Last Friday, Copenhagen Madhus (house of food) officially opened Denmark’s first permanent culinary school for children.

Over 100 guests, including the lord mayor, Frank Jensen, and the children’s food expert Helle Brønnum Carlsen came to celebrate the occasion.

Kødbyen location
Børnenes Madhus is located in Kødbyen, the meatpacking district of Vesterbro, and aims to teach children various cooking skills and help them understand the flavours of various fresh ingredients.

The facility consists of two professionally equipped indoor kitchens, an outdoor kitchen and a mobile fireplace.

It’s open to children from kindergartens and public schools in the capital, and young people can also use the facilities as part of their after-school activities.

For healthier kids
According to Anne-Birgitte Agger, the head of Copenhagen Madhus, an increasing number of young Danes do not know how to use the kitchen, how to cook or use raw produce.

“Here, children get the opportunity to learn about food and improve their kitchen skills, which will help them develop a more natural and practical relationship to food and meals,” said Agger.

“We know that children who cook live healthier lives, and our goal is that children and young people in Copenhagen become even better cooks than their parents.”

Quite the volume
Børnenes Madhus has evolved as part of Copenhagen Madhus, an independent foundation established by the Copenhagen in 2007 to improve the quality of meals offered to the public.

This year, Børnenes Madhus expects to receive up to 18,000 visitors, hosting 522 courses for children from public schools, 71 arrangements for kindergartens and 175 after-school cooking courses.