What makes food look delicious?
Experiments, time, temperature, change, hypotheses
Following them verbally and in recipes
Measuring, adding, subtracting, counting
"I made that!"
Trying something new and different
What can we create and enjoy as a group?
Waiting to taste/see the creation
Taking turns in making a community recipe
Testimonials from Students and Parents
Chef Sue runs an amazing summer day camp for children of all cooking talents. She presents the food in such an accessible, beautiful way that they children immediately feel engaged and empowered. Everything is organized, eye catching and age-appropriate, and I love that her classes are full of healthy (and sometimes new) ingredients. Sue's personality is calm and fun, and her love for food and cooking is contagious. She respects children, and as a result, she easily earns their trust and respect as well. She provides students with recipes and instructions but encourages their creativity and confidence by reminding them that the recipe can be a guide. The entire day's environment is one of learning, curiosity, and collaboration. The children try new ingredients, learn new vocabulary, discuss how STEAM presents itself throughout a chef's day, gain new skills, and go home with extras to share and the pride of getting to describe how they created everything. I highly recommend Sue's classes and know my children will be back for more!
Mom of a First Grade Student at East Side Elementary
My son is in his second semester of Fun with Food. He loves it! He has learned so much and tries lots of new foods. He has wanted to help make dinners and even comes up with things he wants to try. I can't say enough about how much this class has sparked a new interest for my son. I am so glad that I signed him up for it.
Mom of 2nd Grader at Eastvalley Elementary
My daughter loves your Fun with Food after school class. She is excited each week to see what fun activity you have planned. After each class she wants to make the recipe or activity she just did at home. It is so great to see her learning about healthy eating/cooking and apply what she is learning. It is more than just a fun class. It is a great way for her to learn healthy eating/cooking habits that she can apply in her everyday life! BTW- she loved the the frosting tips. We used them this week!
Mom of 4th Grader at Tritt Elementary
I like Fun with Food with Chef Snape because it’s very fun. You learn all about cooking and foods with Chef Snape and get to make recipes sometimes. The latest lesson we had was about bees. We learned all about them and we made Nut Butter Balls, a combination of peanut butter, honey, and powdered milk. At the end of the lesson, we each got a little packet of honey to suck on. One time, we made sushi! We rolled vegetables like carrots and peppers, and rice up in seaweed. In Fun with Food, you experience with many different varieties of food, and sometimes, you get to try a food you have never tried before! In all, Fun with Food is a fun way to learn about food and make lots of cool recipes.
Fifth Grade Student at Eastvalley Elementary
My daughter is having a great time in your class! She comes home telling us about the antiseptic properties of honey, the amazing non-bake treats you can do with simple ingredients, and the benefits of eating healthy. This of course in addition to the yummy samples she manages to get home.We are so excited to see her appreciate food and help us do the same at home. Thanks for all you do!
Mom of Third Grade Student at Tritt Elementary
I wanted to let you know that my daughter LOVES your class and she is learning so much about food. After every class, she excitedly tells me the things that she did in class and I love that she is having fun learning. In addition, she is happily trying new foods and bringing home an assortment of food that she made in class. She is very proud of the food she makes in class. I also really like the class because it is educating her about food and expanding her tastes. Thanks you for all you are teaching my daughter!
Mom of 2nd Grader at Tritt Elementary
Testimonial from an Assistant
I’ve had the pleasure of observing and then participating in Sue’s Cooking Classes for groups of younger children. What impressed me most was the pre planning and the organization Sue demonstrated. She obviously spends a great deal of time prior to her classes. Because of this, her students are free to learn and experience their own abilities, as well as have fun! Sue creates an environment where she is free to spend one on one and small group time with her students. I find this an ability that is one of the unique assets she demonstrates in her teaching. Although her classes include the practical; menus with several courses, recipes with clarity and a simplicity of ingredients (that develop delicious results) there is much more.
Classes are 100% participation, each student works individually as well as interacting in small groups. Each recipe is provided and explained, with questions encouraged, before they begin their activities. Students are encouraged to use their time, their ingredients and creativity within these parameters. Sue’s menus are complete and well thought out to offer the best experience the students can have.
The accompanying recipes have core ingredients prepared and available for each student. Sue’s organizational skill is in evidence here. The purpose of all her pre planning and set up is to facilitate students using their time and the hands on aspect for their own benefit. Their “working conditions” are well prepared, clean, simple, and complete for all their needs. Students are busy, but not pushed. It is never boring, there is no stand around and wait time. Success for each of them is the end result, yet they come to realize this success is by their own hands. They appreciate using their own abilities. Students know Sue is always accessible for direction when requested and further clarity. They enjoy Sue’s spontaneous tips included during the lessons. Sue’s teaching style is motivating and encouraging: the students thrive on her interaction and she always remembers compliments! Because of all the pre planning, the well thought out organizing of advance set up, a special type of class is created. From my own experience, I see a different and highly successful approach. I’ve spent time with many of these kids. All have similar feedback. “Look what I made!” “I know how to cook things” “It was so much fun!” Sue clearly enjoys what she teaches, as well as her students and her subject matter. Everyone’s success is shown in the results.
Ms. Marcia, 30 years restaurant experience, Nanny
Interview with a Camp Mom
What is Chef Sue's rapport with kids like?
Chef Sue has amazing rapport with kids. I have 9 & 11 year olds that participated in her summer camp and she was able to keep them focused and engaged for 2 hours. Phenemenal, she managed the impossible in this day and age.
Being an online class, is it personalized and does everyone communicate like it was an in-person class?
Similar to what lots of people are saying during this slew of Covid-19 Zoom sessions, my sons said they felt like they received sufficient attention and they were able to communicate without feeling shy. In addition they enjoyed seeing friends they haven’t seen in a long time.
Did your child(ren) eat new foods that they had not tried before?
My younger son can be quite a picky eater so I was nervous about all the new items on the shopping list we’d buy. But, to my surprise, he was a trooper and tried it all.
How do students respond to Chef Sue's style of teaching?
My sons really enjoyed Chef Sue’s style of teaching. She’s quite personable and friendly.
Is it challenging to have a giant list of ingredients ready for the class or are substitutions possible?
We shopped daily in the morning for the items required for the same day. So initially we purchased every item on the food list, then we realized that a lot of the items we either already had or could be substituted. It was great to purchase items we weren’t accustomed to buying because it opened us up to trying and enjoying different things. Our palates were pleasantly surprised!
Did your child(ren) learn a lot about nutritious food?
My sons learned a ton about nutritious food. They were re-teaching me everything they learned during the class. I was impressed.
Is/Are your child(ren) engaged and interested in continuing in cooking at home and taking future Fun with Food classes?
Both my boys already cook at home, but with instruction. Now they feel like they can cook independently and I feel like I can get them more involved in the cooking process. They’re both interested in taking another class with Chef Sue.
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