W
ith Christmas just
around the corner,
16-
year-old baker
Ankrish and his
mum are busy cooking up a cake
storm. Since their first order for
Christmas cupcakes four years ago,
the mother-son duo known as Baking
Maniac has baked cakes, cookies and
creative delights for social gatherings,
corporate events and coffee shops
across Hong Kong.
Ankrish has always loved to bake
with his mum. “It was great fun to get
messy and creative, and it was – and
still is – a great way for Mum and me
to enjoy special bonding time,” he
says. In the future, Ankrish is keen to
transform his passion into a profession
and realise his dream of becoming a
pastry chef. He says, “I am extremely
thankful to my mum for introducing
me at such a young age to the art of
baking, and for having confidence and
believing in me. Thanks to her, I am
able to pursue what I am passionate
about, which makes me very excited
about the future!”
The benefits
While not every child will aspire to
become the next culinary prodigy, the
kitchen provides a creative classroom
that can offer children of all ages a
myriad of learning opportunities,
according to Hong Kong’s food gurus.
The importance of healthy
nutrition is a highly beneficial
lesson that can be taught in the
kitchen, advises Priscilla Soligo,
chef and founder of Rawthentic
Food, a company in Sai Kung that
raises awareness of the benefits
of sustainable plant-based raw
foods. When children have fun in
the kitchen playing, creating and
enjoying a delicious meal, they
are more likely to want to make
wholesome foods rather than reach
for packaged, processed foods, she
explains. “One of the best things
that parents can do for their child
is to have little ones watch them
and be a part of the ‘playing in the
kitchen’ experience. It helps them to
eventually learn that cooking can be
lots of fun and that, in order to have
It’s never too early to unleash your child’s culinary creativity,
writes
Angela Baura
.
‘
real’ food and not something out
of a box, there is some preparation
involved.”
As well as potentially protecting
children from joining the ranks of
the more than 40 million overweight
children globally, as estimated by
the World Health Organization,
encouraging children to participate
in the kitchen can also help parents to
overcome the challenges of parenting
picky eaters.
“
I find it very interesting that
some children, who according to
their parents were very picky eaters,
actually open up to food when they
are involved in the process of making
it. For some children, this is almost
like ‘therapy’”, says Miriam Wong,
owner of The Kidchen by Kit Lin,
in Pok Fu Lam, which offers private
cooking sessions and birthday cooking
parties for children. She believes that
cooking can be a great confidence
booster for children as they realise
what they are capable of producing in
the kitchen. By planning and making
choices, they are able to push the
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