Looking to grow your culinary skills so you can make more than just dinner reservations? 

Virginia Tech's award-winning chefs, who have helped the university earn national recognition for its dining services, will share their skills at the Culinary Camp for Adults, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 9 to March 11 in the Turner Place kitchen at Lavery Hall.

Registration ends Wednesday and is capped at 10 participants. Sign-up here.

“I love that we are able to offer an opportunity for our chefs to share their expertise with the Virginia Tech community,” said Jessica Filip, training and project manager for Virginia Tech Dining Services. “The employees here make us number one in the nation with their hard work, and those efforts are seen in all the food served and events offered.”

Mark Moritz, executive chef at Turner Place at Lavery Hall, will teach basic knife skills and cooking techniques to help improve home cooking skills. Chef de Cuisine Charles Morse will facilitate camp alongside Moritz.

The Culinary Camp for Adults costs $295 per person and is designed for individuals 18 years of age and older.

The first day of camp will focus on knife skills and breads, followed by a day learning about roasting, sautéing, and other cooking techniques. On the final day of camp, the emphasis will be on desserts.

In addition to the adult camp, Virginia Tech offers various five-day culinary camps for youth. The Basic Culinary Camp, from June 1 to June 5, is offered for students who are 10-14 years old. Virginia Tech chefs will be teaching the basics, including cooking techniques, nutrition, food safety, and meal preparation.

The Advanced Culinary Camp and Advanced Culinary Camp: Baking/Desserts Edition, from June 15 to June 19 and August 3 to August 7, respectively, are available for campers who have already taken the Basic Culinary Camp.

Both camps are for students who are 13-18 years old, and they will go more in-depth regarding advanced cooking techniques and knife skills. At the desserts-focused camp, participants will learn about baking ingredients, culinary math, and the process of making specific desserts, such as breads, pastries, chocolates, and cakes.

All youth camp participants must register by April 15. Each of these camps is $395 per person, which includes meals, a chef coat, and a chef hat. More information and registration links are available here.

All camps will require long periods of standing in a kitchen environment and campers will be expected to try all items prepared unless there are food allergy or intolerance concerns. 

For more information, contact Jessica Filip at 540-231-9205 or jfilip@vt.edu.

Written by Holly Paulette.

Share this story