SISTERS ARE TURNING KIDS INTO CONFIDENT CHEFS THROUGH SUMMER COOKING CAMPS!
Asha and Anjali Gowda have always known their way around a kitchen. Long before they launched Cooking Kiddos, their summer baking camp for kids, the Buckhead sisters were preparing recipes together at least once a week. Now at 17 and 15, Anjali and Asha, a junior and a sophomore in high school respectively, are not your average camp counselors. They design the curriculum, test every recipe in advance, source the ingredients, handle registration and post daily recap videos to their Instagram.
Camp runs out of the family’s home kitchen, with a maximum of eight kids per week, with ages ranging from 5 to 11. On the first day, campers get a lesson in kitchen safety before a single ingredient is touched. “We teach them to be careful around stoves and ovens while having fun,” Anjali says. Once safety is out of the way, there are two baking sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, plus arts and crafts, outdoor play and lunch the kids make themselves.
Each week centers around a unifying theme, such as Under the Sea or Around the World. For 2026’s Under the Sea week, the girls have already started curating a menu with items such as ocean-themed cupcakes, sand dollar snickerdoodles, pearl oyster puff pastry dessert and treasure chest cake. The sisters are also keenly aware of their audience, ensuring results are kid-and parent-approved. “We always make recipes single-serve,” Anjali said.
That attention to detail has helped their business thrive since they launched it in 2024. The sisters test every recipe before camp begins to make sure it tastes great and works at a scale for younger children to manage on their own. The goal isn’t just a finished product; the girls hope to teach kids the power of tangible results. “You can have fun making desserts without screens,” Asha says. In an era where kids’ activities increasingly revolve around a device, Cooking Kiddos is proudly screen-free.
Admittedly, they say running a business with a sibling has its challenges, but the advantages outweigh them. “We’ve known each other for a really long time,” Asha says. “We know each other’s weaknesses and strengths, so we can help each other out.” They’ve learned to read each other’s limits, divide responsibilities and step in when the other’s energy is running low. And when things get a little too overwhelming, they occasionally hire (and pay) their younger brother, Tejas, to help.
The vision doesn’t stop at camp. Asha has her eye on owning a restaurant or bakery one day, and she can already picture Cooking Kiddos expanding into that space. For now, though, the sisters are focused on the summer ahead with plans for two sessions and a kitchen full of kids.
@thecookingkiddos
If you could teach kids just one kitchen skill, what would it be?
ANJALI: “Kitchen safety is a big thing, but I would also say how to measure using measuring cups. A lot of them come in not knowing that, and it’s really fun to teach them.”
Who is your entrepreneurial inspiration?
ASHA: “A chef named Jeremy Miller. He worked in Michelin-star restaurants and now has his own place. That’s kind of the dream.”
PHOTO: Joann Vitelli
