Kids get hands-on in a Papa John’s pizza-making course
Pizza: the ultimate kiddie food. Infinitely customizable yet always recognizable, it never goes out of favor. Which is why tbjkids was so excited to learn about the pizza-making courses at Beijing pizza chains like Papa John’s, designed to let kids get up close and personal with their favorite meal. In the spirit of investigation, we rounded up six rambunctious pizza aficionados to try out the Little Papa course at the Kerry Centre branch of Papa John’s.
Although food is an international language, Papa John’s rep Shelly Dong came down to lead Jan (10), Hunter (9), Livia (7), Clayton (6), Ellen (5) and Tao (4) in English. While some Papa John’s staff speak functional English, it’s best to request an English instructor of your own if the pizza makers in your group aren’t bilingual.
The pizza party kicked off with an introduction to the basic pizza ingredients. The standard spread includes the usual suspects like cheese, tomato and pepperoni, as well as fancier fare like olives, ham and pineapple. If you have hankerings for any specific toppings, you can request them in advance.
Next up was a quick safety talk and a kitchen tour. Decked out in hairnets and aprons, with paws freshly scrubbed, the gaggle was ushered into the kitchen to watch the chefs roll out the dough for their pizzas and check out the toasty fate that would await their tasty creations.
Back at the preparation area, with their freshly prepared pizza bases in front of them, it was time for the toppings. But, with their appetites triggered by their jaunt in the kitchen, the kids needed a little extra fuel first (a round of garlic bread did the trick). To help your own group hold out until their pizza is ready (about 30 minutes after the start of the course), consider a snack beforehand.
The kids needed little instruction on constructing their pizzas, and soon marinara sauce and pepperoni slices were frantically flying (avoid dressing your offspring in white!). Hunter decided to go with a pizza face motif, while little Ellen thought it a better idea to just cram as much as much meat onto her pie as humanly possible.
Deeply satisfied with their efforts, the kids took a short breather while their handiwork baked. To keep them occupied, they were treated to a visit from the lovable Mr. Pizza (an employee dressed up like a slice), who arrived for some good-natured jostling. Six minutes later, the pizzas arrived piping hot from the oven; cue 15 minutes of blissful silence as the hungry horde chowed down on the fruits of their labor. Once the feeding frenzy subsided, the kids were presented with a certificate and some small toys, and sent off to digest.
Papa John’s Little Papa courses cost RMB 58 per child and can be booked for 4 to 16 children by calling the location of your choice.
