Families looking to sharpen their kitchen skills this summer will have several opportunities through Joy’s Cooking Classes, as owner Ashley Webb rolls out a lineup of cooking camps and specialty culinary classes for children, adults, and seniors.
The hands-on classes will take place at Joy’s, located at 3811 KY 54, and will feature everything from homemade pasta and tacos to crème brûlée and Bananas Foster flambé.
Webb purchased the former Cooking 101 location in 2019 and later rebranded the business as Joy’s Cooking Classes. Since then, the business has expanded to include private events, meal prep services, and Joyfull Java and Juice, a neighboring café offering smoothies, juices, coffee drinks, soups, wraps, and sandwiches.
Webb said the classes are designed to make cooking approachable and fun for all ages.
“I love seeing kids get excited about cooking and trying something new,” Webb said. “There’s something really special about watching them gain confidence in the kitchen and realize they’re capable of creating a full meal themselves.”
The June Little Chefs Cooking Camp is scheduled for June 23-25 at 5:30 p.m. daily and costs $100 per child for the three-day session.
Campers will make homemade boneless wings, French fries, tacos, Mexican rice with queso, homemade pasta, chicken Alfredo, crème brûlée, Bananas Foster flambé, and ice cream sundaes. The final day will also include a flour fight.
A second Little Chef’s Cooking Camp is planned for July 21-23 at 5:30 p.m. daily, also priced at $100 per child.
The July menu includes chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, cast-iron pork chops, homemade applesauce, homemade pasta, beef bolognese marinara, crème brulee, apple pie flambe, and ice cream sundaes, along with another flour fight on the final day.
Webb said she hopes the camps create lifelong memories while helping children develop practical skills.
“Cooking brings people together, and I want these kids to leave not only knowing how to make something delicious, but also carrying memories they’ll always remember with their families and friends,” Webb said. “The joy on their faces when they accomplish something in the kitchen is the best part of what we do.”
In addition to the children’s camps, Cooking with JOY is also offering several themed classes for adults and seniors.
A Senior Singles Cooking Class is scheduled for May 30 at 4 p.m. and will feature chicken marsala, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and Bananas Foster flambe.
Webb said the classes continue to grow because they offer more than just cooking instruction.
“We’ve created a place where people can gather, laugh, learn, and enjoy time together,” she said. “Food has always had a way of connecting people, and that’s really what this is all about.”
More information about camps, classes, meal prep, and online ordering is available through Cooking with JOY’s website.
