Out of the thousands of children that Bermudian Karla Lacey-Minors has taught to cook, one of her best students may be her own nephew, Everett Lacey.

"He was a committed burger man," said Ms Lacey-Minors. "He pooh-poohed anything that had to do with healthy eating."

Then Mr. Lacey, now 22, started helping his aunt with her Junior Chef Central programme in Sacramento, California, where they live. The programme teaches kids gourmet cooking, healthy eating, nutrition and stresses the importance of using local food products.

In the last five years, about 5,000 kids in California have been through the Junior Chef Central programme, which has also been used in the California school system.

"My nephew is now at St. Marys College in California, studying economics," said Ms Lacey-Minors. "He now earns extra money to pay for college by cooking meals for other students.

"He is a committed localvore. "He is into organic food and locally produced food.

"Within the space of three years, his whole food philosophy has changed. That has come about working with Junior Chef Central, and understanding the politics of food."

Now Ms Lacey-Minors is setting up an extension of Junior Chef Central in Bermuda as an after school five-week cooking course.

The after school programme will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 6.15 p.m at the Berkeley Cultural Centre on Berkeley Road in Pembroke.

A special kitchen has been set up at the centre complete with state of the art appliances.

"It looks beautiful up there," said Ms Minors. "The kitchen is bright and airy and is very conducive to enjoying yourself while learning how to cook."

The programme targets kids ages ten to 15-years-old, but is more recommended for kids starting at age 12.

Ms Lacey-Minors hopes to eventually extend the programme right up to the age of 17.

Warning: this is not the kind of cooking class where kids make little pizzas out of muffins and never touch anything really hot.

In this course, cooking is serious business. They learn safety techniques so they can properly handle hot oil, heat and knives in the kitchen.

The menu includes dishes like oven fried chicken, vegetable root mash, fruit cobblers, apple tartin and more. "This course gives the kids a chance to come into the kitchen and have some professional instruction and to have a good time," she said.

Kids not only learn to cook, they also learn food preparation skills and plating techniques.

With the after school programme, Ms Lacey-Minors hopes to build on the success of a similar programme she ran this summer in Bermuda where 90 children learned cooking techniques.

She said cooking has become more popular amongst girls and boys with the advent of popular cooking television programmes like Iron Chef.

"Chefs have become the new rock stars," she said. "The exciting thing about the after school program is that it will be taught by local chefs.

"Greg's Steak House executive chef Colin Lloyd, and Enworth Davis of Beau Rivage at the Newstead Belmont Hills Resort will be teaching.

She said both chefs are natural teachers.

"The excitement and interest in teaching amongst chefs in Bermuda has been pretty awesome," said Ms Minors.

She expected to see many other chefs from restaurants and hotels around Bermuda, helping with the course.

Junior Chef Central works with the Bermuda Healthy Schools Programme and local dietitians and nutritionists.

"They come in and talk with the kids in each five session programme we do," she said. "The kids learn to read nutrition labels. They learn how much salt and fat is good for you. They learn serving portions."

She said even if the kids don't eventually grow up to be professional chefs, cooking skills can be useful. "If you can cook you will never go hungry," said Ms Minors. "You can always get a job anywhere.

"Working in a restaurant or hotel kitchen is a good way to earn money while you go to college.

"And there are so many careers that are open to you if you understand food and like working with food. For example, there are food stylists who arrange food for magazine photos. There are bakers and pastry chefs. There are people who own food businesses.

"There is food and science technology. There are people who come up with new ways of promoting food. There are health inspectors. The list goes on."

Beginning December 27, the Junior Chef website will be providing information on various food industry careers.

By answering a few simple questions on the website, young people will be put in the draw for a scholarship.

"That will include not just a scholarship for the programme but also have the opportunity to go into a couple of professional kitchens on the island and spend time watching and learning what goes on in a professional kitchen."

The Bermuda Hotel Association has thrown its support behind the Junior Chef Central programme.

Ms Lacey-Minors said the cooking course gave the Bermuda Hotel Association a chance to talent scout.

"They are looking as the kids progress through our programme," she said. "They will be looking at possible internships. "

Ms Lacey-Minors said it takes a community to raise a child, and the community has indeed come forth to support the Junior Chef Central initiative in Bermuda.

Butterfield & Vallis donated the cabinetry. Bermuda Gas donated all of the Viking appliances in the teaching kitchen. Sinks were donated by Mad Hatter Restaurant. The after school programme begins January 5. For more information, telephone 799-4888 or visit the website at www. jrchefcentral.com.

The course is $375 for five weeks. There is space for 14 kids, and Junior Chef Central is currently offering a scholarship on their website.