From Councilmember Brad Lander:
As I announced earlier this year, I am very proud to be sponsoring a new program for teens in the Kensington/Windsor Terrace area.
Through a partnership with GrowNYC and Family Cook Productions, six high school students are being trained in cooking and healthy food preparation techniques by Kensington volunteer trainers Veronica Guzman and Laura Duffy. Over the next five weeks the students will showcase their cooking skills in a set of competitions to see whose culinary prowess reigns supreme. And at the conclusion of the competitions, our six chefs will bring their talents to Kensington/Windsor Terrace YouthMarket where they will work with local farmers to offer fresh produce to the neighborhood and demo healthy recipes to market shoppers.
Meet the Teen Battle Chefs
The six students selected by Laura and Veronica for this year’s program are:
Chemi Chemi who is an honors student at the International High School in Prospect Heights. Chemi has volunteered with Opportunity Network, a national organization that supports students in attaining better education. Chemi is excited to empower her community by persuading consumers to buy food that makes a positive difference in their health.
Kevin Foley, a student at Brooklyn Technical High School who has gained great agricultural experience from two years spent interning with the Garden Apprentice Program at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Kevin is very interested in photography and works during the summer at Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park.
Albertha Ladina, a top student in her class at Brooklyn Technical High School who first became interested in proper nutrition through active involvement in her school’s swimming and Double Dutch teams. She hopes to use the knowledge, leadership, and communication skills she learns as a Teen Battle Chef to help improve the quality of life of her family and community.
Edward Lawson, a student at Urban Academy in Manhattan, who sees a future for himself as a chef or nutritionist. He looks forward to empowering his community members by helping them make better and more informed choices about the food they buy and eat.
Olivia Morgan, a student at Fort Hamilton High School, who has loved to cook since her first time making eggs as an eight year old. She hopes to expand her culinary skills and knowledge of healthy fruit and vegetables in order to start making a difference in the eating habits of her family and neighborhood.
Felicia Romain who is a student at the Secondary School for Journalism in Park Slope. An aspiring journalist, she wants to cover issues relating to health, nutrition, obesity, and youth.
Join us for a Teen Battle Chef Battle:
Catch these future gourmets in action by attending one of their upcoming battles:
Join Us at the Youth Market this Summer
On Saturdays this summer, beginning July 9th and running through October, the six students will be operating a farm stand selling fresh fruits and vegetables at Fort Hamilton Parkway and E. 5th Streets (in front of the Windsor Terrace library). They will also be demonstrating the skills they have learned as Teen Battle Chefs.
I am so proud of the work these students have done so far in their training, and I hope you will join me at one of the battles this spring, or at the market this summer to see their work in action (and to purchase some fresh fruits and vegetables!)
Thank you to everyone who has made this project possible
I also want to say thank you to our sponsors, whose support and resources have made this program possible: Family Cook Productions, Grow NYC, Brooklyn Commune, Brancaccio’s Food Shop, New York Methodist Hospital and Sustainable KWT.
Finally I want to acknowledge the work of Jessica Turner, who has served as my liaison to the Kensington and Windsor Terrace neighborhoods for the last year and a half and who’s last day in my office was yesterday. This project, and so many others, would not have been possible without her hard work. I know many of you have had a chance to work with Jessica and will miss her as much as I will.
Through a partnership with GrowNYC and Family Cook Productions, six high school students are being trained in cooking and healthy food preparation techniques by Kensington volunteer trainers Veronica Guzman and Laura Duffy. Over the next five weeks the students will showcase their cooking skills in a set of competitions to see whose culinary prowess reigns supreme. And at the conclusion of the competitions, our six chefs will bring their talents to Kensington/Windsor Terrace YouthMarket where they will work with local farmers to offer fresh produce to the neighborhood and demo healthy recipes to market shoppers.
Meet the Teen Battle Chefs
The six students selected by Laura and Veronica for this year’s program are:
Chemi Chemi who is an honors student at the International High School in Prospect Heights. Chemi has volunteered with Opportunity Network, a national organization that supports students in attaining better education. Chemi is excited to empower her community by persuading consumers to buy food that makes a positive difference in their health.
Kevin Foley, a student at Brooklyn Technical High School who has gained great agricultural experience from two years spent interning with the Garden Apprentice Program at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Kevin is very interested in photography and works during the summer at Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park.
Albertha Ladina, a top student in her class at Brooklyn Technical High School who first became interested in proper nutrition through active involvement in her school’s swimming and Double Dutch teams. She hopes to use the knowledge, leadership, and communication skills she learns as a Teen Battle Chef to help improve the quality of life of her family and community.
Edward Lawson, a student at Urban Academy in Manhattan, who sees a future for himself as a chef or nutritionist. He looks forward to empowering his community members by helping them make better and more informed choices about the food they buy and eat.
Olivia Morgan, a student at Fort Hamilton High School, who has loved to cook since her first time making eggs as an eight year old. She hopes to expand her culinary skills and knowledge of healthy fruit and vegetables in order to start making a difference in the eating habits of her family and neighborhood.
Felicia Romain who is a student at the Secondary School for Journalism in Park Slope. An aspiring journalist, she wants to cover issues relating to health, nutrition, obesity, and youth.
Join us for a Teen Battle Chef Battle:
Catch these future gourmets in action by attending one of their upcoming battles:
- TOMORROW, Friday, June 3 (I will be judging the battle!)
- Friday, June 10
- Friday, June 17
- Friday, June 24
- Friday, July 8 (Teen Battle Chef graduation and sponsor thank you party)
Join Us at the Youth Market this Summer
On Saturdays this summer, beginning July 9th and running through October, the six students will be operating a farm stand selling fresh fruits and vegetables at Fort Hamilton Parkway and E. 5th Streets (in front of the Windsor Terrace library). They will also be demonstrating the skills they have learned as Teen Battle Chefs.
I am so proud of the work these students have done so far in their training, and I hope you will join me at one of the battles this spring, or at the market this summer to see their work in action (and to purchase some fresh fruits and vegetables!)
Thank you to everyone who has made this project possible
I also want to say thank you to our sponsors, whose support and resources have made this program possible: Family Cook Productions, Grow NYC, Brooklyn Commune, Brancaccio’s Food Shop, New York Methodist Hospital and Sustainable KWT.
Finally I want to acknowledge the work of Jessica Turner, who has served as my liaison to the Kensington and Windsor Terrace neighborhoods for the last year and a half and who’s last day in my office was yesterday. This project, and so many others, would not have been possible without her hard work. I know many of you have had a chance to work with Jessica and will miss her as much as I will.