Keff, the Wonderboy Chef and How to Entice Kids to Cook

Keff is a 12 year old amateur chef in Nairobi. His mum shared a video of him whipping up a meal on the popular Facebook cooking group Let's Cook Kenyan meals and he has since amassed a following on social media.

Keff showed interest in cooking as a toddler and has perfected his skills over the years by watching his mum cook. Social distancing during the pandemic allowed him more time in the kitchen and he's been experimenting with various recipes.

On his Facebook page, Keff shares his favorite recipes sometimes accompanied with cute step by step videos of him making some delish meals.

Keff hopes to one day become a world-renowned chef.

Here's how you can get your kids interested in cooking from an early age

Take them grocery shopping with you. Let them pick out a new fruit, vegetable or meat to try out.

Look through cookbooks and recipe websites together. Have the kids choose a few recipes they would like to try making.

Assign age-appropriate tasks in the kitchen, like measuring ingredients, pressing the button on the food processor or being in charge of the kitchen timer.

Taste everything together. Talk about the colors, textures and flavors of ingredients. Then talk about how they're different after being cooked.

Start them out young in the kitchen. Give babies and toddlers wooden spoons and measuring cups to play with, as well as appropriate foods to gum or snack on.

Provide the kids with their own special tools. This way anytime they go into the kitchen they have their own special mixing spoon to use or their own set of colorful measuring cups.

Decorate plain aprons as a weekend art project. Then during the week, the kids will be excited to wear their aprons while cooking and taking ownership of meal-making.