Teaching kids to make healthier lifestyle choices for themselves and, by extension, their families; while focusing on the common denominator of food to bridge cultural, social and economic divides among young people.
What I Know Now That I Didn't Know Before Becoming a Jr. Chef: I now know how to cook! I had no cooking skills at all before Jr. Chef because my mother does not like to cook herself and has very limited skills in the kitchen. Also, before becoming a Jr. Chef, my knowledge of ingredients was very limited. Through this program I have been introduced to new and unique herbs, vegetables, and grains that I had never tasted before. I have also learned about a wide range of ethnic cuisines and ingredients. Jr. Chef also taught me to think creatively about food, and that as long as you understand the basics of cooking, you don't always have to follow a recipe, but can adapt it to fit what is in season and what you like or even create your own dishes.
The Jr. Chef Program Benefited Me Most By: Shaping my future by helping me to discover that food is my passion! This program has inspired both the career and the lifestyle I dream of having someday.
My Food Philosophy: I embrace the "slow food" movement with its emphasis on eating fresh, in season, locally grown food.
Culinary Goals:
To double major in nutrition and food science in college (either UC Davis or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), then complete an internship to become a Registered Dietician, and then go to culinary school ---it is my hope that the combination of these three areas (culinary arts , nutrition, food science) will prepare me for the following careers:
·
Research Chef in a test kitchen (for recipe development for a cooking magazine or cookbook publisher or in product development for an organic food company )
· Personal Chef
Nutritionist for Whole Foods Market
Instructor at a culinary school
Favorite Cuisine: Italian
Favorite Restaurant: The restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley.
Favorite Chef: Alton Brown, Patrick Mulvaney, Giada De Laurentis
Skills Mastered: The skills I enjoy the most, but have not yet mastered, are making sauces and pastries.
Culinary Accomplishment I'm Most Proud Of: Winning first place at the State Fair in the Jr. Chef competition
Dish I'm Best Known For: Though it is not a dish, what I am most famous for in my family is inventing a barbeque sauce that my mother could eat - she is allergic to many ingredients commonly found in barbeque sauce, so I had to use a lot of substitutes while still maintaining the right flavor.
Country I'd Like to Eat My Way Across: Italy and Ireland
Words Of Advice To Aspiring Jr. Chefs: It's okay if something doesn't come out right the first time. Sometimes you have to attempt a recipe several times to get the results you want. It's part of the learning process. Also, be creative with your cooking! Experiment with new ingredient that you see in the grocery store or take a recipe and adapt it to make it your own.
