Gigi is Cooking.com is a program entertaining and educating, kids ages 6-10 years old. Children and their parents gain the tools to make healthier eating choices as well as cultural appreciation through Gigi’s stories, imaginary travel and real recipe instruction. Recipes are available for downloading.

My name is Nicole Morrish and I am the creator of Gigi. I started cooking at the age of six. My first kitchen was my mom and dad’s garden in Washington State about an hour north of Seattle in the fertile Skagit Valley. As soon as the ground was warm enough to sit on, I would toddle down the rows filling my basket with freshly pulled carrots, sugar-snap peas, purple beets and a radish here and there. Once inside, I would begin prepping my ingredients in the way a six year- old would.

Mismatch shapes of chopped vegetables, dices and ribbons, hunks and microscopic pieces of vegetables would come together as the brightest, tastiest salad you ever saw. Add a bit of water and voila-it was now a three star soup. Much of the time the adults would not gaze upon my creations as appetizing, nonetheless, I was exploring, creating and becoming interested in the practice of cooking.

A couple of years of garden creations and I graduated to cinnamon and sugar pies made from left over scraps trimmed down from the pie mom was making. Lovingly handled and massaged and handled again- I rolled it patted it and marked it with a lot of butter, sugar and cinnamon. Into the oven it would go followed by careful of baking, bubbling and browning. It is not true that a watched pie does not bake.

My family has had many generations of cooks and bakers, they planted seeds that inspired me to go on to Culinary School after college and become a Chef. These seeds have blossomed into a constant craving for good food, good stories about food and the exploration of cultures responsible for rich and vibrant cuisines. Thirteen years as a professional in the culinary industry, holding many different positions, my most important has been sharing my passion for food and cooking. As well as being a Culinary Professional, I am a Montessori Teacher and a mother of two wonderful kids. These experiences have come full circle, enabling me to utilize my experience to produce a quality web-based program for children and families.

Sadly, There is a disconnect between those of us having wonderful childhood memories and those of us with not enough time to cook and pass on memories and traditions. Just as some children have stopped playing in the woods, a large majority have stopped helping in the kitchen. Many kids think that mealtime is eating in the backseat of a car from a fast-food bag, being shuttled to the next organized activity. Blood sugars are out of whack and kids are gaining weight at an alarming rate.

Gigi is Cooking is about creating culinary awareness on a child’s level thru the recipes of a playful kid chef and her imagination. Gigi is Cooking delivers curiosity and excitement to children about the joys and wonders of food and cooking. Gigi is Cooking.com is founded on the principle that fun cooking skills lead to making good eating choices. My intention is that Gigi is Cooking will come into the hearts and kitchens of families to rediscover the beauty of food, cooking together and sharing the bounty.