Chef's Choice at Johnson & Wales University

My son has done this camp for 3 years and really enjoys it. Having a brother who is a professional chef, I feel this camp is the closest camp to chef school out there. Students have the option of baking camp (they bring home daily baked goods) or cooking camp. My son did the later. They learn food prep and clean up, how to properly sauté, chop, hold knives etc. They prep the daily lunch that is served for all the students. The bakery group usually sends home daily baked goods with this group in exchange for lunch. The last day parents are invited to feast on all the recipes that the students learned to make throughout the week.

My daughter did this camp and thought it was a waste of time. Unlike other cooking camps where kids make their own dishes, this is a line cook approach so she would only do a small part of a dish like cutting onions or kneading dough. She said she didn't get to actually cook anything. The instructors cooked which defeats the purpose of a class like this. The foods the classes prepared became lunch for everyone but then my daughter's class had to clean all the pots, pans, silverware, dishes etc. They spent an hour and a half washing dishes daily! For a $600 camp I did not expect that. The students were not allowed to bring home any leftover either (in the savory food camp). I can't recommend this camp.