From Cook to Chef

Our grandson, Jayden loves to cook! For his 9th birthday, we bought him a 6-month subscription to Raddish. Every month, he receives recipes that kids can cook with the help of an adult. We asked him to bring his recipe binder when he came to visit us in Hawaii so he could cook for us. We agreed on a menu and made out our shopping list. He and his brother, Jace, went with me to the market, and truthfully, we had to search for some of the items because I had never bought them before.

We spent more than three hours preparing dinner! Jayden selected the menu: Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese, Apple Turkey Meatballs (he also made Apple Beef Meatballs since Grandpa Randy doesn’t like ground turkey), and Hot Cocoa Cupcakes. It was such a learning experience, not just for Jayden, but for me as well. The recipes appear to be simple, but nothing is short-cutted. Jayden had to read the instructions carefully, and it’s great that there are step-by-step instructions with accompanying illustrations. Raddish also adds interesting information about the dish or the ingredients and even adds jokes, art projects, and a Featured Culinary Skill with each recipe. I was also thrilled that Jayden was practicing math skills in a very practical way.

We had great discussions as we worked. I had to help him with some of the tasks but for the most part, Jayden was the cook. We discussed that - was he a cook or a chef? - and we agreed that until he learns the basics and gets more experience, he is a cook. When he starts to change up recipes and become more innovative, then he can call himself a chef. This led to a great series of questions from Jayden:  Can a recipe be copyrighted? What happens if a chef has a signature dish, hires someone to prepare it, and that person leaves and takes the recipe with him? Isn’t that wrong? We ended up researching and having a discussion about the moral issue of "stealing" someone else's recipe. In the end, Jayden decided it would be wrong to "steal" someone's recipe; instead, he wants to make his own signature dishes.

What was most surprising to me was Jayden's perseverance; he was totally focused and never once complained that the job was too hard or boring. The meatballs weren't perfectly round, and some of the cupcakes caved in. However, they tasted great; in fact, Grandpa Randy ate three cupcakes! Jayden asked if we could extend his subscription for another six months, and I readily agreed. I loved seeing his focus and his obvious pride in preparing a full dinner for us, and hearing our compliments must have been so gratifying for him. I appreciate that his Dad enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and is passing on that love to Jayden.

Go for it, Jayden!