ROCHESTER, NY – When Wegmans Food Markets asked, “What inspires you to learn more about cooking?” the company received thoughtful responses from 40 young chefs. The essay responses were entries for a contest awarding two teens with $450 scholarships to attend Wegmans’ Culinary Teen Camps.
The winning entries come from Mariah Posadni, a student in Rochester, who will attend culinary camp at Wegmans’ Menu Cooking School in Pittsford and Jacquelyn Petrishin, a student in Niagara Falls, who will attend Wegmans’ Menu Cooking Events at the Sheridan Drive location in Buffalo. Both aspiring chefs attributed their love of cooking to their mothers, with whom they helped prepare family meals starting at an early age. A panel of Wegmans employees reviewed and scored the entries, which were received from December 12 through January 30.
“We were so impressed by the caliber of each and every entry,” says Angela Volta, Wegmans’ Menu Cooking School manager. “It’s a real treat for us to read stories of inspiration from young chefs, and even more so to help them further their culinary skills at our camps.”
Wegmans’ Culinary Teen Camps began in 2007. Teens who attend the five-day camp work alongside Wegmans chefs where they learn everything from knife skills and cooking techniques to food safety, menu planning, and meal presentation. Each camp also offers daily guest instructors with expertise in areas like seafood and nutrition, all culminating in a graduation party with food prepared by the students. Teen Camp II offers further instruction in fundamentals and cooking techniques for graduates of Teen Camp I. Some former campers have gone on to enroll in culinary schools and move into professional culinary careers.
Spaces in summer 2012 Culinary Teen Camps are still available. For more information, visit the Events page on Wegmans.com or call (716) 631-4370 in Buffalo or (585) 249-0278 in Rochester.
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a 79-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. The family-owned company, founded in 1916, is recognized as an industry leader and innovator. Wegmans has been named one of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ by FORTUNE magazine for fifteen consecutive years. In 2012, Wegmans ranked #4 on the list.
Source: Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.
