Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Heyman.
Hi Chris, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been working in the restaurant industry for over two decades, starting with my first job washing dishes when I was 16. I began my career in New York, where I worked my way up from prep cook to Executive Chef and, eventually, to owning my own restaurants in NYC and LA.
After my kids were born, I stepped away from the restaurant business and co-founded One Potato, a meal kit business designed just for families with kids. As my kids got older (they are now 10 and 8), I discovered the joy of cooking with them and sharing the skills I learned over all the years that I worked in professional kitchens. I started Dad-a-Licious because I believe that cooking should be easy, stress-free, and fun. And the best way to make that happen is to involve the whole family in preparing meals. Plus, kids who help cook are much more willing to try new dishes!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I spent so many years working long hours and (literally) sweating over hot stoves, but the skills that I learned while working as a professional chef have been incredible. Have I had more burns than I can count? Absolutely. Have there been times I used a butterfly bandage when I should’ve gotten stitches? Definitely. But I love to cook, and my appreciation for excellent food and ingredients has never flagged. Hosting Dad-a-Licious cooking classes is a kinder, gentler Chef life, and there’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing kids try (and like) new food that they cooked themselves.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Unlike other cooking classes, my Dad-a-Licious classes are designed for kids and their parents to take together. I actually came up with the idea for the classes when one of my wife’s friends complained that she couldn’t find a cooking class that her daughter and her husband could go to together.
What really sets me apart from other cooking schools and teachers is that I’m a dad so I understand how to engage kids in the kitchen. Working with kids means going with the flow and not being thrown when a student is less-than-enthused about participating. Honestly, running a restaurant kitchen teaches you how to take things in stride, and often times it involves managing adults who throw tantrums! You’ve seen The Bear right? I had an actual trauma response watching the ticket printer scene; kids are easy peasy comparatively.
I also understand that if you as a parent aren’t comfortable in the kitchen, it’s really hard to teach your child how to cook. By involving the parents in my classes – and teaching them foundational kitchen skills – it helps them gain confidence and, hopefully, inspires them to cook more.
What matters most to you?
Food is my love language. Cooking a meal and sharing it with the people you love is an incredible way to connect. Choosing fresh ingredients and preparing them with intention enables you to connect with the earth, and sitting down together over a home-cooked meal inspires people to connect with one another. Teaching kids how to cook provides them with valuable skills and sets them up for being adults who are able to confidently prepare meals for themselves. I think we can all agree that the last thing we want is to have our kids call us from their first apartment and say, “Dad, how do I boil water?”
Pricing:
- $125 per parent & child duo
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dad-a-licious.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/chef_dadalicious
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefdadalicious
Image Credits
Anna Lane
