Join us for the Chef Masters session at the 2024 Mid-County Family YMCA Summer Camp.

Join us for the Chef Masters session at the Edward Jones Family YMCA.

Join us for the Young Chefs session at the 2024 O'Fallon IL YMCA Summer Camp.

When schools are closed, we are open! Register early to guarantee your spot as camps frequently sell out. Registration is by day and we hope you'll join us for multiple days. Reach out if you'd like to schedule a private camp for your child and classmates if your school is closed on a date that we don't have a camp scheduled.

Join us for the Explorer Camp I session at the 2024 Swift Nature Camp.

These mornings will be filled with food and fun. 

Unique and fun-filled summer arts camp taught by COCA's professional artists and teachers.

Do you love to bake and enjoy watching baking competitions?  Create creative desserts using  your imagination and techniques taught in camp to compete in competitions.  Final competition will include using a special ingredient you must incorporate.  All baking is from scratch!

Love food but don't know to to cook? Learn the basic  mixing methods that make up almost al recipes.  Starting on day one with the easiest method where we combine wet and dry ingredients, and moving up to the creaming method which is the base of most cakes and cookies.  Discover how to make pie dough with the rubbing method, and even whip some egg whites into meringue and make a light and airy sponge cake.

Love to be in the kitchen? Growing gourmets will have the opportunity to cook and have fun! Immerse yourself with cooking techniques, tools of the trade, basic etiquette, nutrition, safety, a little kitchen math, and learn how to read a recipe. Students will be making gourmet sandwiches, homemade pizzas, cupcakes, pasta and more. Each day will be a different theme. Students will be cooking breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and dessert foods. Includes CD of recipes, aprons provided.  

Step up and become a culinary master! Immerse yourself with advanced cooking techniques, tools of the trade, basic etiquette, nutrition, safety and even some kitchen math. Growing gourmets will be making delectable delights from breakfast to dinner. A CD of all recipes and cooking information will be given to all masterchefs. Aprons provided. Bring a water bottle each day and wear closed toed shoes. Prerequisite: Must have taken Kids in the Kitchen or have prior kitchen experience.

Every day we will be working on a different dessert like brownies, cupcakes, pies, crisps, and more. Work on flavors and finding inventive ways to add a twist to your baking creation. Sample your projects and make a snack every day.

Learn how to re-create some of your favorite fast food favorites at home! While we might not have the exact recipes, we would put our recipes against theirs in a taste test any day! Instructor: CE staff

The best of the best, we have the food that is going to satisfy any sweet tooth. Let’s get in the kitchen and create some of the best tasting desserts you have ever had! Instructor: CE staff

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and more. There are so many holidays with amazing food that goes along with them. Let’s get to work exploring and creating these holiday delights! Instructor: CE staff