Chefs R 4 Kids
Chef Ellie Basch works with a student.
Enthusiasm was evident on a recent Thursday night when the first Chefs R 4 Kids class met.
Kids snacked on vegetables while preparing salads, asked questions about how to chop fresh garlic cloves, and watched attentively as Chefs Ellie Basch and Sally Schmidt demonstrated cooking techniques.
Chefs R 4 Kids, a cooking class for young children and their families, is a partnership between the William Byrd Community Class and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs aimed at empowering kids to cook and encouraging families to make healthy choices.
"It’s easier to talk about nutrition in a relaxed setting, with food, rather than a lecture," Ellie Basch, head chef at Savor Café in Manchester, said.
During the class, the kitchen atmosphere was kinetic as mother and child pairs chopped basil, garlic and potatoes, while Schmidt supervised. Basch manned a station at the stove with Raquel, a participant with culinary aspirations.
"I like when we make the food; it smells good!" Raquel said. "I want to learn more recipes, hopefully I’ll get to do them one day when I’m a chef."
At 8 years old, Raquel, who came with her mother and younger sister, was the oldest student in the class, which is targeted to the families of students in the Early Childhood Summer Camp program. All camp participants will be given a chance to participate in the class and dinner; the classes are planned for small groups of 10 or less.
"We’re talking directly to the kids about nutrition, table manners, and family dining," said Schmidt, a private chef and culinary instructor at Mise En Place and Compleat Gourmet.
The development of the cooking class, which will be a six-week program, happened quickly.
Basch and Schmidt were invited to the White House on June 4 for Chefs Move To Schools, a Let’s Move! event hosted by Michelle Obama, that focused on encouraging chefs to partner with schools to cultivate dialogue and enthusiasm about nutrition and healthy meals.
The next Tuesday, at the weekly Byrd House Market, Basch and Patty Parks, the House’s Library & Education director, began talking about ways to put the initiative into action at the William Byrd Community House.
This grassroots application of Obama’s program works well within the Community House ethos; in addition to hosting the weekly farmer’s market, the House hosts the Farmlet, a community garden, holds Cooking as a Second Language classes, and sends a bag of produce home with Early Childhood Summer Camp participants every week.
After the class finished preparing the meal, all the participants sat down to a family-style meal of potato pancakes, fresh vegetable salad, Swiss chard with garlic, watermelon, and cantaloupe.
L. Robert Bolling, the executive director of William Byrd Community House also attended the class and dinner.
"We’re all about self-sufficiency and transformation—this is it in action," he said.
Both Basch and Schmidt are excited to continue and expand their involvement in similar programs, and are in the brainstorming stages of a partnership with Linwood Holton Elementary School.
"It’s a proven method," Basch said. "When you involve kids in projects like these and empower them to take ownership of what they are doing, they get excited and really engaged in cooking and health."
If you are interested in donating supplies, contact Patty Parks at librarian@wch.org.
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