SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Kids are putting their culinary skills to the test during Restaurant Week at Plum’s Cooking Company in Sioux Falls.
15 teenagers are learning the basics of restaurant-quality dishes during this Kids In The Kitchen Summer Camp event at Plum’s Cooking Company.
“Take some of these kids’ interest in food, maybe expand their horizons, maybe have them try to both create as well as well as taste something that they’ve never done before,” Plum’s Cooking Company chef Michael Charpentier said.
Chef Michael Charpentier attended culinary school in the Pacific Northwest and began teaching at Plum’s two years ago. Wednesday’s lesson was Chinese cuisine.
“We’re going to talk about some of the different regions of China, Sichuan Province, Hunan Province and try and be respectful of that being how we’re in the Midwest and we’re not in China,” Charpentier said.
Restaurant Week has also included bakery items and diner breakfast, and everyone has their favorites.
“Dutch babies and potato pancakes,” 12-year-old Terresa Young said.
“So far I’d probably have to say the Dutch Baby,” Quinn Buus said.
13-year-old Quinn Buus has been cooking for about three years after receiving a cookbook for Christmas.
“I mostly just wanted to learn different types of food and how they’re prepared,” Buus said.
Charpentier says there’s one distinct difference between teaching kids and adults… kids are more adventurous.
“The kids definitely seem to be a little bit more enthusiastic sometimes to just dive in sort of a fearless manner whereas parents have a tendency to be a little bit more self-conscious and trepidatious,” Charpentier said.
Whatever the age, passion is key when it comes to cooking.
“More often than not it has to be a passion and desire to both learn, taste new things, share those things that you learn and you’ve tried with the people that you care about,” Charpentier said.
The kids will end Restaurant Week on Friday by learning how to create sushi.
Click HERE for a list of classes offered at Plum’s Cooking Company.
