Cooking for Keeps

Cooking for Keeps Cooking For Keeps is a community-driven initiative dedicated to empowering youth with essential life skills through the art of cooking.

Founders Jill Hillier & Johnny De Lima In partnership with Wenu, Rily Kitchen, and Big Brothers Big Sisters Toronto we host free monthly cooking classes for youth aged 12-17 and their Big Brother/Big Sister matches. Each session provides hands-on experience in meal planning, budgeting, healthy eating, product selection, food prep, food safety, and knife skills. Held in a donated kitchen studio (Ri

ly Kitchen), these classes foster confidence, teamwork, and independence in a safe and supportive environment. At the end of each session, every participant takes home a nutritious, "ready-to-bake" meal to share with their family. Cooking For Keeps is more than a class—it’s a movement to equip young people with the knowledge and confidence to make better food choices, develop self-sufficiency, and build lasting connections through shared meals. Join us in shaping the next generation of home cooks and community leaders. Together, we can turn cooking into a lifelong skill that nourishes both body and mind.

I spent a summer working and living on a farm very similar to . It was one of the most impactful experiences of my lif...
07/17/2025

I spent a summer working and living on a farm very similar to . It was one of the most impactful experiences of my life, and I can’t wait to share some of those experiences with the youth at this event! 🫶

Bridging the gap between farm-fork is important work, and we so grateful for the team for the work that they do and for supporting our mission.

Keep your eyes on this page because we just might be dropping some open invites to join us at this event on July 30th! 👀

Thanks to , at this month’s event, our youth are rolling up their sleeves and cookin’ with premium Ontario turkey! 🦃Thei...
05/23/2025

Thanks to , at this month’s event, our youth are rolling up their sleeves and cookin’ with premium Ontario turkey! 🦃

Their turkey sausages are going to pair perfectly with biscuits in our sausage and biscuits casserole!

From learning life skills, to building kitchen confidence, this sponsorship is all about feeding futures 🧡.

HUGE heartfelt thanks to of for fuelling this month’s event. Event sponsorships are one of the impactful ways that bu...
05/20/2025

HUGE heartfelt thanks to of for fuelling this month’s event.

Event sponsorships are one of the impactful ways that businesses can support our mission.

We can’t thank enough for their continued support and belief in our mission to empower youth through recipes for life, in the kitchen and beyond! 🙏

There are many moments during our classes when everything shifts. We watch the attendees hold a chef’s knife (often for ...
05/14/2025

There are many moments during our classes when everything shifts.

We watch the attendees hold a chef’s knife (often for the first time).

They learn how to chop safely, how to season with intention, how to add ingredients to a hot pan with care and confidence.

They pull trays from the oven, wide-eyed at what they’ve made.

And then, they pack that meal with pride, ready to bring it home to share with their family.

This isn’t just cooking.
It’s courage.
It’s growth.
It’s a sense of deep accomplishment.

And it’s that your support makes possible 🧡

05/13/2025
To say biscuits are a hit with the kids in our program would be the understatement of the year! 🤩The kiddos were OBSESS...
04/22/2025

To say biscuits are a hit with the kids in our program would be the understatement of the year! 🤩

The kiddos were OBSESSED, I think they talked about them more than the food we were making 😆.

We love that their biscuits are all natural, air fryer friendly, and made by hand right here in Toronto 🇨🇦!

faves are the apple cinnamon and the rosemary cheddar flavours, and the youth in our program have enjoyed the blueberry maple syrup, and the classic buttermilk biscuits with their honey butter & jam 🧈🫐

Thank you for supporting our program to empower youth through essential culinary skills and food and nutrition literacy! 🫶🧡

You can find their frozen ready-to-bake biscuits in retailers across the GTA or order through their website and pick-up at their cafe!

Our next event is coming up QUICK! Monday April 38th we’re back .kitchen cooking’ up vegetarian black bean enchiladas! 😍...
04/08/2025

Our next event is coming up QUICK!

Monday April 38th we’re back .kitchen cooking’ up vegetarian black bean enchiladas! 😍

Reach out to your coordinator to register!

🌼Epic Snack Sponsor:

🛒Phenomenal Grocery Sponsor:
Use code: CFK50 for 50% off your first order over $50!

📍Wonderful Venue Sponsor: .kitchen

💪🏼Powerful Partners:

We can’t wait to

03/23/2025

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Toronto, ON

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