Plans for this very popular summer camp began in January when a team of four Spartanburg teens attended the South Carolina 4-H Cooking Like a Chef Summit in Chapin. The four teens cooked through recipes from a set of six menus. They learned basic knife cuts, how spices can completely change a dish, and a variety of different cooking techniques.
In July, these teens shared their skills and love for cooking with 15 of our younger 4-H members. Spartanburg Community College Culinary Arts Department provided our group with the use of their classroom kitchen. Our youth felt like true chefs as they chopped, mixed, seasoned, and sauteed in a real commercial kitchen!
The teen leaders chose their favorite recipes from their experience at the Summit and developed themes for each day of our three-day camp. Tuesday was for tacos, Wednesday was a Breakfast Bonanza, and we wrapped up our cooking adventure with a Pizza Party!
Fun and learning were had by all involved and we look forward to not only hosting this event again next summer, but also to seeing our teen leaders compete in upcoming 4-H cooking competitions!
If you have a child (ages 9 to 18) interested in 4-H cooking opportunities, please contact Laura Haddon at lhaddon@clemson.edu for more information.
