A class of aspiring chefs garnered hands-on experience from a celebrity chef as part of a collaboration between The Loren, the Government and the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

The Young Chef Experience offered 11 local campers from the Bermuda Government summer day camp programme, along with one visiting preteen from New York, a cooking workshop led by Tiffany Derry, an acclaimed chef and restaurateur.

Ms Derry, who has been featured on Top Chef, Bobby Flay’s Triple Threat and who served as a judge alongside Gordon Ramsay on MasterChef, was on the island for The Loren’s annual celebrity summer chef series.

The campers were tasked with picking fresh ingredients from Yard Farm before travelling to The Loren to tackle a cooking challenge based on the items selected.

Andre Roberts, hotel manager at The Loren, said this was Ms Derry’s third time participating in the hotel’s celebrity summer chef series.

“She always makes it a priority to give back to the kids, and that spirit of generosity and mentorship is deeply rooted in our company culture,” Mr Roberts said.

“It reflects the kind of positive impact we aim to make in every community we’re part of. We look forward to replicating this type of programme at our other regional properties, including the recently acquired Elbow Beach, once it comes online.

“Personally, my own hospitality journey began in the kitchen, at the heart of the house, and I believe it’s the perfect place to introduce young people to the possibilities within hospitality and tourism.

“It’s an environment where creativity, teamwork and community come together, and we’re proud to be part of showcasing that opportunity to Bermuda’s youth.”

Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Transport, Culture and Sport, said the initiative showed what could come from collaboration between the Government, industry stakeholders and community partners.

“It connects tourism, education, sustainability and youth development in one empowering experience,” he said.

“The Bermuda Government is pleased to support programmes that expose our young people to internationally successful professionals like Chef Tiffany Derry, while showing them that hospitality can be a creative, respected and rewarding career path.”

Zina Edwards, director of communications and stakeholder engagement at the BTA, agreed that the experience served as an introduction to hospitality as a fulfilling career.

“By engaging young people in immersive, joyful experiences like this, we are planting the seeds of curiosity, confidence and community pride, all essential to building a strong future workforce for Bermuda’s tourism industry.”