As an aspiring chef, Serena Simmons has plenty of opportunities to flex her culinary muscle in the kitchen.

Not only does the 16-year-old cook dinner for her eight-person family most nights, she also helps out every Wednesday evening with the First Baptist Church in Devonshire’s feeding programme.

“I do whatever is needed: washing the dishes, cleaning up, chopping food,” said Serena, who has also cooked a full meal for several dozen people on a handful of occasions.

“I love serving the people and feeling like I’m doing something useful in this community,” she added.

Called the “5-2 Kitchen”, after Jesus’s miracle of feeding 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish, the charitable venture lets those in need enjoy a hot meal and spend some time socialising.

“We have tables set up, so they all sit down and eat their meal for 20 minutes, and then talk for the rest of it,” said Serena, who has been volunteering at the church for more than two years.

The fourth of six siblings, who are aged 12 to 20, Serena one day hopes to serve customers in one of Bermuda’s restaurants.

While she is happy trying her hand at assorted cuisines, Serena’s mother Susan says her daughter is “famous” for her home-made pumpkin pie.

Serena recently started at Bermuda College, after being homeschooled along with her brothers and sisters.

And, once she is done with her studies for the day, Serena is happy to indulge in her “favourite chore” and break out the kitchen utensils.

“I cook whatever needs to be cooked in our family, and everyone else does the cleaning,” she said.

“Whatever meat or vegetables we get, I just prepare it and try out new things,” added Serena, who has also been experimenting recently with the family’s new smoker device.

“I enjoy it and sometimes, if someone wants to help, I kind of scare them away.”