Parent to Parent: Cooking Camp

WSVN -- OK kids, grab your aprons the Biltmore Hotel is offering it's successful summer cooking camp where children can explore their culinary potential.

Today, executive chef Tom Parlo is teaching kids to make gnocchi with pesto sauce. they learn the first order of business when it comes to handling food, wash your hands then the fun part begins rolling out the pasta dough.

Tom Parlo: "The dough can get sticky so we're going to sprinkle a little bit of flour over that."

They learn how to use fresh herbs like basil as well as the history of how some dishes were made, like mixing the basil and garlic by hand to make the pesto sauce.

Tom Parlo: "Instead of making it in a blender or a food processor, we went back a few years and made it the old-fashioned way using a mortar and pestle."

The camp runs five days a week with a different recipe every day. Kids are taught kitchen safety, the techniques of baking and menu planning.

Tom Parlo: "The chefs from the Biltmore will come in and critique their food and give them ideas of how they can make it better."

Tom Parlo: "Look how colorful that is what colors do you see in here?"

Chef Tom says it's important that young people learn the basics.

Tom Parlo: "Everybody should be able to learn how to cook a steak, roast a chicken, cook a couple of pasta sauces."

And the best part, once the hard work is done, they can eat their rewards.

Tom Parlo: "Can you all say bon appetite?"

So what was their favorite part?

Anaiya Singer: "Rolling the dough. I liked when we ate the gnocchi!."

Some want to try their hand at other dishes.

Eden Singer: "I want to make pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs and that's it."

OK so they may not all grow up to become world-renowned chefs, but chef Tom says everyone should feel at home in the kitchen.

Tom Parlo: "Everybody needs to eat and everybody needs to learn should be able to cook a little bit and feel comfortable in the kitchen."

Lynn Martinez: "The camp sessions are $375 a week and include lunch, aprons and class materials."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Biltmore's Summer Cooking Camp:
Tel: (305) 445-1926
www.biltmorehotel.com