Viva la Cocina
Viva la Cocina
Viva la Cocina: Kids Cooking in Spanish
Viva La Cocina is a fun, hands-on cooking class for kids ages 8–14 who want to build kitchen confidence while practicing Spanish in a lively, supportive environment. Developed in partnership with Davis Language Academy, the program combines cooking, culture, and language learning in a way that feels interactive, practical, and joyful.
Through cooking and conversation, students will learn foundational kitchen skills, nutrition basics, and food vocabulary in Spanish as they prepare colorful, healthy recipes inspired by Latin American and Mediterranean cuisines. Spanish instruction is woven naturally throughout the cooking process, helping students build confidence through real-world language use.
Students will practice skills like chopping, measuring, mixing, reading recipes, and working safely in the kitchen while expanding their Spanish vocabulary related to food, flavors, cooking techniques, and everyday conversation.
Designed for a range of Spanish levels, Viva La Cocina emphasizes curiosity, creativity, and cultural connection — helping students see cooking as both a practical life skill and a joyful way to explore language and culture.
Overview: A six-session, hands-on cooking course in partnership with Davis Language Academy designed for kids ages 8-14, where kids will build kitchen confidence and cook healthy, flavorful recipes while learning and practicing Spanish.
Target Audience: Kids ages 8-14. Dietary restriction-friendly (GF, kosher, vegetarian, etc.)
Schedule: Tuesdays 4:00-6:00 p.m. (INCLUDES DINNER)
Cost: $99 per session x 6 sessions plus a one-time $80 materials fee for a total of $674 due at time of registration. Contact Laura for alternate payment plan or to apply for limited scholarship.
About the Instructor: Laura McLively is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, food writer, and award-winning cookbook author of The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook (Parallax Press, 2018). She has over a decade of experience teaching cooking classes to students of all ages and backgrounds, from corporate wellness programs and community workshops to youth cooking camps and hands-on nutrition education.
Through both her private nutrition practice and cooking classes, Laura is passionate about helping people build a healthy, joyful relationship with food, their bodies, and the environment. Her teaching emphasizes curiosity, confidence, flavor, and practical skills, showing students how to create nourishing meals using accessible, affordable ingredients. She believes cooking can be a powerful tool for connection, creativity, cultural exploration, and lifelong well-being.