A culinary journey to Italy, Mexico and Cuba — that is what caterer and cooking instructor Latoya Panton promised the eight students who turned up for her cooking class on Monday.

However, these were no ordinary beginners, but children who had signed up for Panton’s Young Chefs cooking course. The class, which runs throughout the summer, hosts kids aged eight to 16 years old, and teaches them basic culinary skills.

The concept came around when Panton, who does private in-house training sessions, was on a job one day and a teenager came into the kitchen. As it turned out, the youngster was very keen to learn her way about the kitchen but was clueless, having never been allowed in front of a stove. Panton had the good fortune of participating in an internship in food service at one of the world’s most esteemed facilities for children, Walt Disney World in Orlando, after completing studies in Institutional and Catering Management at the University of Technology (UTech). And herself a budding chef from a very early age, these factors sparked the idea for a youth cooking class, which since last year Panton has been teaching during the summer.

You could instantly tell that her new charges were excited to learn, as they listened intently and followed carefully her every instruction. Under Panton’s guidance, the youngsters made tomato bruschetta, quesadillas and mojitos after receiving a brief lesson on cutting techniques and identifying herbs. In addition, the children were given a booklet with information on safety, good nutrition, measurements and the recipes for all the fare they would be preparing.

The Nose Knows

Scallion, thyme, oregano, basil, and chives — these were just a few of the fresh herbs that were laid out on the table, which were all from Panton’s very own garden. The children broke off pieces, learning how to identify each not only by their physical appearance, but also by their smell. Some even chanced a taste! All were impressed.

The Chopping Block

Many parents have concerns about children being around knives and fire, but the children displayed an exemplary approach to safety in the class, wanting to ensure that they did everything “the right way”.

Under Panton’s guidance they learned how to julienne, brunoise, mince, dice, chiffonade and even how to create a paste by adding salt to minced garlic.

Bits of Bruschetta

The name might sound fancy, but bruschetta is a relatively simple thing to make. Rolls of French bread were brought out and sliced; the pieces were then transferred to a tray where they were put into the oven to toast.

While the bread warmed up, tomatoes were cut with an ‘X’ on one end and then blanched — dipped in boiling water, then ‘shocked’ in ice water. This was to allow ease when peeling off the skin. The seeds were squeezed out, before the kids diced the fruit into medium-sized pieces. They then cut up some basil en chiffonade before seasoning with salt and black pepper, and mixing in some olive oil.

By this time the bread was ready to come out of the oven. Once out, the toasted bread was rubbed with a bit of garlic, and then drizzled with olive oil before being topped with the delicately seasoned tomato and basil mixture. And voilà! tasty bruschetta.

Cooking Up Quesadillas

Half a flour tortilla was covered with cheese. By this time, the kids had tasted their first creation and were so excited with the results that they were eager to do more. Each was allowed to personalise their quesadilla, and with their newfound skills, they got to work cutting up bell peppers, chives and red onions, all of which was topped with a pre-prepared jerk chicken breast, which Latoya cut into strips for them.

The quesadillas were then folded and some were put into the oven, while others were done on a griddle on the stovetop.

Now nice and crisp with a golden tinge, the quesadilla was cut into triangles, making each piece easy to hold, not to mention easy to eat.

Mixing Mojitos

Panton introduced the kids to a non-alcoholic version of the traditional Cuban mojito. The children started off by squeezing some lime juice into their glasses. They then dropped the lime in, muddling together with sprigs of mint to release the essential oils from the rind and the mint leaves.

Then came some sugar followed by ice and water. The kids stirred their cocktail and made ready to enjoy their refreshing new drink.

The best part of the class came when they savoured their creations. While some proudly packed away a portion of the food to share with their families, others wanted to sample what they’d made, and licked their fingers in delight as they did so. As the three-hour session drew to an end, all the students agreed that they could very well go home and duplicate all they had learned. In addition, each was excited about the prospects for the next class.