Emeril Lagasse and Rachael Ray might want to watch their backs. Junior chefs at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, are hot on their heels — and they’re armed with spatulas and skillets.
Four times a week, cooking instructor Sue Moats dons her apron and chef’s toque to welcome eight cooks into the children’s kitchen at this luxurious getaway. The 721-room resort may be best known for playing host to countless celebrities and dignitaries over the past 230 years, but over the course of two hours, The Greenbrier turns itself over to young foodies who learn kitchen safety, create two or three dishes, and invite their parents for a parade of delicacies and taste tests.
The classes (for children ages 6–12) are careful to cover such important basics as learning to wash hands thoroughly, protecting fingers properly, and how to safely handle hot pots and pans. Then, it’s on to making lasagna, paninis, quesadillas or the most popular item, homemade pizzas. When creating the pastry party menu, kids love to concoct “dirt and worms” from chocolate pudding, Oreo crumbs and gummy worms.
“Parents are amazed by how much food the children can produce in an hour and a half,” says Moats, who has her own two young chefs at home.
With more children watching Food TV, classes are full of both boys and girls. Each participant receives a certificate of completion, and even gets to keep the paper chef’s hat.
“Many families come back year after year to the Greenbrier, and some of the children have taken cooking classes for five years,” says Moats, who’s been coaching up-and-coming chefs since 1999.“Now they’re coming with their parents to our adult gourmet cooking classes.”