Students whip up their own meals at FUSD Junior Chef Academy Summer Camp

Something special is cooking up at Chukchansi Park this summer.

Fresno Unified students are taking over the kitchen to sharpen their cooking skills.

The Chukchansi ballpark may be quiet and empty, but the kitchen is loud and full.

Chef Curtis Tucker is showing 7th through 12th grade students at the Fresno Unified Junior Chef's Academy how to whip up a thing or two.

Guevara Arts & Leadership Executive Director, Ricardo Guevara, is putting on the class.

He and Chef Curtis both went to Sunnyside High and now are working to make sure students know how to cook.

"We just feel like it's something that's missing," Guevara said.

The ingredients are passed out, seasonings are added in, and then students put in a little elbow grease to mix it all together.

For better or worse, they also get to eat what they make.

They were making ranch while we were there.

Guevara says it's all part of the learning process.

"You'll see them like 'Oh my gosh, this needs some more work.' And it's like 'Yeah, exactly. This needs more work.' And that's what we're here for, let's try it again," Guevara said.

Bullard Senior and teacher's aide Lizzy Akina helps Chef Tucker and students along the way.

"My job is to help walk them through that process," Akina

She says while kids are learning recipes and kitchen skills, they're also learning things not always taught in the classroom.

"They're learning how to work with other people. They're learning how to, you know, try something new and it's ok to mess up sometimes," Akina said.

Students start by learning how to make breakfast, then lunch, dinner and dessert.

Guevara says he hopes this summer camp helps build their confidence in the kitchen.

"For them to just feel like they accomplished to do something they never imagined doing and something that they can continue to do, hopefully for the rest of their lives, so that's our goal," Guevara said.

The camp wraps on Fridays when students' families get to visit and try some of the food students made.

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