Our CCA Young Chefs Boot Camp Experience

You know that feeling when you see your kids so happy because they’re finally able to do something they’ve been wanting to do for a long time? You see the sparkle in their eyes and the anticipation on their faces and the excitement in their voices. Well, I got to experience that last Saturday with Zoe and Ziya.

 

You see, Zoe wants to be a chef someday while Ziya wants to be a baker. Before Saturday though, the only kitchen experiences they’ve had included helping me in the kitchen and watching their dad and his catering staff work. So, when I was invited by the Center for Culinary Arts, Manila (CCA) to take the kids for a preview of their upcoming Young Chefs Boot Camp, I was totally all for it. You can just imagine how excited the girls were.

 

 

I tell you, it was so cool getting to wear a CCA apron and chef’s hat. What’s cooler though is that we got to see CCA’s grand kitchen, which is where the session was held. In attendance were also some other mommy bloggers, like me, and their kids.

 

 

Chef Angelica Atanacio was our instructor for the day and she shared with us two recipes that we  were supposed to follow: Chocolate Crinkles and Macaroni Hungarian and Cheddar Cheese (a twist to the typical mac n’ cheese).

 

She said that normally, the kid participants during the YCBC are assisted by Chef’s assistants. That day, we got to assist our own kids but some chef assistants were there as well. After a demo by Chef Atanacio, off we went to our work stations to try and cook/bake on our own.

 

We started with mixing the dry ingredients then subsequently the liquid ingredients for the Chocolate Crinkles. Here are Zoe and Ziya taking turns mixing the ingredients.

 

 

Ziya was just overjoyed. She LOVES chocolate!

 

 

After everything was combined, the mixture was put into a chiller. While waiting for it to be ready, we started on the Macaroni Hungarian and Cheddar Cheese. Below you’ll see Zoe frying the Hungarian sausage. She was allowed to do so because she’s already 12 years old. Normally, CCA doesn’t allow the younger kids to do this. They’re also not allowed to do any cutting, for safety concerns.

 

 

Here I am being assisted by Zoe while cooking the sauce. At the background, you’ll see Ziya cleaning up our work station. (Yes, the kids at the YCBC are taught to clean as they go).

 

 

Now, it’s Ziya’s turn!

 

 

While our Macaroni Hungarian and Cheddar Cheese was baking in the oven, we got to mold our Chocolate Crinkles. Then, placed them in the oven as well.

 

 

The macaroni only took a few minutes in the oven because they were already cooked and we only needed to melt the cheddar cheese on top. Here’s the final product!! So good! We got to take home some extra too for the hubby and Ziggy.

 

 

Isn’t it obvious that the girls enjoyed it a lot?

 

 

Next came the crinkles. Here’s one of our trays. So chocolate-y!

 

 

We got to package them nicely too.  Hubby and especially Ziggy loved these a lot!

 

 

It was truly an enjoyable learning experience that my girls and I will always remember. So, thank you so much, CCA!

 

Your kids can have this experience too! Watch this video.

 

CCA, the country’s premier institution for culinary arts, opens its doors for inquisitive epicurean minds with its Young Chefs Boot Camp this summer. What I didn’t know was that this program actually started 10 years ago. It is specifically designed for kids ages 5 – 16 years old and offers them the opportunity and the fun of practical hands-on learning, including valuable insights on food, kitchen safety and preparation.

 

 

Chef Melissa Sison, Program Director of CCA, Manila says that they have actually reinvented the line up of recipes across all programs .  She says, “We changed the recipes because times have changed. Children who are interested in cooking can search on the website on a favorite recipe or simply watch TV. So, we developed recipes that are more ‘in tune’ with the trends and are fun to cook with their friends. The recipes will allow the participants to use their creativity in developing the recipes further.”

 

 

Here are the classes that your kids can choose from:

• Junior Culinary & Baking Essentials (12 – 16 years old)
• Cooking My Way Through Asia (7 – 16 years old)
• My Ultimate Comfort Foods (7 – 16 years old)
• Baking 101 (7 – 16 years old)
• Little Chef (6 – 9 years old)

 

Classes starts on March 24 until May 26, 2014 at CCA Katipunan and CCA Podium.  Each class will last for 5 days. The fee is P 8,500 per class.

 

For inquiries on the Young Chefs Boot Camp and other diploma or short courses, call CCA, Manila at 426-4840 or e-mail: [email protected]. You can also visit their website at ccamanila.com.  CCA, Manila campus is located at 287 Katipunan Ave., Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Application is ongoing.

 

Enroll now! Happy cooking!