Youngsters cooking with gas

Youngsters attending La Maison Gourmet's summer camp are really cooking this summer.

For the last 11 summers, John Lewis, the downtown restaurant's owner, has acted as magic chef to from 20 to 25 youngsters, ages 8 to 15.

They learn the intricacies and secrets of the fine art of cooking and baking.

From 9 a.m. until noon, youngsters listen attentively as Lewis, the restaurant's head chef, describes how to transform complex-sounding recipes into savory dishes.

The items include Cajun spiced potatoes, porcupine meatballs, cheddar broccoli soup, Parmesan chicken and chocolate mousse.

Many youngsters return each summer to take one or more of the nine weekly classes, Lewis said.

During the summer sessions he shows youngsters the importance of following portion directions, using safe cutlery skills and keeping the kitchen area clean.

He offers trivia tips and information about each ingredient that goes into dishes being created.

The youngsters then take to the kitchen in teams to prepare each course.

The campers learn some real cooking skills so they can go home and try out recipes on their parents and friends, Lewis said.

Each morning they talk about what went right and wrong with a dish they tried to prepare.

Summer sessions run until the week of Aug. 11. The cost of each week's class is $185 per youngster.

People 15 and older can take one of his year-round classes, Lewis said.

One offering is a nine-week cooking skills course on Mondays, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

That course is broken up into weekly lessons on sauces, soups, cooking methods, appetizers, salads and dressings, entrees, side dishes and veggies, and pan sauces.

One of the weekly courses, which focus on a specific dish, costs $100. The nine-week series costs $795.

Each month Lewis offers single 90-minute classes, such as one for couples who want to cook a special summer dinner.