Teen Culinary Program Coming To Heights Libraries

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — On social media channels, there is a common refrain that schools are no longer able to provide practical education on things like doing your taxes and how to cook healthy meals. Luckily, the latter will be addressed during a four-part, monthly series focused on teaching teenagers to cook.

Heights Libraries is launching the program in March, with installments continuing through June. Each session will be held after-school hours and will cover topics like food safety and nutrition, and will teach skills like measuring and proper knife handling.

Local chef Marie Finch will teach the classes. Finch is a graduate of Ohio University and has five years' experience as a chef. She currently works at Culinary Occasions, a catering company in South Euclid.

“Children need programs like this in the community,” said Finch, who participated in similar community-based educational programs as an undergrad. “These programs offer more than just cooking experience — they allow children to use basic math and science through measuring and mixing. They also teach children life skills and promote self-confidence and responsibility.”

The Heights Libraries Youth Services Department bought equipment for the programs, including pots, pans, inductions burners, blenders, scales, measuring cups, spoons, bowls, and knives. The equipment will allow participants to do simple tasks, like boiling ramen noodles, and complex tasks like sauteeing carefully chopped meat and vegetables.

“Few schools offer home economics classes anymore, so there's a basic knowledge gap about foods and food preparation,” said Youth Services Librarian Sarah Rosenberger. “Culinary literacy programs are great opportunities for teens to learn about food safety, cooking, and nutrition, and to gain knowledge they can really use in their lives, whether for a job or just cooking for themselves.”

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)

This isn't the first time Heights Libraries has offered a culinary-themed program directed at teenagers. However, this is the first culinary-education program offered by the library system.

“We have offered food and cooking-centered programs for teens in the past, including the Teen Chopped Challenge, the Teen Ramen Bar, and the Soups of the World series, all of which have been very popular,”said Rosenberger. “While these programs have been fun, and have introduced teens to new foods and culinary cultures, we feel that there is an opportunity to impart even more knowledge in these areas with a more long-term, in-depth culinary literacy program.”

More information on the program can be found online at www.heightslibrary.org and in the spring issue of the library’s programming guide, Check Us Out, in mid-February.

Photo from Heights Libraries