by Yvette Garfield
The television audience waits with baited breath for the crucial moment that will set the tone of the day’s show: the declaration of the secret ingredient. Iron Chef America, a cooking show aired on The Food Network, as well as other cooking programs, has transformed cooking into cutting-edge entertainment that has brought a new younger audience to the world of cooking shows. The massive response from young viewers is staggering:
The Food Network reports that currently more than 40 million of their annual viewers are children. In addition, children’s cookbooks and cooking classes are more popular than ever. This diversified early exposure to cooking is certainly shaping the next generation of chefs. When it comes to cooking, kids may in fact be the secret ingredient to driving the growing success of cooking in mass media.
A prominent chef who began cooking at an early age is Ming Tsai, one of the premier Asian-American chefs. Tsai recalls that his true culinary test came at the age of ten. Unexpected guests dropped by when Tsai’s parents were out, and his traditional Chinese upbringing demanded that he offer food to his guests. Without hesitating, he whipped up the fried rice he had seen his parents make a thousand times, even though he had never prepared it before. Recalling his mother’s recipe, he added what he hoped were the right proportions of ginger, garlic, soy sauce, oil, and eggs to the rice. Upon serving the dish to his appreciative guests, he learned the lesson that would shape his career: food makes people happy. Tsai now brings food to the home viewer through his PBS Show Simply Ming. He also won an Emmy for his very first episode of East Meets West on The Food Network in 1998. As a father, Tsai recognizes the importance of introducing healthy cooking to children. He urges parents to “stop the fast food. Whoever invented super-sizing should be shot.” Tsai recognizes that “children make 70% of all restaurant decisions and they should be empowered with the knowledge to make better choices.” His involvement with nonprofits including Common Threads, Chefs for Humanity, and Harvard’s School of Public Health’s Nutrition Roundtable, all strive to inform children regarding healthy eating and cooking. Tsai views television as the perfect medium to educate kids on healthier cooking and eating.
Another way to introduce children to healthier food and eating is through introducing cooking in your own kitchen. Shanti Greenspan, owner of Stir It Up! Cooking School in Los Angeles recalls learning to cook in her family kitchen. She loved entertaining her friends with cooking parties from the age of 11. She encourages parents to involve kids in the cooking process from an early age. She explains “children can measure, stir, and pour even as young as two years old!” Shanti takes an integrative approach to teaching cooking; Greenspan encourages her students and parents to approach cooking as a family activity from start to finish, including setting the table, grocery shopping, selecting recipes, cooking, and even cleaning up. Greenspan reiterates that “transforming cooking into a family activity makes it enjoyable for everyone. Cooking offer children lessons in math, science, health, and of course cooking. The rewards are limitless.”
Cooking is not only a fun activity, but it empowers children with knowledge of nutrition which is essential to healthy living. Food is also a wonderful way to connect people globally and promote a culture of tolerance. Inviting kids into the kitchen can open up their eyes to the world in which they live.
The Great Wall of Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Level 2, Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Dash of salt and pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
3 scallions
1/2 can water chestnuts, drained
1 cup shiitake mushrooms (about 4 medium mushrooms)
4-6 iceberg lettuce leaves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
Tools
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Medium bowl
3 Small bowls
Fine Grater
Wok
Wooden spoon
Platter
Instructions
1. Measure the soy sauce, sugar and vinegar and place into a small bowl. Stir and set aside.
2. Cut the chicken into small bite-size pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside in medium bowl.
3. Chop the scallions, chestnut and mushrooms into the same size pieces as the chicken. Set aside.
4. Heat the oil in the wok over high heat and add chicken. Cook the chicken about 2-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until cooked through.
5. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute.
6. Add the chestnuts, scallions and mushrooms and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
7. Stir in the sauce and cook for 1 more minute.
8. Place chicken on a platter alongside the lettuce leave.
9. Scoop a large spoonful of the chicken into a lettuce leaf and wrap like you would a burrito.
From the Handstand Kids Chinese Cookbook- www.handstandkids.com
Yvette had the idea of creating the Handstand Kids on a very long flight back from India. She wanted to bring back cookbooks for her little cousins, but was discouraged when unable to find any for children. Upon her return to the US, she began brainstorming on how to introduce children to international foods in a fun and hands-on way. The Handstand Kids books are the perfect recipe for kids to learn how to cook, while learning about the people, places, and language of a new country. It is Yvette’s hope that children will be inspired to use their new cooking skills to give back to their own communities.
Yvette is a recent law school graduate who has a strong interest in international children's rights. She has worked with various non-profit organizations and the Department of Justice, Children's Rights Section.
Yvette's favorite food is chocolate and strongly believes it can make any food better!
Contact Yvette at: yvette@handstandkids.com
The television audience waits with baited breath for the crucial moment that will set the tone of the day’s show: the declaration of the secret ingredient. Iron Chef America, a cooking show aired on The Food Network, as well as other cooking programs, has transformed cooking into cutting-edge entertainment that has brought a new younger audience to the world of cooking shows. The massive response from young viewers is staggering:
The Food Network reports that currently more than 40 million of their annual viewers are children. In addition, children’s cookbooks and cooking classes are more popular than ever. This diversified early exposure to cooking is certainly shaping the next generation of chefs. When it comes to cooking, kids may in fact be the secret ingredient to driving the growing success of cooking in mass media.
A prominent chef who began cooking at an early age is Ming Tsai, one of the premier Asian-American chefs. Tsai recalls that his true culinary test came at the age of ten. Unexpected guests dropped by when Tsai’s parents were out, and his traditional Chinese upbringing demanded that he offer food to his guests. Without hesitating, he whipped up the fried rice he had seen his parents make a thousand times, even though he had never prepared it before. Recalling his mother’s recipe, he added what he hoped were the right proportions of ginger, garlic, soy sauce, oil, and eggs to the rice. Upon serving the dish to his appreciative guests, he learned the lesson that would shape his career: food makes people happy. Tsai now brings food to the home viewer through his PBS Show Simply Ming. He also won an Emmy for his very first episode of East Meets West on The Food Network in 1998. As a father, Tsai recognizes the importance of introducing healthy cooking to children. He urges parents to “stop the fast food. Whoever invented super-sizing should be shot.” Tsai recognizes that “children make 70% of all restaurant decisions and they should be empowered with the knowledge to make better choices.” His involvement with nonprofits including Common Threads, Chefs for Humanity, and Harvard’s School of Public Health’s Nutrition Roundtable, all strive to inform children regarding healthy eating and cooking. Tsai views television as the perfect medium to educate kids on healthier cooking and eating.
Another way to introduce children to healthier food and eating is through introducing cooking in your own kitchen. Shanti Greenspan, owner of Stir It Up! Cooking School in Los Angeles recalls learning to cook in her family kitchen. She loved entertaining her friends with cooking parties from the age of 11. She encourages parents to involve kids in the cooking process from an early age. She explains “children can measure, stir, and pour even as young as two years old!” Shanti takes an integrative approach to teaching cooking; Greenspan encourages her students and parents to approach cooking as a family activity from start to finish, including setting the table, grocery shopping, selecting recipes, cooking, and even cleaning up. Greenspan reiterates that “transforming cooking into a family activity makes it enjoyable for everyone. Cooking offer children lessons in math, science, health, and of course cooking. The rewards are limitless.”
Cooking is not only a fun activity, but it empowers children with knowledge of nutrition which is essential to healthy living. Food is also a wonderful way to connect people globally and promote a culture of tolerance. Inviting kids into the kitchen can open up their eyes to the world in which they live.
The Great Wall of Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Level 2, Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Dash of salt and pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
3 scallions
1/2 can water chestnuts, drained
1 cup shiitake mushrooms (about 4 medium mushrooms)
4-6 iceberg lettuce leaves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
Tools
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Medium bowl
3 Small bowls
Fine Grater
Wok
Wooden spoon
Platter
Instructions
1. Measure the soy sauce, sugar and vinegar and place into a small bowl. Stir and set aside.
2. Cut the chicken into small bite-size pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside in medium bowl.
3. Chop the scallions, chestnut and mushrooms into the same size pieces as the chicken. Set aside.
4. Heat the oil in the wok over high heat and add chicken. Cook the chicken about 2-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until cooked through.
5. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute.
6. Add the chestnuts, scallions and mushrooms and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
7. Stir in the sauce and cook for 1 more minute.
8. Place chicken on a platter alongside the lettuce leave.
9. Scoop a large spoonful of the chicken into a lettuce leaf and wrap like you would a burrito.
From the Handstand Kids Chinese Cookbook- www.handstandkids.com
Yvette had the idea of creating the Handstand Kids on a very long flight back from India. She wanted to bring back cookbooks for her little cousins, but was discouraged when unable to find any for children. Upon her return to the US, she began brainstorming on how to introduce children to international foods in a fun and hands-on way. The Handstand Kids books are the perfect recipe for kids to learn how to cook, while learning about the people, places, and language of a new country. It is Yvette’s hope that children will be inspired to use their new cooking skills to give back to their own communities.
Yvette is a recent law school graduate who has a strong interest in international children's rights. She has worked with various non-profit organizations and the Department of Justice, Children's Rights Section.
Yvette's favorite food is chocolate and strongly believes it can make any food better!
Contact Yvette at: yvette@handstandkids.com
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