Over the past two months, Chef Educator Eliana has been leading a hands-on cooking class with students at the Beacon Center at LES Prep, working with a small group of about six students from across the Lower East Side.
As part of the Beacon NYC afterschool program, this class brings together students ranging from first through fifth grade. With a smaller group and a wide age range, the class had allowed for more individual attention—and for lessons to be shaped around each student’s strengths, challenges, and growth over time.
Starting Strong and Stepping Up
At the beginning of the program, Eliana planned for simpler recipes. But after the first class, it was clear the students were capable of more. What started with decorated fruity rice cakes quickly evolved into a menu of salsas, salads, and dips—recipes that introduced more complex flavors and techniques, while still building core skills.
Over the past weeks, students have made everything from mango salsa and fruit summer rolls to kale caesar salad, guacamole, Thai citrus salad, and tzatziki with chickpea salad pita pockets. Their willingness to try new foods—and their excitement around hands-on tasks like juicing citrus or mixing sauces—has continued to grow.
Learning by Teaching
With a younger group like this, repetition is key. Knife skills, in particular, have been revisited again and again. Early on, slicing a cucumber could take a full class period. Now, students are able to small dice ingredients in a fraction of the time—working more efficiently and with greater confidence. In a recent class, two new students joined the group. Instead of re-teaching foundational skills herself, Eliana asked returning students to step in.
One student, Imani, guided a new classmate through the tunnel method—demonstrating how to safely cut a lemon, how to place it in the juicer, and how to get the most juice out of it. It was a clear example of how learning deepens when students take ownership, and how quickly confidence can grow when they’re given the chance to lead.
Supporting Each Other
With a mix of ages in the room, students are also learning from one another in quieter ways. In one class, a younger student struggled to differentiate between cilantro leaves and stems. An older student noticed and stepped in, walking him through the difference and helping him complete the task.
Across every session at LES Prep, students are building the same core skills: learning technique, trying new foods, and gaining confidence in the kitchen. It’s steady, hands-on work, and over time, it adds up. Week by week, students are becoming more capable, more independent, and more willing to take on new challenges.
