Founding Season begins October 11, 2026
The Life Plus Culinary League
An application-based competitive culinary program for young cooks ready for more than a class.
How it works
Four sessions. One signature dish. A season that ends on a stage.
The League is about presentation, development, creation, curation, cooking, and learning to think like a chef. Over four Sunday afternoons every cook is assessed, builds a signature dish, refines it under coaching, and presents it to a judging panel.
- 1
Session One · Sunday, October 11 · Assessment
Every cook is assessed in the kitchen and the season's format is confirmed. Knife skills, palate, and how a cook thinks on their feet.
- 2
Session Two · Sunday, October 18 · The signature dish
Each cook develops the signature dish they will refine and present, learning technique and the reasoning behind every choice.
- 3
Session Three · Sunday, October 25 · Refinement
Coaching, tasting, and revision. The dish gets sharper, the plating gets cleaner, and every cook learns to defend a decision.
- 4
Session Four · Sunday, November 1 · The Championship
Families attend, a judging panel scores, and the season culminates in a celebration of everything the cooks have built.
The format
Teams or individual chefs, set by the roster
Depending on the season's roster, cooks compete on brigade-style teams of three or as individual chefs. Either way, every cook develops, refines, and presents a signature dish, and the season ends on a stage.
A full roster
At capacity, 9 cooks compete in brigade-style teams of three, and every cook takes a turn leading.
A smaller roster
With a smaller group, cooks compete as individual chefs, each developing and presenting their own signature dish.
We confirm the format once the roster is set, before Session One, and every family hears it from us directly.
| Founding Season 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Ages | Roughly 11 to 14, considered individually |
| When | Sundays, 2:00 to 4:30 PM |
| Dates | October 11, 18, 25 and November 1, 2026 |
| Capacity | Up to 9 students, hand-selected |
| Tuition | $500 per student |
The championship
A season that ends on a stage
The final session is a championship. A judging panel scores, families fill the room, and the season is celebrated in full.
- ✦A judging panel and family attendance
- ✦The Founders Cup, perpetual, engraved, and displayed on our Recognition Wall
- ✦Keeper trophies for the winners
- ✦Certificates and Founding Season status for every participant
Admission
What we look for
The League is application-based and open to all. Cooks are hand-selected, including standout students from our own youth programs. We are not looking for the most polished cook. We are looking for young people ready to show up, learn, and lift up the cooks around them.
- ✓Enthusiasm and genuine curiosity
- ✓Maturity and commitment to the full season
- ✓Coachability, a willingness to learn and adjust
- ✓Collaboration over raw technical skill
The Founding Season is built for cooks roughly ages 11 to 14. Admission is by application and selection, and we consider each cook individually, so a birthday at the edge of that range is worth an application.
Admissions are rolling across cohorts. If a cook is not placed in the Founding Season, the application rolls forward automatically for priority consideration in the next cohort. The League goes monthly starting January 2027.
The application asks a few short questions in the student's own words, plus the basics and any allergies. It takes about ten minutes, and applying is free.
Tuition & dates
The essentials
- Tuition
- $500 / student
- Season
- Oct 11 to Nov 1, 2026
- When
- Sundays, 2:00 to 4:30 PM
- Admissions
- Rolling, by selection
- Campus
- Sherman Oaks Galleria
FAQ
Good questions
Does my child need cooking experience?
No. No previous cooking experience is required. We look for enthusiasm and coachability, and we meet every cook where they are.
How are allergies handled?
We collect allergies and dietary restrictions on the application and accommodate them when we approve each dish. Please be thorough so we can plan well.
What is the refund policy?
Tuition is $500, due upon acceptance. You receive a full refund up to seven days before Session One. Within seven days of Session One, tuition is a season commitment and is not refundable. A small roster depends on every cook showing up for all four sessions.
What happens if my child is not selected this season?
Admissions are rolling across cohorts. An application that is not placed in the Founding Season stays with us and is automatically considered for the next cohort, with priority. The League goes monthly starting January 2027, so the next opportunity is never far away.
Is this a class we can just buy a spot in?
No. The League is application-based and cooks are hand-selected. The Founding Season may close before any published date once it reaches capacity.
Apply
Apply to the Founding Season
Applications are free and reviewed on a rolling basis. We read every one personally.
Prefer to talk first? Contact us or call (323) 805-0323.