If you have a child or young adult in the Self Determination Program, we offer a select group of Chef Instructors that teach adaptive cooking classes throughout California including Sacramento, San Francisco/SF East Bay, Los Angeles (including Orange County and Riverside County) and San Diego. These carefully vetted instructors have gone through a background check, carry liability insurance, are food safety certified, and have at least 6 years professional experience. Want to know more? Please fill out this short FORM and we’ll get right back to you!

Class options:

2-Hour Beginner Cooking Lesson with Custom Menu $195

Your Chef Instructor will work with you and the participant to create a custom menu based on the skills and dishes the participant would like to learn. This can include simple dishes that encourage independence and skills like basic cooking techniques and knife skills. Recipes will be emailed in advance so participants can shop for ingredients before class.

3-3.5 Hour Cooking Lesson with 3 Complete Custom Meals (about 4 servings each) $325

Your Chef Instructor will work with you and the participant to come up with a custom menu based on the skills and dishes the participant would like to learn, but the focus here is more on meal prep/planning for several lunches or dinners. This class is particularly popular with families as students learn the how-to’s of meal prep and the family has several meals to enjoy over the course of a few days.

2-Hour Beginner Cooking Lesson with Custom Menu via Zoom $150

Although in-person is preferred, this class provides an option if you are located outside our service area or have other barriers to in person classes. Participants will cook in real time, one on one with via Zoom with their Chef Instructor. Prior to class your Chef Instructor will work with you and the participant to come up with a custom menu focusing on building independence through simple, approachable dishes and foundational skills like basic cooking techniques and knife skills. Recipes will be emailed in advance so participants can shop for ingredients before the session.

Note for all classes: Participants are responsible for purchasing the groceries needed for class instruction. SDP funds cannot be used to purchase ingredients.

We have a limited number of Chef Instructors available at this time (more to come), so please check your area below and contact us here or call 916-505-4422 for immediate assistance.

San Diego including North County

Sacramento Region including Placer County and Yolo County

Los Angeles including Orange County and San Fernando Valley

San Francisco and SF East Bay (limited availability)

What Our Clients are Saying about Us…

Thank you so much, Mayumi, for sharing your love of nutrition and education. Jay (31 years old, Cerebral Palsy) began the SDP classes in August 2025, and what a tremendous blessing they have been on his cooking journey. For the first time, working with his chef, Jay prepared birthday dinners for his favorite cousin and his sister this year. It was an incredible moment for him to do this independently, without the help of his family. He was so proud—his smile during the celebrations was truly the gift. It’s an experience that words can hardly express for him. Advancing his skills with his chef has allowed Jay to become an active part of the kitchen crew during family celebrations. He is confident in his abilities and contributes as a capable and helpful producer.

We can’t wait to see the growth that 2026 will bring. We absolutely love the nutritious recipe options and are excited to begin meal prepping in 2026. We know it takes a tremendous amount of demanding paperwork to serve individuals with special needs. This program truly feels like it comes from the heart. Mayumi’s passion for nutritious food and her outreach to those who genuinely need access to healthy meals—rather than easy, processed options—is inspiring.

I hope more SDP clients are able to learn about this program. As a mom, thinking about Jay’s life beyond me is always on my mind. Having access to healthy, home-cooked meals would be a blessing on its own—but being able to learn and actively participate in preparing his own meals is an incredible bonus.

Thank you Mayumi, for Fork and Knife Creations! -Julie T.