Summer Youth Culinary Program is a week-long, full-day program that educates students in grades 5-9 in food safety, food preparation and the culinary arts. Participants use Manchester Community College’s and Great Path Academy’s state-of-the-art culinary labs to strengthen their skills in the culinary arts.
Youth Culinary Program: Intro to the Culinary Arts
In this fun, hands-on, experience-based course, students will explore and strengthen their culinary skills. Under the guidance of experienced and professionally trained chef and certified culinary arts teacher, students will cook diverse dishes each day and celebrate their skills by treating their families to a buffet on Friday. While cooking independently and in small groups, students will learn and practice baking, sautéing, frying, whisking, folding and stirring, and knife skills, just to name a few. Our Culinary Arts teachers will explain kitchen safety and sanitation, menu development, principles of hospitality, plating, garnishing and more. Students of all culinary skill levels are accepted, but students must be able to follow directions and safety practices in the kitchen. If your young chef has a passion for cooking and baking, join us for this unique program!
- Grades: 5-9 (The youngest students must have completed 5th grade).
- Students must wear slip resistant shoes.
- Please see the current summer catalog for prices, dates, times and other information.
- Students must be able to follow directions and be safe in the kitchen. Misbehaving students will be dismissed without a refund.
*Please see more culinary program options and dates in the summer catalog (available early April)*
Any Level: Baking from Scratch: Breads, Cookies, Pastry & More (Grades 5-9)
Students will strengthen their baking skills in this unique weeklong culinary experience with a focus on making delectable, professional baked treats. Under the guidance of professional chef and teacher, Chef Josh, students will make everything from scratch, work in teams, learn how to work safe and sanitary, measure, scale and be creative making professional desserts. Some desserts include, but are not limited, to French macarons, beignets, cake pops, Danish pastries, fancy cookies, quick breads, yeast breads and cakes. On the final day of class, students will host a pastry party for their families. Students must follow directions and be safe in the kitchen. Misbehaving students will be dismissed from the program.
Advanced Baking and Pastry (Grades 5-9)
Prior experience in culinary required.
See catalog for full description.
Meet Our Culinary Arts Teacher:
Chef Joshua Ogrodowski is currently a Connecticut-certified Culinary Arts Teacher/Serv Safe Instructor and teaches grades 9-12 at Enfield High School. He earned an associate degree in culinary arts, a bachelor’s degree in culinary nutrition and a master of arts in teaching in foodservice education from Johnson & Wales University. During his time at Johnson & Wales, he worked as a teaching assistant and fellow for the college, working procurement and events. He also completed his student teaching at Diman Regional Vocational High School in Fall River, MA, where Emeril Lagasse graduated. Prior to his career in teaching, he worked for 12 years in various foodservice establishments from restaurants to country clubs, working up to a supervisory position.
Our culinary program fills up quickly!
This program is not eligible for scholarships or discounts.