About Junior Chef Academy
Students in the Junior Chef Academy Indianapolis after-school program help reduce local food insecurity by bringing fresh, affordable cooking skills back to their families. They learn smart shopping, meal prep, and proper produce storage to stretch food budgets and avoid low-nutrition processed foods. These culinary skills also become marketable job credentials for teens (ages 12–16), opening pathways to local opportunities like Culinary Job Training at Second Helpings Indianapolis, postsecondary programs, certifications, and food-service employment across Marion County.
Meet the Team
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Tommy Reddicks
Program Director
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Ross Katz
Lead Chef
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Youssef Boudarine
Chef Instructor
A taste of JCA
Frequently Asked Questions
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There is currently no transportation available.
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No. JCA is a free program for all selected participants.
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The Original Junior Chef Academy is hosted at its sponsor site: Paramount Englewood: 3029 E Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46201. Other locations operate on their sponsored sites.
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Depending on the program type and time of year, JCA can be a 1- or 2-week intensive (every day) or a 17-week program. The competition cohort is a 10-week basic skills program starting every March. Then a four-week summer session starts every June, and a three-week fall session starts in early September.
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JCA is open to students ages 12-16 (age at the start of the program).
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JCA students are selected through an interview process. The number of selected students varies depending on the number of available chef instructors and the sponsor site capacity.
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JCA students receive points for attendance. The skills taught and points earned are critical for advancement in the program, so missing practices can delay advancement in the program.
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Not necessarily. The competition cohort program culminates with a series of competitions, and students may earn the right to compete at the World Food Championships. Not all programs are competition programs.
