Rack of lamb with roasted carrots and sweet potato puree is a dinner that anyone would be proud to serve their family. But when the chef is just 11-years-old, it takes things to a whole new level! Meet Kiara Koizumi, a fifth-grader with an infectious smile and her own YouTube Channel, “Cooking With Kiara”, and her “assistant-in-chief”, mother Chriss Macpherson.
Kiara, the youngest of three siblings, lives in Yamanashi prefecture with her Japanese father, New Zealand mother and brother Kyle—the biggest brother Asahi is currently away at university in New Zealand. She attends the local Japanese school and switches back and forth between Japanese and English with ease.
Kiara cooks dinner for her family on a regular basis, but the first dish she made all by herself was a loaf of bread at the age of five. At the stage when most kids are still rolling out playdough, Kiara had already moved on to the real thing. “I liked to knead the dough,” she says matter-of-factly.
Meeting her mum Chriss, an English teacher, it is easy to see that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. The bubbly Kiwi has always done her best to encourage and facilitate her children’s interests, and she recalls how Kiara’s fascination with food manifested itself early.
“As a little baby, she wanted to crawl into the kitchen and be part of the action. I’d lift her up, pop her in the sink and let her wash carrots,” Chriss says. “A messy kid is a happy kid!”
Getting Started As A YouTuber
The inspiration to start Cooking With Kiaraoriginally began with a gift. “My mum’s friend gave me a nice apron to I use when I cooked, and then she suggested I could show it off,” says Kiara.
Around the same time, brother Kyle went over to New Zealand on a homestay for several months. “Kiara is really close to her brother and she was missing him,” explains Chriss. “So launching Cooking With Kiara was a joint project for her and me, and a great way to bond.”
Asked about which famous chef she admires, Kiara immediately names fellow Kiwi Chelsea Winter, a winner of TV’s New Zealand MasterChefand now a popular food writer. After hearing about her biggest fan in Japan thanks to a tip-off from a kind friend, the celebrity chef sent her an encouraging personal email and even follows Kiara on Instagram.
For other parents who might be feeling a little daunted at the prospect of letting their kids loose in the kitchen, Chriss offers some words of support:
“I do sympathize with busy mothers who come home and are exhausted! But one thing I said to myself from the start was if any of the kids said ‘Mum, can I help?’, I would never reject that. Even though it can be easier to do it yourself, make them feel that their offer is the best you’ve heard all day! It takes some courage, but it pays off in the long run.”
At the stage when most kids are still rolling out playdough, Kiara had already moved on to the real thing
With two older sons, Chriss knows that life is going to get more hectic as Kiara enters her teens and moves forward in the Japanese school system. “We will take it as it comes. I am basically just here for support and I’ll follow her lead. As long as she is happy.”
As for Kiara herself, she has some big dreams for her future. “I would like to have a Michelin star restaurant, where I can work with a great team!”
You can follow Kiara on herYoutube channel,Facebook pageorInstagram account!
