At Passion For Spices™ this year, our 16th annual Around the World Kids & Teens Cooking Camp was a great success again. We are thrilled to provide a platform for our young generation to learn about food and culture, and provide a true culinary experience. Our team at Passion for Spices™ were so happy to see the eagerness of our young chefs and their enthusiasm in learning new skill sets. We had a great group of happy campers. Please see the details below.
Foods of the World I — American Road Trip
July 6 – 10
Southern California: Where the campers prepared Chicken Street Tacos and Tangy Slaw, and Black Bean Soup, and made Burritos with Tortillas from Scratch during the workshop
Pennsylvania Dutch: Where the campers prepared Individual Chicken Pot Pies and Apple Cider Donuts, and Cottage Pie in a Muffin Tin during the workshop
Louisiana Creole: Where the campers prepared Gumbo, Red Beans, and Dirty Rice, and New Orleans Bread Pudding during the workshop
Southeast: Where the campers prepared Pulled Chicken with Tangy Cole Slaw and Corn Muffins, and Sweet Potato Pie during the workshop
Midwest: Where the campers prepared American Chop Suey/Goulash and Pickle Canoes, and a Broccoli Chicken Casserole during the workshop
Foods of the World II — Around the World
July 13 – 17
Mexico: Where the campers prepared Fresh Corn Tortillas, Chicken Taco Bar, Fresh Salsa, and Guacamole, and Mexican Hot Chocolate and Churros during the workshop
Italy: Where the campers prepared Fresh Homemade Pasta and Sauce, and Focaccia during the workshop
France: Where the campers prepared Ratatouille and Crepes, and Classic French Pastries during the workshop
China: Where the campers prepared Classic Dumplings and Dipping Sauce, and Stir Fry Chicken with Fried Rice and Szechuan Noodles during the workshop
India: Where the campers prepared Butter Chicken and Classic Naan, and Mango Lassi, and Homemade Samosas and Chutneys during the workshop
Arts & Science
July 20 – 24
Art of Baking: Where the campers prepared Classic Homemade Bread, Apple and Cheese Scones, and a Dutch Baby with Berries during the workshop
Pickles and Canning: Where the campers prepared Sour/Kosher Pickles and Ham Sandwiches, and Seasonal Homemade Jam/Preserves during the workshop
Art of Pies: Where the campers prepared Chicken Pot Pie and Apple Dumplings, and a Mocha Banana Cream Pie during the workshop
All About Cheese: Where the campers prepared Fondue and Classic Mac and Cheese, and Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread and Salad during the workshop
Pasta Day: Where the campers prepared Colorful Beetroot and Spinach Raviolis with Tomato Sauce, and Pici Pasta with Classic Sauce during the workshop
Farm to Table
July 27 – 31
All About Corn: Where the campers prepared Mexican Style Grilled Corn with Chicken and a Three Bean Salad, and Corn Pudding during the workshop
All About Allium Family: Where the campers prepared a Scallion Pancake and French Onion Soup, and a Leek and Gruyere Tart during the workshop
All About Tomatoes: Where the campers prepared Caprese Salad, Roasted Tomato Soup, and a Tomato Tart, and made Tomato Jam and Ketchup during the workshop
All About Potatoes: Where the campers prepared a Shepherd’s Pie and Sweet Potato Parsnip & Fennel Au Gratin, and Duchess Potatoes during the workshop
All About Berries: Where the campers prepared a Mixed Berry Palette and Strawberry Smoothie Bowl with Homemade Granola, and a Berry Sorbet/Ice Cream with Homemade Cones during the workshop
Culinary Teen Competition
Basics of Soups, Broths, and Knife Skills
Our teens and young adults kicked off Week 5 with the fundamentals — coming along to make some classic soups while building the knife skills that carry through the rest of the week.
Day 1 — Basics of Soups, Broths, and Knife Skills: Come along and make some classic soups
Day 2 — Starters & Salads: Great ways to start great meals
Day 3 — Sides: Accompaniments that add extra appeal to any meal
Day 4 — Main Courses: Both vegetarian & non-vegetarian
Mystery Market Basket Competition
On the last day it was time for the cooking competition, where our teens and young adults cooked a four-course meal and presented it to their parents and friends. Below are a few highlights from the big day.
Day 5 — Mystery Market Basket Competition: Teens/young adults cook a four course meal and present to parents
On the first day, we went back to basics with knife skills and stock-building, then put them straight to work. We made a bright Golden Carrot Ginger Soup, sautéed and simmered before blending it silky-smooth and finishing it with a caramelized corn and poblano garnish. Right alongside it, we blended up a chilled Gazpacho Andaluz — tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and a little bread, all whizzed together and served with crunchy accompaniments. We wrapped up the day with a big wok of fried rice, and learned the classic trick that day-old chilled rice fries up far better than anything fresh off the stove.
On the second day, we moved into starters and salads. We learned to hand-fold and pleat gyoza — four pleats, every time — filling them with pork, cabbage, and garlic chives before pan-frying them to a crisp golden bottom and steaming them the rest of the way. We also built a hearty Rosemary Orange Barley Salad with fresh orange zest, olives, and feta, and finished with Smashed Yukon Golds, learning how boiling and smashing the potatoes before roasting gets you that perfect crispy edge.
On the third day, we learned how to make a super flavorful and simple grilled zucchini with fresh herbs, garlic, and a bright cherry tomato sauce spooned right on top. This was also the day we tackled spatchcocking a chicken — it looks intimidating, but it's a genuinely important skill that opens up a much cheaper, faster way to cook a whole bird evenly. We used that technique to make a marinated, char-grilled Tandoori Style Chicken, and paired the whole plate with impossibly silky mashed potatoes folded with garlic confit.
On the fourth day, our spatchcocking skills went right back to work on a sweet-and-spicy Korean Style Roasted Chicken, glazed in a gochujang marinade. We also built a classic layered Baked Lasagna — turkey and sausage ragù, ricotta, and mozzarella (with a mushroom swap for our vegetarian campers). Dessert was a warm Peach Cobbler with a surprise twist of garam masala tucked into both the filling and the biscuit topping.
And finally, Day 5 was Competition Day. Each team pulled from a mystery market basket stocked with flavors from across the whole week — carrots and ginger for soup, watermelon for chilled gazpacho shots, wonton wrappers for dumplings, soba noodles for a cold salad, gochujang-glazed chicken lollipops, fresh pasta with a charred mushroom sauce, and pineapple with black pepper for a crumble — and had to build their own four-course meal from scratch. Parents and friends gathered to taste the results, and the pride in the room said it all.
Congratulations to all our Week 5 campers on a fantastic week of cooking!
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