Brainfood kitchen=completely ordinary & absolutely extraordinary

From Guest Blogger William McKeithen, Brainfood Fall Intern...

I originally came to Brainfood as an intern because I believed in the mission of Brainfood to spread culinary knowledge as a vital skill set for any young teen growing up to be independent. I admit that I imagined some sort of conservatory where everyone showed up in white coats everyday. When I came to the first day of Brainfood, what I realized is that the Brainfood kitchen is for these teens both completely ordinary and absolutely extraordinary. When they come in, they don’t change who they are; their demeanor stay pretty much the same (though sometimes I think the strangeness of the industrial kitchen we work in can have a quieting effect); and they aren’t putting any special hat on that they might feel they need to when sitting in a boxy desk. Yet at the same time, I know from seeing them cook that Brainfood is a unique experience for them and not anything like what they normally get to do.

The other thing that surprised me was the first time we introduced ourselves and what we expected from ourselves throughout the process. There is such a dynamic mix of students who really want to learn to cook, who even think about being a chef, to students who just wanted something to do and have grown into a love of the kitchen and its special formulas and quirks.

These students are not from any one neighborhood or socioeconomic background. They have all chosen to be here. I don’t think I could say that everyone runs straight home to practice sautéing every night. But I do think they’re learning how to take control of a big part of their lives: what they eat. They’re still going to eat potato chips out of a vending machine. But at least now they have a wider knowledge of the spectrum of cooking and eating and how when you eat a bag of pretzels one day, but then cook a full meal the next, it makes the latter all the more special. I’m probably just waxing too poetic about loving being a foodie, but the students have fun no matter what, which is the most important thing.

Looking back on the semester, several memories in particular stand out: putting banana peppers and barbecue sauce in a sandwich and realizing the error of my ways; teaching the students about Celiac’s disease and the students actually remembering come next week (a seemingly small but really big victory in truth); watching the students learn to knead dough for pizza; watching the stove become engulfed in flames…just to name a few.

I’m going abroad next semester to Jordan, and I already know I’m going to miss Brainfood and these kids. I go to Georgetown and every time my friends ask me where I’m running off to and I tell them I help with a cooking class for high school students, I always get the responses “You would!” and then quickly followed by a “That is sooo cool!” (And yes, our college vocabulary really extends that far.) Brainfood has also given me skills I’ve brought back to teach fellow college students.

All in all, Brainfood has been an incredible experience and unlike any other program I know of. I’ll miss it a lot, but do my best to send back some yummy Middle Eastern treats. Thanks to Brainfood, and to anyone who’s reading this, I hope you have a chance to volunteer here in DC someday!

- Will, Brainfood Fall Intern

William L. McKeithen is completing his third year at Georgetown University in Washington DC.