How we got started
Registered Dietitian and Owner, Leah Smith, developed Kids Kitchen in 2011 to educate, encourage, and excite families about getting their kids into the kitchen to create a love of cooking nutritious foods. We believe that teaching kids about how foods fuel our bodies and enabling them to create recipes on their own will have a positive impact on their life-long healthy eating habits. Start right, stay right! Your child will be excited about foods you never thought they would try! If we empower them to choose healthy foods at a very young age, then, as they become independent, they will make better food choices for fueling their bodies.
Opening the doors of Kitchen House in September 2016, was a dream come true! A place to continue to offer cooking classes for kids, but expansion to provide nutrition services, teach adult cooking classes, host craft nights, celebrate all of life’s special occasions and more! We are truly passionate about designing all of the details for classes and celebrations to create fun, nutritious, tasty, and memorable experiences. We hope to celebrate with you soon!
Meet the Kitchen House Team!
Here are some of the amazing and talented team members who keep Kitchen House and Kids Kitchen cooking!
Leah Smith
Registered Dietitian & Culinary Nutritionist, Owner/Founder
I am a native Texan, and have lived all my life in the Greater Austin area. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree and then completed my dietetic internship at the University of Houston. Professionally, my career as a registered dietitian, did not begin by teaching cooking classes, but it has always been kid-nutrition focused. I first began by educating parents of infants and preschoolers about the importance of nutrition in even the youngest. Through my work, I fostered good nutrition awareness in various communities in central Texas. My focus shifted to children of all ages, as my own children grew. I have 2 children, who now make their own lunches for school, and sometimes even breakfast and dinner for our family!
I developed Kids Kitchen in 2011 to encourage kids and their families to incorporate a variety of nutritious foods into their meals. Opening the doors of Kitchen House in 2016 allowed me to express my creativity in a different way by designing all of the details that go into our recipes, menus for events, tablescapes, crafts and decor!
I look forward to sharing our cooking class stories and recipes with you, as well as the recipes we try at home. Read our Recipe Blog.
Samantha DeLaTorre
Professional Chef, Instructor
It was a family friend who originally got me interested in cooking. We would watch cooking shows, make dinner, and she made it an adventure. After graduating high school, I left Austin to attend culinary school at the Art Institute of Dallas. I graduated with an Associates of Applied Science in Culinary, and moved back to Austin.
I spent some wonderful years working in the organized chaos of kitchens around town before returning to my original love of working with kids. As a nanny, I was introduced to three families who were open and warm and made me feel like I was a part of their family. It was actually the first family I worked for who turned me on to the idea of combining my two career loves: working with kids…in a cooking setting. Kitchen House is such a wonderful place to make my career dream come true.
My favorite recipes to make and enjoy is anything pasta. With cheese. The more cheese the better!
Bethany Hanson
Administrative Assistant / Cooking Instructor
I was lucky enough to grow up in the kitchen. I spent countless hours during the summer months in the my grandmothers kitchen, helping her bake (my favorite being cinnamon rolls) and prepare delicious, elaborate meals for groups – from just the three of us to more than thirty when the “whole” family arrived.
My mother’s love language was cooking, something she got from her mom and passed down to me. My mom also instilled the love of cooking to my now elementry aged kiddo, and although she is not around anymore, he and I never miss an opportunity to bake something just for fun, to take a homemade meal to a friend, to set up a bake sale for charity, to learn a new recipe together. Now that I have my own two children, I understand the importance of having small kids hands-on in the kitchen.
Our kitchen mantra at home is “Let them make a mess, that’s how they learn!” We can’t wait to have fun with you and your kids here in the Kitchen!
Naomi Pruski
Instructor
My interest in cooking began in high school when I spent a summer as a kitchen assistant abroad, and it has now become my love language and one of my favorite hobbies. I love learning new techniques and exploring diverse flavors and cultures through cooking. Chopping vegetables is a form of therapy for me, and salting to taste is a mantra I stand by.
I was born and raised in Austin and am now a nursing student here in Austin (breaking the stereotype of only eating ramen). I have worked with kids throughout my life and gained experience teaching students while interning at a middle and elementary school. Everyone can cook, no matter how young or old, and I am glad I can use my love of cooking and experience with children to make this a reality.
Hear what people are saying …
“My daughter loved the class and came home and made dinner for the family! That’s never happened before! Following written directions is one of her challenges in school so we are thrilled she’s interested in cooking and therefore reading/following the directions on the recipe or box. Not to mention its fabulous to have dinner or anything else made by someone other than me! Thank you so much for your class!”
– Lisa from Georgetown
Upcoming classes & events
Tick-tock. You had better register soon, as these classes and events are filling up quickly. Don’t forget that we can customize a fantastic special event just for you!
Got an event in mind? Let's make it memorable!