Cooking camp, cooking class and party venue · Sherman Oaks

Life Plus

15301 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks

School Break Culinary Camps

Cooking camp · Ages 9–17 · $375–$625 · Half day · 9am–12pm

Each day campers prepare complete meals and desserts, learn professional techniques, explore global foods and traditions, and build teamwork. Coming up: Thanksgiving Camp (Harvest & Gather, Nov 23 to 25), Winter Camp: Holiday Bake Shop (a four-day baking camp, Dec 21 to 24), Winter Camp: Cozy Winter Kitchen (soups, stews and baked pastas, Dec 28 to 31) and the Junior Chef Challenge (a five-day team cooking competition ending in a judged final, Jan 4 to 8). Each wave is limited to 10 students; the teen wave goes deeper into technique. All ingredients and equipment are provided, siblings can attend together, and dietary needs can often be met if shared in advance. Spring break and summer camps are coming soon.

School Break Culinary Camps: sessions
DatesTheme
9am–12pmThanksgiving Camp: Harvest & Gather (ages 9-12)
1:30–4:30pmThanksgiving Camp: Harvest & Gather (teens)
9am–12pmWinter Camp: Holiday Bake Shop (ages 9-12)
3–6pmWinter Camp: Holiday Bake Shop (teens)
9am–12pmWinter Camp: Cozy Winter Kitchen (ages 9-12)
3–6pmWinter Camp: Cozy Winter Kitchen (teens)
9am–12pmJunior Chef Challenge (ages 9-12)
3–6pmJunior Chef Challenge (teens)
  • Spring break dates not posted yet
  • Summer dates not posted yet
  • From $375 for the three-day Thanksgiving camp, from $500 for the four-day winter camps, from $625 for the five-day Junior Chef Challenge.

Registration open · Sign up

Culinary League

Cooking class · Ages 11–14 · $500/term

The Founding Season runs four Sunday afternoons (Oct 11, 18, 25 and Nov 1, 2026): every cook is assessed, builds a signature dish, refines it under coaching and presents it to a judging panel, with families attending the final. At full capacity, 9 cooks compete in brigade-style teams of three, and everyone takes a turn leading; with a smaller roster they compete as individual chefs. Admission is by free application and selection (ages considered individually); applications roll forward to the next cohort, and the League goes monthly starting January 2027.

  • Sundays, 2–4:30pm
  • Founding Season 2026: Oct 11 – Nov 1, 2026
  • Tuition for the four-session Founding Season.

Youth Culinary Passport

Cooking class · Ages 9–17 · $375–$500

Students prepare new meals weekly while exploring the stories, science, geography and traditions behind the food. Upcoming cohorts are Spain in October (four sessions) and American Foodways: The Harvest Table in November (three sessions). Pick your weekday section when you book; mid-semester joining is welcome. In the last week students cook for and share the table with their families. Classes are always hands-on, with regional music and cultural visuals, and stickers and monthly rewards for attendance.

  • Every school day,
  • From $375 for the three-session November series, from $500 for the four-session October series.

Registration open · Sign up

Birthday parties

Party venue · Ages 9–17 · $750–$1,500/party

Kids' Cooking Parties at the Sherman Oaks Galleria campus, for ages 9 and up, last about 2.5 to 3 hours. Chefs lead the kids through a selected menu cooked from scratch, and professional instruction, all ingredients and supplies, aprons and equipment, setup and cleanup, and celebration time with candles are included. The Birthday Cooking Party is $750 for up to 6 kids, with $125 for each extra child. The Mystery Box Challenge is $1,500 for up to 10 kids, with $150 for each extra child. Birthday cake ($75), themed decor (from $350), goody bags (Junior Chef Take-Home Kit, $30 per kid) and parent snacks ($125) are add-ons. To book, use the Plan a party request form on the Kids' Cooking Parties page, or call or text (323) 805-0323. Nothing is charged at the request step.

  • 150-minute parties
  • Birthday Cooking Party: up to 6 kids, $750
  • Mystery Box Challenge: up to 10 kids, $1,500
  • Birthday Cooking Party: up to 6 kids, $125 each extra child. Mystery Box Challenge: up to 10 kids, $150 each extra child.
  • Activities: Party venue and Cooking

Registration open · Sign up

About Life Plus

"The School for the Curious," a hands-on culinary school at the Sherman Oaks Galleria with experiences for adults and programs for kids and teens ages 9 to 17: school-break culinary camps, a monthly after-school Youth Culinary Passport series, and an application-based Culinary League. Students cook complete meals, learn professional techniques and explore global foods; small groups and inclusive programs for autistic and neurodivergent learners are offered.

Where and how to reach them

Sherman Oaks Galleria campus
15301 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

Details from lifeplusla.com, checked October 9, 2026. Prices, dates and spaces change: check with Life Plus before you sign up. Something wrong or missing? Write to hello@summerground.com.

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