What’s Cookin’ Good Lookin’?!

Written by Scott Chappell

A new summer brings a new position for me here at camp. I started out as a counselor, as so many do. Since then I have returned as the CIT Coordinator, ODC Director, Aquatics Director, and now here I am tackling the kitchen as the Head Cook for camp. With each new position I’ve filled at camp, my focus has always been the campers. As the CIT Coordinator I made sure that our CITs spent as much time with campers and learned as much as they could about the community we serve and take it back to their own communities to spread awareness and acceptance. As ODC Director it was teaching life skills through the outdoor experience. As Aquatics director I strove to make sure campers felt safe enough to try their hardest and reach their maximum potential at the pool. Now I get the chance to use food as my tool for campers (and staff) to have an amazing session. I couldn’t be more excited to be in the kitchen. My experience in food has always been in mass production and very impersonal so I can’t wait for campers to get here and see their faces during meal times. This summer I will definitely be focusing more on fresh fruits and vegetables for our campers and staff—about two thirds of my budget over the last two weeks has been spent on fresh produce and whole grains. We’re also going to be making a majority of our food in house to ensure that what we’re putting into our campers’ bodies is wholesome and nutritious. This summer I’m also implementing “Wellness Wednesdays.” Every Wednesday for lunch campers will be having fresh garden salad, fresh cut veggies (carrots, jicama, celery, bell peppers, and more!), and for dessert I have an amazing recipe for a frozen fruit sorbet. Tonight’s dinner will be steamed broccoli, garlic mashed potatoes, and homemade BBQ chicken. Who says healthy can’t be fun and delicious? Hope to see you all soon!