"Chicken and Egg" was the theme of the menu prepared by the participants of the Advanced Session of Jr. Chef Central Cooking Camp last week.

Starting on Monday October 26, 2009 in the Berkeley Cultural Centre, six students between the ages of eleven and fourteen attended the camp run by founder, Karla Lacey and taught by butcher, Adam Hall from Lindo's Family Market, and pastry chef Jefferson Gorostiaga from Greg's Steak House,

Out of 92 students, Jaelen Steede, age 14, Phoebe Dill, age 12, Katie Page, age 12, Kyra Dunstan, age 12, and Kyle Christopher, age 13, all currently at Warwick Academy, were chosen to attend the Advanced Session.

They were joined by beginning Junior Chef Arden Vickers, age 11. Jaelen Steede and Kyle Christopher are the only boys to attend the camp.

They said they feel, "special to be the only two guys in the advanced group. It just proves that cooking is not just for girls, and anyone can cook as long as they have a good teacher and are dedicated".

In the Basic Session students learned many important skills such as knife safety, kitchen sanitation and how to prepare recipes from scratch.

The students learned how to sauté, roast and bake, and visited Wadson's Farm where they were taught about organic and sustainable farming.

Every day the students learned how to prepare a four-course meal.

During the Advanced Session the pupils took their skills to the next level.

The first day they were taught by Adam Hall, a butcher from Lindo's, how to butcher a chicken.

The second day they were taught by Jefferson Gorostiaga from Greg's Steak House, described by Ms Lacey as "one of the best pastry chefs on the island".

Mr. Gorostiaga taught the students advanced pastry making.

Within this theme of "Chicken and Egg", the students prepared a three-course menu of Vegetable Frittata (a type of crust-less quiche), Chicken Pot Pie with a Cream-Cheese Crust (using the chicken that they had butchered the day before) and Apple Galette.

These meals were very different from what some students were accustomed to cooking. Jaelen Steede said that he prefers to cook high class Italian and French food, and he has been cooking since he was little, mainly accompanying his Granny.

He explained that he attended the camp because he was interested in cooking and he has plans to enter the hospitality industry.

Phoebe Dill encouraged other young people to join this camp.

She articulated that it was "a great experience and that every child should learn how to cook".

She added that it was "fun and it is a great opportunity to make new friends."

Jr. Chef Central is the organisation that is responsible for the cooking camps.

Their mission statement is to "teach 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".

Ms. Karla Lacey is the founder of Jr. Chef Central.

She explained that her programme is supported by the Bermuda Chefs Association and the Healthy Schools Programme.

She went on to say, "Most chefs enjoy teaching others because it's a way of passing on their knowledge.

"They're very giving people. They know that the young people in our programme have the fundamentals.

"They have enthusiasm, are willing to learn and know their way around the kitchen, so the chefs are comfortable teaching them advanced techniques."

This camp was a simple prologue to give the island's young people a taste of what Jr. Chef Central had to offer.

In the fall of 2009 and the summer of 2010 there will be a Jr. Chef Central After-School Programme. Session 1 will take place from November 17th to December 15th on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

There are limited scholarships available and aspiring chefs can register at www.jrchefcentral.com or call 799-4888.