Morganville, NJ
About Us
At Young Chefs® Academy, our mission is to make a positive lasting impact on children and families through teaching the joy and value of cooking in a welcoming environment that encourages discovery and creativity.
Rated 4.7 on Google (1,359 Reviews)
Franchise Owner
Lyle Stone was born in Albany, NY and attended college at SUNY/Albany where his interest in cooking began while working at a local restaurant. After marrying his wife of fifty years, Enid, they moved to New Jersey and started their family of three children.
Lyle went on to open several retail businesses, including a chain of culinary merchandise stores in 5 states for fifteen years. In 2005, Lyle opened the doors of the first Young Chefs Academy franchise location in Marlboro, NJ.
After years of coaching youth baseball, soccer and being a scoutmaster, Lyle currently enjoys, reading, playing golf, spending time with his five grandchildren and continuing to teach culinary classes at YCA!
Founder & CEO
Founder and CEO, Julie Burleson, established Young Chefs® Academy in 2003 with the vision of cultivating/serving children’s strong interest in the culinary arts. It has grown with locations throughout the US to be a welcoming environment that provides a “real” setting so that the students can take what they learn at YCA™ to their own homes.
“The kitchen is the pulse of the home… where we learn about life and each other,” says Burleson. “Young Chefs Academy nourishes those values and gives kids an innovative environment to learn and thrive. In this busy world, what could be better?”
Over the years our franchisees have been showcased across some of the largest networks, which is a testament to our values and community activities.