Young chefs whip up gourmet foods

NORFOLK, Va. - A special group of 20 teens whipped up their gourmet futures at Tidewater Community College.

"I'm Jeffrey Powell. I'm 18-years-old and I'm here, basically, because I plan on doing this for the rest of my life."

Jeffrey Powell says cooking is not just something to do, it's his passion.

"I don't cook because I need a job. I cook because this is what I want to do for the rest of my life," Powell added.

He sees each meal as a work of art. "This is something I can be creative with and artistic with, and it really helps me express who I really am," Powell said.

Powell is here at TCC with other high school students from all around Hampton Roads to learn as much as he can in the kitchen. On Wednesday, the young chefs made pizzas, everything from scratch dough to whatever they want on top. It was a chance to create their own masterpiece.

Whitney Pope from Hampton says she likes desserts. "The reason why I'm here is I need some experience because I want to be a pastry chef," Pope told WAVY.com.

The best thing about the class is that the only way to find out how you've done is to eat!

Chef Instructor Walter Ellerbee has 20 years experience in the business and he loves helping the young chefs.

"There's nothing like being able to share your knowledge and experience with [those who] will take it and run with it. So, to see great chefs, great young chefs come out, it's definitely a joy," said Ellerbee.

The students learn a lot in this week long cooking and classroom experience, but they all seem to agree on what the best part is. "The food!" laughed one student.

And judging by the food, these young chefs have bright futures ahead of them.