Brooklyn Commune Hosting Youthmarket Training Sessions

Should you happen to be having drinks and antipasto at Brooklyn Commune tonight around 6, you'll get a taste of the Kensington/Windsor Terrace Youthmarket Farm Stand’s Teen Chefs second training session. Food prep starts at 6, and the practice cook-offs will run from 7 to 8. Eventually the Teen Chefs will be expected to devise and cook their own recipes.

Under the tutelage of Youthmarket volunteer chefs/coordinators Veronica Guzman, formerly a chef at Spence School and at PS 230, and Laura Duffy, who specializes in vegan cooking, the students will go through an 8–week training course running from May 13 to July 1. The first Teen Chef Battle will take place next Friday, May 27, at the third training session. By then the apprentice chefs will have honed their knife skills and learned the culinary basics. And judges will be there to make the first awards.

Two teams of 3 kids each, all with families rooted in Kensington, won the coveted spots on the Youthmarket Farm-Stand team. More than 20 students sent in applications, some from as far away as Manhattan. After an initial winnowing, the judges, who included the volunteer chefs/coordinators and Jessica Turner from Councilman Brad Lander’s office, spent 2 days in April interviewing the 10 students at Brooklyn Commune.

According to my informant, the judges were looking for students eager to devote themselves fully to the Farm Stand for its duration (from July 9 until September 10); a desire to learn cooking and nutrition; and the ability to communicate their knowledge and enthusiasm to the public.

The Youthmarket Teen Chefs program is jointly underwritten by Councilman Brad Lander and Family Cook Productions, under GrowNYC’s umbrella, which runs the NYC Farmers’ Markets. Brad Lander’s office plans to announce the names of the winners and more details at a future date.

Brooklyn Commune is located at 601 Greenwood Ave. (between Prospect Ave. & 7 St.), Tel: (718) 686–1044.

by Jole, from the Kensington Prospect