The Learning Kitchen Grad School

David Horner, Food Service Director for Chittenden East Supervisory Union, has been sharing cooking and nutrition skills with a group of Camel’s Hump Middle School students for over a year through programs of Hunger Free Vermont, VT FEED, and the Burlington School Food Project.  Under David Horner’s guidance, students participated in The Learning Kitchen (TLK), which is a 6-week series of cooking and nutrition education classes that empower limited resource participants to prepare healthy meals on a budget. 

Several of these students went on to compete in the 5^th Annual Jr. Iron Chef Vermont competition and are currently expanding on these experiences through The Learning Kitchen Grad School program.  As part of the TLK Grad School, students are hosting a series of events in which they share their skills with local parents, school board members, and now the entire school.  On May 14^th they hosted a school-wide taste test made with a variety of vegetables and received The Learning Kitchen Grad School diplomas.  

 



Dave Horner notes, "These students have spent over a year working after school on cooking skills and have worked extremely hard. Witnessing them gain confidence and skills has been so rewarding for me as there role model/leader. We have learned knife skills, classic french mother sauces, mushroom duxcelle, force meat skills, sushi, vinaigrettes, kitchen sanitation and safety skills to mention a few."

The Learning Kitchen Grad School is an example of Hunger Free Vermont's expansion of nutrition education around the state of Vermont.  To learn more about how you can help promote nutrition education in your community check out our website!