Le Chat Gourmet: Kids Iron Chef Summer Camps
Once again, a whole new level of summer camp was experienced by West Michigan kids and their families during four separate UDIM sponsored Iron Chef Kid’s competition at Le Chat Gourmet in Eaton Rapids. Each week a new group of 16 foodie campers were placed into 4 teams and provided a “secret” ingredient to research, develop or find a recipe using that ingredient and then prepare it for judging on the final day of camp. This year the secret ingredient was Ricotta Cheese! So many creative and wonderful recipes were beautifully plated by the 64 junior chefs, such as Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Lemon Compote, Spinach and Ricotta Pasta, Delicate Ricotta Pastry Cups and Gnudi Ricotta Dumplings with Tomato Sauce!
Each member of the winning teams received a chef-grade Wusthof Santoku Knife. All campers and their families walked away winners having gained great kitchen skills and a vast knowledge of dairy’s nutrition benefits and versatility as a delicious recipe ingredient.
COOKING WITH YOUR KIDS
“When cooking with your kids, give them ‘ownership’, let them participate in the planning to the prepping to the plating. Cooking encompasses your child’s entire school curriculum, research / reading – planning the recipe, math skills – measuring, science – cooking & baking, geography – learn about the region or country that recipe originates, artistic expression – the plating. Ultimately cooking together equals a fun-filled day preparing a meal to share with the entire family while creating amazing memories – it doesn’t get better than that!” – Chef Denene Vincent
Chef Denene’s grandparents were dairy farmers and she always promotes the value of dairy as a culinary ingredient and as an important part of a nutrient-rich diet.