Sprouts Cooking School :: Stephanie Drewry in the Momlight
Do you know that old anecdote your parents told you about walking to school uphill in the snow? Yes, they are probably exaggerating, but Stephanie Drewry IS NOT. She was going to teach school, not attend, but she carted a microwave, fresh ingredients, and practically an entire kitchen through the snow until she finally had enough. That ordeal against the elements however, is exactly what Stephanie needed to take her business, Sprouts Cooking School, to the next level.
“Having a brick and mortar store really scared me, but I was so over it, and I decided it was time to risk it,” Stephanie said. After two years of running her business out of her home and then the Monon Community Center, she felt confident enough with her customer base to take things to the next level.
Sprouts Cooking School has been booming ever since in Carmel, offering cooking classes and camps to kids as young as three years old through teenagers.
Stephanie, Owner and CEO of Sprouts Cooking School, knows how lucky she is to have turned her passion into a profession, and she feels especially fortunate to have been able to do all of this while also staying home with her three children: Emma, 12; Grace, 10; Jack, 7. Cooking with her children was an activity Stephanie always enjoyed, but as they grew older and began “bombing my kitchen” Stephanie knew that a little instruction in the kitchen would go a long way, so Sprouts was born.
Although the inception of Sprouts was incredibly organic, Stephanie, like all business owners, faced challenges in the beginning. Although she knew her way around a kitchen and had a background in education, she had no formal business training and figured out a lot of the logistics as she went. But her entrepreneurial spirit and persistence kept her going: “If I have an idea, I work really hard at it. If it fails, I’m not afraid to pivot. I will keep trying and see what sticks.”
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Sprouts Cooking School was born just as kids cooking shows were gaining popularity. Now with shows like Nailed It, Sugar Rush, and Top Chef Kids, kids everywhere are eager to flex their culinary muscle. Doing that in a constructive, fun, and safe way is Stephanie’s bread and butter. Budding chefs can attend classes where they have to recreate a master baker’s confection (a la Nailed It), can perfect their marbling technique, and this Spring they will be able to make the perfect fruit tart.
In addition to learning how to cook, a valuable life skill in and of itself, Sprouts classes and camps help kids with applied math skills, real world science, and important social skills such as patience and teamwork. Sprouts also works hard to teach kids the importance of healthy eating and the benefits of home cooked meals. Because Stephanie’s son has a life-threatening nut allergy, Sprouts takes safety very seriously and is also committed to accommodating every single student, “Food is something that should be inclusive of all children,” Stephanie says.
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Although she makes it look effortless, running a successful business is far from easy. Stephanie’s biggest challenge right now is balancing a successful career with the demands of motherhood to three very athletically talented and busy kids. She says the struggle is “trying to be present when we are all so busy.” Stephanie says her next biggest challenge involves reigning in her entrepreneurial spirit and vision in order to “stay in your lane”, a mantra she has adopted recently. “I always want to grow a lot faster,” she says, “I want to do so many different things with this business.” After hearing the phrase “stay in your lane”, Stephanie committed to focusing on one thing at a time: right now that means making the current store in Carmel the best it can absolutely be before hopefully franchising in the future. “My dream is to have a Sprouts in every major market,” she confides.
There are certainly big things on the horizon for Sprouts Cooking School. Stephanie’s passion for healthy food, commitment to teaching kids to be in the kitchen, and her entrepreneurial spirit are a sure recipe for success.
New to Sprouts but not sure where to start? Check out theCityMoms top picks:
For your toddler chef-in-training…
June 3-6, 9am-12pm, Ages 3-5
For your fantasy and magic obsessed kiddo…
June 3-6, 1pm-4pm, Ages 6-8
June 24-27, 9am-12pm, Ages 3-5
For your Chopped and Iron Chef enthusiast…
June 10-13, 1pm-4pm, Ages 6-8
MORE INFO: Sprouts Cooking School is located at 13190 Hazel Dell Pkwy in Carmel. They offer after school classes as well as school break camps {fall, winter, and spring} and a multitude of summer camps for children ages 3 and up. Follow Sprouts Cooking School on Facebook and Instagram.
