Now They’re Cooking

Entrepreneur.com: After Helane Cohen lost her mother in 2000, the time she spent alone helped her identify the two things she loved most: children and cooking. It was then that this tech executive decided to leave behind a six-figure salary and launch Le Petit Cookery, a cooking school for children. Three months later, Cohen, 40, brought in good friend Steven Soto, 42, as her chief advisor–having worked with him in the past, she knew he could offer invaluable small-business skills.
Le Petit Cookery teaches children everything from how to use cutlery to healthy eating and proper etiquette. Today, the business consists of three branches: after-school programs for elementary-school children; private cooking parties, special events and classes at requested locations; and a website that sells cooking products for children. While the programs teach children how to cook, they also encourage safety, fun, teamwork and healthy nutrition. Le Petit Cookery’s “Around the Globe We Go” after-school program, for example, highlights international foods and ingredients, such as Polish pirogis, dumplings filled with cheese or meat that the kids make by themselves–with some help from assistants, of course.
Now They’re Cooking [Entrepreneur.com]