A teen culinary education program grows in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, N.Y., May 13, 2024—CulinArt’s inaugural Teen Chef Class at Red Hook Initiative, a youth development center in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, took place April 18 and featured Henrick Chen, by day executive chef at Keio Academy.

Eight students attended the class, in which Chen delivered an overview of Kitchen Fundamentals, including knife handling and safety, proper cutting techniques, using cut gloves—all of which led to Chen demonstrating how to break down a chicken into eight parts correctly. “This had them pretty engaged,” Chen says. Where at first they may have been a bit reserved, “they were encouraged to approach the chef’s table at any time to get a closer look—and a few did.”

The chicken demo and a quick lesson on preparing vegetables with minimal waste led to production of Honey Roasted Chicken with Sweet Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Spring Vegetable Pasta, all of which the students had both a hand in creating and the pleasure of consuming. They watched Chen sauté the vegetables at the stove with such enthusiasm that they were anxious to learn his pan-flipping technique. “It was a really awesome moment seeing them eager to get into cooking,” he adds.

RHI provides comprehensive programming for high school–aged youth working towards diplomas, career plans, employment, and work experience. CulinArt chefs will make regular appearances at RHI throughout the year, volunteering their time and expertise after hours to teach culinary topics such as Kitchen Safety and Sanitation, Menus and Recipes, Food Cost and Profit, Farm to Table, and others.

The Teen Chef Class program is the brainchild of CulinArt Regional Executive Chef Lindsey Romain, who has conducted similar instruction in the past at the RHI center, where her sister, Natisha, is director of adolescent youth programs. “This is a personal passion project for me,” Lindsey says of her own activities in leading classes. Other chefs have volunteered at RHI from time to time. Looking to create more consistency and structure in the delivery of the culinary instruction, the pair conceived a partnership that would:

• Provide valuable instruction to students considering a career in culinary arts.
• Give participating chefs a chance to foster growth of future chefs.
• Create a potential pipeline of future cooks, chefs, and managers for CulinArt.

Lindsey first approached CulinArt regional and corporate management for support in launching the program. Though details are still falling into place, Lindsey intends to tap into the substantial local CulinArt infrastructure of chefs at client locations in New York City in signing up volunteers and possibly adding student tours of those kitchens as part of the curriculum.

She is also exploring CulinArt’s participation in an upcoming Red Hook community event, such as by imparting health and wellness tips to local residents and/or attracting recruits for open positions. Also on tap: incorporating produce from Red Hook Farms, two urbans farms—one a former baseball field, the other built on public housing land—where RHI students and volunteers raise crops, collect and process compost, and host community events.

With a full plate of hopes and plans to bring to fruition, the Romains are feeling good about getting the program off the ground. “I think it's safe to say that we are off to a great start,” Lindsey says. “We are hopeful that all of the youth members that joined us [that] night left inspired and with full stomachs.”

Adds Natisha, “The core memory for me was when one of our participants would stop at nothing to make sure her mom got some of the Brussels sprouts because she wanted her mom to eat healthy, too. Please extend our gratitude to Chef Henry!”

Click here to learn more about RHI.