Culinary Camp at Carolina
Columbia, SC (WLTX) --Kids from around the Midlands are sharpening their cooking skills.
Rising 9th through 12th graders attended USC's 5th annual "Culinary Camp at Carolina." The camp will last all week and focuses on French cuisine.
Chefs Joel Reynolds and Brian Hay work side by side with the students. And between the two, they have over 35 years of experience in the culinary business.
At the beginning of the week the students learned to make soups, salads and h'orderves. By the end of the week, they'll cook full entrees and pastries. Chef Reynolds said the students picked up the techniques very fast.
"They're doing a great job, an amazing job actually," he said. "I'm kind of blown away by how well they're doing and how quickly they're doing everything."
One of the campers, Phillip Hare, isn't a newcomer to the program. He enjoyed it so much two summers ago, that he wanted to attend again before he was ineligible. Hare is a rising senior and has developed a love of cooking from he camp.
"It's increased some of the passion that I had for cooking," Hare said.
Chef Reynolds said the teaching experience is much more rewarding than working in the food business.
"The difference between being in the restaurant and being in the teaching kitchen is kind of night and day. But I would never go back," he said. "The kids just love it, they absorb so much."