Culinary Boot Camp in Orcutt
Released: Friday, July 16, 2010
Tags: Culinary Boot Camp, s'Cool Food
What better way to kick off the summer than with a full week of cooking! Each of the two dozen participants at June 2010's Boot Camp in Orcutt left equipped with new skills and knowledge that can be applied to their kitchens at school and at home. In attendance were fourteen cooks from Orcutt Union School District and eight others from Blochman, College, Santa Barbara, and Santa Ynez Valley school districts.
Even though school's out for summer, the cooks were fortunate to share the fruits of their training with dozens of guests each day. From blueberry scones and banana bread to herb-roasted chicken, enchiladas, and butternut squash macaroni and cheese, administration from the district office across the street followed their noses each day to eat amazing meals. Among other guests were local firemen, maintenance workers on campus, and a crowd of hungry high-school tennis players who devoured firsts and then seconds of their lunch and explained that food at their school isn't nearly as delicious or beautiful...yet!
Also noteworthy is the continued reduction of waste over the week. It's incredible to imagine twenty-four people making about a dozen high-yielding recipes every day, and only producing an average of three pounds of trash! Special thanks to Jim and the team at Engel & Gray Regional Compost Facility for picking up our scraps and turning them back into healthy soil. Another thank you to Mike and the team at the Good Samaritan Shelter of Santa Maria for picking up the food we did not serve and sharing it with people who need it.
Lastly, a great big thank you to Janette Wesch, Director of Child Nutrition at Orcutt Union School District, and the rest of those who hosted us in their kitchen at the Junior High School. What an empowering, eye-opening week it was! A big congratulations to all who worked so hard in the kitchen and the classroom.