Little Chefs Academy Brings Kids Into the Kitchen
For Cierra Campbell, the kitchen has always been a place of creativity.
Growing up in a big family—one of nine children, with grandparents in the home—Cierra learned to cook early. It wasn’t just about getting dinner on the table. It was how she showed care and contributed to the family.
“I was always cooking,” she says. “It was a way for me to express my love for people.”
That same mindset carried into her first business, Bluebird Art Studios, which she opened four years ago in Bixby to meet a need for accessible, hands-on art education for kids. After years of teaching young artists, another idea kept coming back to her: Why isn’t there a space like this for cooking?
When the space next door became available, she didn’t wait long.
Little Chefs Academy is her answer—a cooking school designed for kids ages 6 to 17, with a focus on building skills, confidence and a healthy relationship with food.
Classes range from one-day workshops to six-week sessions, with options for beginners through more advanced students. A typical course might start with something foundational like quiche, then move into skills like making strawberry jam.
Above the door, a sign reads The Art of Cooking—a phrase that reflects Cierra’s perspective.
“It’s a science and a craft,” she says. “There’s structure, but there’s also creativity.”
That creativity is shaped by her own background. With influences from her Mexican grandmother, Filipino stepmother and Italian heritage, Cierra grew up around a wide range of flavors and techniques—something she now passes on to her students.
The goal is simple: give kids the tools and confidence to try something new—and maybe discover a love of cooking along the way.
Little Chefs Academy is located at 13330 S. Memorial Drive, Bixby
Cierra shared this recipe for a goat cheese and blackberry crostini. It’s a simple snack to make this summer.
Blackberry Crostini
- Blackberries
- Goat cheese
- Mini baguette
- Olive oil
- Honey to drizzle
- Coarse salt to taste
- Mint
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut baguette into ½-inch slices. Place on a baking sheet and lightly brush with olive oil on both sides. Cook 8-10 minutes or until they are golden.
- Once cooled, spread a layer of goat cheese on top.
- Cut blackberries in half and arrange on top of goat cheese. Drizzle honey and sprinkle salt on top.
- Add a touch of mint leaves or basil.
