The kitchen has long been considered the heart of the home. But it can be both an interesting and intimidating place for kids. Thanks to the popularity of cooking instruction shows and cooking competitions for all ages on both social media and television, children are more interested than ever in cooking, baking, and food preparation. To feed their curiosity (pun intended), summer Culinary Arts Camp has become a popular addition to the Wildcat Summer Camps offerings in South Huntington. 350 students enrolled this summer for the one week Culinary Arts Camp that was offered from July 7th to 11th. 

 

Launched in the summer of 2023, Wildcat Culinary Arts Camp is open to students in grades 1-8 and offers “creative cooking with and without the oven!”  It’s a labor of love for South Huntington’s School Nutritional Director Sheila Buhse and Maplewood’s Technology Integration Coach Janine D’Elia who both conceived of the program and have run the camp together for the past three years.  

 

“Kids love to cook and bake. They watch mom and dad do it at home. I think they love the fact that they can go in the kitchen, too, and help with something. Plus, what they make at camp they can bring home for their family to try.  I think we're offering something different that not many other school districts do, honestly,” said Buhse. 

Enrollment in Culinary Arts Camp has grown each year and is open to students both in and out of the South Huntington district.  Morning and afternoon sessions were created this summer to allow more students to enroll.  Classes were held at Walt Whitman High School in the kitchens and prep spaces of both the North and South Cafeterias under the watchful eye of South Huntington Nutrition Services and certified teachers. 

 

The young chefs spend time in both the kitchen and the classroom.  Before campers even get in the kitchen, they learn about the different tools and techniques they’ll be using once they start preparing food.  There are lessons about herbs, how to season food, comparison taste tests of ingredients, knife safety, and proper hygiene while preparing food.  And the importance of oven safety is top priority.  There’s also a field trip to a restaurant or grocery store for a behind the scenes look.

 

The recipes change from year to year so campers can look forward to preparing new foods every summer.  The groups are divided into beginner and intermediate levels, and grade levels, to offer fresh experiences each summer and make sure campers are learning at their capacity.  Buhse and her team have developed recipes that allow the students to prepare, cook, and eat their creations before they go home for the day.  They also get to take a sample of their dishes home for family to taste.  Fun foods this summer included Muffin Tin Lasagnas and Cheese Quesadillas, sweet treats like Chocolate Chip Cookies and Strawberry Oatmeal Jam Bars, and healthy eats like Mason Jar salads and Bento Box lunches.

 

There’s also an art component to Culinary Arts Camp.  In the past, campers have been able to decorate their aprons.  This year, they got to create a design for their canvas chef’s satchel.  The satchel was the perfect way to carry the special cookbooks Buhse puts together for the young foodies that’s full of recipes they’re preparing at camp or can try at home, plus cooking and baking tips, and measurement conversion charts. 

 

Baking and cooking are also fun ways to learn math and science concepts like fractions, measuring, conversions, and how ingredients act when they’re mixed together.  Food preparation is a great way to learn how to follow directions, problem solve, and sharpen fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.  Buhse says it definitely helps the students develop a sense of independence and confidence.

 

Buhse and D’Elia are already working on plans for next summer’s Culinary Arts Camp.  Parents would love to see more weeks offered for the popular camp, and the team is working to try to make that happen while keeping it fresh for the campers who return year after year.  “One of the things we’re considering is changing the focus each week.  Maybe one week we focus on desserts. One week we focus on foods of the world. One week we focus on main entrees. What matters to me is that we introduce something new to our kids. This is something we plan to offer for summers to come as long as people are interested,” said Buhse.

 

See more photos here!

 

Campers designed their own Culinary Arts Camp satchels, helping them carry home their delicious creations at the end of the day.

 

Students headed to the kitchen at Walt Whitman High School to make Muffin Tin Lasagna and more.

 

 

Our young chefs had a blast prepping meals with friends!

 

 

Year after year, this unique cooking camp gives students the opportunity to be creative and gain a sense of confidence in the kitchen.

 

Each camper brought home their very own cook book with recipes they tried this summer, giving them a chance to recreate them at home with their families!