Teen chef hopes to inspire other kids to start cooking
By Natay Holmes
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SAN DIEGO, California (KGTV) — Before he could barely see over the kitchen counter, a San Diego teen said he fell in love with cooking.
With the help of his sous chef — also known as mom — 16-year-old Julian Fredrick came up with The Step Stool Chef, a site for kids to get tools and learn how to cook.
“Cooking is just honestly my passion,” said Julian.
Some teens spend their free time with friends or video games, but Julian is trying to figure out his next culinary masterpiece.
“It allows me to just make whatever I want, and experiment, and get creative,” he said.
Julian said he fell in love with cooking at the tender age of three. Soon after, the kid chef and his mom started a mommy and me cooking blog called The Step Stool Chef.
As Julian grew, so did the blog, with parents requesting cooking classes for their kids. Julian now offers classes and recipes for all ages.
“It has three different cooking tracks based on what level of skill that your kid chef is at,” said Julian.
The curriculum includes cooking basics, baking desserts, and advanced cuisine. The teen chef even offers easy step cooking kits.
As the incoming high school junior navigates his way through high school, he’s hoping to prepare other teens for college.
“There’s something special about home cooked food, and I want to be able to help college students to bring that into the dorm,” Julian said as he prepares a Southwest quesadilla. “A big part of working with his recipe was using ingredients that you can find in a dining hall, instead of having to go grocery shopping.”
Julian said with easier access to food, like ordering online, he thinks the art of cooking is becoming less popular and hopes his recipes and passion inspires others to get in the kitchen.
“People are slowly forgetting how to cook, and I think that some things needs to be preserved because of all the great things that come with cooking.”
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