5 Ways Pali Summer Camp Puts the “Art” in Culinary Arts

If your child loves being in the kitchen, one of the best ways you can encourage their passion is by sending them to a culinary arts summer camp. But, not all culinary camps are created equal.

Here at Pali Adventures, we focus on the creative aspect of culinary arts so your child will grow creatively as they learn proper cooking and baking techniques.

There are a few ways we do that, but we’re going to just focus on five of them. Keep reading to learn more about how we put the “art” in culinary arts.

1. Create Masterpieces

A masterpiece is defined as “a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.” To us, that means there are two main parts that go into the creation of a culinary masterpiece: technical skills and artistic creativity.

We focus strongly on teaching the proper techniques to our campers first and foremost to ensure they stay safe in the kitchen. When working with sharp knives, hot stoves, and other professional tools, these can be dangerous if improperly used.

Additionally, we want each child to leave with a better understanding of how to use everything in the kitchen so they can take these skills with them back home and into a culinary school, should they continue to pursue the culinary arts as a career.

The other half of the equation is the creative side. Campers will be allowed to experiment with the new techniques they learn and come up with new flavor combinations. We love seeing what kids can come up with when given the freedom to explore the reaches of their creativity.

2. Work with a Variety of Ingredients

In the art world, there’s a huge variety of mediums an artist can work with: paint, pencils, stone, and so much more! We want to provide that same variety in the kitchen to our culinary art campers.

By giving children access to as many ingredients as possible, they can experiment with new tastes and textures to find a unique way to express themselves in the kitchen. We use foods from around the world to keep your child excited about what each cooking session will bring.

3. Get Trained by Professionals

While your child may have some natural instincts in the kitchen that make them great at producing delicious dishes, the only way your child can take their art to the next level is by learning additional techniques under a professional eye.

All of our culinary team here at Pali Adventures are trained professionals who are passionate about passing their knowledge onto the next generation of chefs. They will ensure your child learns everything they need to get started as a chef.

One of the ways our experienced teachers help your child learn is with our daily themes. Every day, your child will get to try a recipe from a different part of the world. This expands their horizons and gives them more techniques they can then try at home.

4. Access a Commercial Kitchen and Tools

Here at the Pali Adventures, we believe the best way to give your child a full immersion experience as a chef is to give them access to a commercial kitchen full of professional quality tools and equipment.

If the plate is a chef’s canvas, the food is the paint and the kitchen equipment is the paintbrush. An artist wouldn’t use a cheap paintbrush, so your culinary artist shouldn’t have to use cheap kitchen tools to create their masterpieces.

Having professional-level tools also helps your child learn how to cook and bake the way professional artists do. This gives them real hands-on experience in the kitchen which they can take with them into a culinary arts college program or directly into a professional kitchen.

We also use commercial equipment because we value safety and want to ensure that we have the best equipment on the market today. High-quality equipment is safer and easier to use which helps your child focus on learning techniques they can use with every tool they encounter.

5. Compete Against Other Young Chefs

Although art isn’t generally competitive, we believe that having a competition at the end of the week is a fun way for our campers to push themselves to create an incredible dish by using all of the techniques they learned throughout the week.

Your child will have to use all of their creativity and newly-acquired skills to come up with something unique and delicious that will impress the panel of judges. They will also get feedback to see areas of opportunity in their cooking skillset.

Another aspect of our weekly competition that’s great for your child is that they will work in a team. Teamwork is another aspect that may not be found in every art form but is certainly present in the kitchen.

In a professional kitchen, it’s rare to only find one person. Instead, there are several chefs and different levels of cooks that all work together to chop, cook, bake, and prepare dishes. We reflect that in our weekly competition by grouping campers into teams.

This allows your child to truly feel what it’s like to work in the culinary arts industry and may even help them decide if this is a career that they want to pursue or if it’s something they’d rather keep as a hobby.

Ready to Enroll Your Child in Our Culinary Arts Summer Camp?

Now you know five of the ways we put the “art” in culinary arts here at Pali Adventures. As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities for your child to experience what it’s like to be a professional chef.

If you’re ready to give your child the experience of a lifetime, enroll them today!

Once you’re done, your child is guaranteed a spot in one of our specialty camps, so don’t worry if they’re not sure which camp they want to attend just yet. Our spots fill up quickly, so it’s better to get them in as soon as possible.