Yes, Chef! Culinary Camp
Designed to provide educational opportunities for exceptional Chicago area high school students from disinvested communities, who want to further their exposure to the culinary world and have fun along the way!
Yes, Chef! Culinary Camps
Sat., Mar. 7, 2026
11am – 3pm
The Chopping Block
4747 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL
Love to bake? Join us as we guide you through a variety of sweet and savory recipes that will have you sifting and stirring like a pro. Our esteemed culinary instructors will provide you with valuable culinary career skills in a fun and engaging environment. Plus, you’ll get to meet and bond with other students from across the city + take home an equipment kit to keep practicing long after camp is over. Performance prizes will be awarded as well as a top performance prize.
Sat., May 16, 2026
11am – 3pm
The Chopping Block
4747 N Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL
SPACE IS LIMITED. APPLY BY APRIL 26TH!
Ciao tutti! The Foundation for Culinary Arts is thrilled to host its fourth Yes, Chef! Culinary Camp: Fresh Pasta-making! A one-day bootcamp taught by The Chopping Blocks’ esteemed culinary instructors, campers will learn how to make fresh pasta and complimentary sauces, in addition to learning about the history of pasta, regional pasta traditions, the difference between types of flours, and more! Camp includes enjoying your homemade pasta and portions to take home to share with your family. And to ensure that campers can keep practicing, each and every participant will leave with an essential pasta-making equipment kit.
Aug. 4 – 8, 2025
10am – 4pm
The Chopping Block
4747 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL
APPLY BY JULY 5, 2026
Our popular week-long camp will be held at The Chopping Block in Lincoln Square. Each day campers cook a meal to eat alongside other campers as well as something to bring home to the family. Performance prizes will be given out daily and an overall top prize of an iPad will be awarded. The last day of camp is a graduation/mystery competition luncheon where one family member attends to watch the young chefs in action! Campers end the week with an essential kitchen equipment kit to continue their cooking journey at home with their newfound skills.
Sun., Nov. 15, 2026
11am – 3pm
The Chopping Block
4747 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL
The Foundation for Culinary Arts’ Yes, Chef! Culinary Camp is hosting the fourth annual instructional demo-only Thanksgiving dinner community cooking class for high school students from disinvested neighborhoods in Chicago. Preference will be given to prior approved Yes, Chef! Culinary Camp students. Instructors will demonstrate how to brine, roast, carve and spatchcock a turkey, as well as showcase how to make yummy sides to accompany a turkey dinner. Students will leave with a frozen turkey and a Mariano’s gift card to purchase fixings to complete their Thanksgiving dinner at home.
Sun., Dec. 6, 2026
11am – 3pm
The Chopping Block
4747 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL
Join us for our sixth annual Holiday Baking Boot Camp! ’Tis the season for showing loved ones how much they mean to you — and what better way than sharing holiday treats baked by you! You will learn invaluable baking basics from our esteemed instructor, bond with students from other schools and end the day with a buffet of baked goods as well as an essential kitchen equipment kit! Performance prizes will also be awarded.
More On Our Camps
Camp days will be spent bonding with students from other schools while learning valuable career and life skills taught by esteemed culinary instructors. And to ensure that all of our students can keep practicing at home, each student will leave with a Cooking Kit at the end of the day they can use to cook with their families!
Students currently enrolled in Chicago Public High School, whose family income falls within the definition of ‘economically disadvantaged’ as defined by CPS, may apply online.
COST: There is zero cost to accepted students or their families.
How Can I Get Involved?
Sponsor a meal kit | Sponsor a camper | Buy Equipment from our Amazon Wish List
Donate | Volunteer | Partner
Each level of sponsorship comes with unique promotional opportunities—press coverage inclusion; inclusion in all F4CA-generated promotional and marketing materials; corporate branding opportunities; and more. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent as allowed by law.
To discuss sponsorship opportunities, contact Executive Director Catherine De Orio at info@f4ca.org.
Camp Application Scholarship
Students currently enrolled in Chicago Public High School, whose family income falls within the definition of ‘economically disadvantaged’ as defined by CPS, may apply for a scholarship to attend the Yes, Chef! Culinary Camp by clicking the button below.
Our Partners
