Langstons to strap on aprons for July 9-12 Kids Culinary Camp

 Langstons to strap on aprons for July 9-12 Kids Culinary Camp

By Fran Thompson
The husband/wife team of Jonathan and Jessica Langston, with a little help from their chef friends, will strap on aprons and pick up their spatulas to coordinate the City of Orange Beach Culinary Camp, a hands-on cooking workshop slated July 9-12 at the O.B. Recreation Center.
Hours are 9 a.m. ‘til noon and the camp, limited to 60 children, is filling up fast. Part of the city’s Expect Excellence Program directed by Jonathan Langston, the camp registration fee is $125. The camp is open to rising 3rd to 12th graders, and students will experience culinary adventures in various cuisines while also learning cleanliness, food handling, knife safety, measurements, cultural techniques and recipes.
Now in its fourth year, the camp will include guest instruction from some of the finest chefs on the Island.
“This year we are going to be able to do what we originally planned, which is to focus on different countries and cultures each day,’’ said Jonathan Langston, a chef and restaurant owner for 28 years.
“We also want children to understand that there are great opportunities to cook in the work force right here at home,’’ he added. “We want them to know where food comes from. How food impacts culture and culture impacts food.’’
For example, he said, friends Thomas and Julie Pappedalias will not just prepare Greek food, they will discuss its origins and bring in friends to dance the Hasapiko.
“This has turned out to be the coolest thing. To see how these kids get their hands in it and do it,’’ Jonathan Langston said. “Nobody else is doing this.’’
Camp segments include The Essential Southern recipes from Grandma’s Kitchen, which will include preparing pimento cheese and pork skins, with Glenn & Dale Beard of the The Meat Mart.
Cajun and French Acadian cooking with Chef Jonathan Kastner of Anchor Bar & Grill will include fried frogs legs, corn maque choux, crawfish etouffee, boudin balls and pralines.
Caribbean Ingredients & Techniques with Chef Landon Benton of Salt @ San Roc Cay will be followed by a segment about Italian desserts, specifically Tiramisu, with Chef Kim Asbury of Buzzcatz Coffee and Sweets.
“As much as we love food, we love to travel even more. So, this is perfect,’’ Jessica said. “One of our favorite things is to find recipes and impart food as a way of introducing the different cultures to the children. We can show them how Cajun and Creole cooking is similar to French cuisine and how we can take Italian food and put a southern spin on it.’’
For more information about Orange Beach Culinary Camp, visit orangebeachal.gov or call 251-981-6028 or 251-269-4596.
Pictured: Scenes from the 2017 camp.