Central Oregon Community College chef instructor Dom Shorthouse is excited to share his love of food this summer through a youth cooking camp series focused on cuisine across the world.

“Initially, it was ‘cause I was looking for a theme, just looking for an idea, and so I really thought back to where have I cooked, what have I cooked and what do I like eating,” said Shorthouse. “I thought it might be fun to work with kids and open their eyes to other cuisines.”

Aside from a camp focused on brunch at the end of the summer, the four-week series will cover Western European, Southeast Asian, Mediterranean and Australian and New Zealand cuisine. The camps will be spaced throughout the summer.

“(Cooking) is such a valuable tool, and so simple,” said Shorthouse. “The stuff we’ve been teaching the kids, it’s all frameworks … Once you’ve overcome the mystique of it, you realize cooking’s actually really easy.”

More than 70 summer camps

Sarah Wolcott, program manager, said this summer has the most offerings COCC has ever had for youth camps.

“It’s all about safety, fun and learning and just having a ball learning something throughout the week,” she said.

The COCC youth camps started around 10 years ago. This summer there are more than 70 camps being offered in Bend, Redmond, Prineville and Madras. More than 800 students ages 10 to 15 have enrolled. Most camps are for three hours per day over four days.

Camps cost between $109 and $159 depending on the type of camp, though COCC has partnered with Redmond Proficiency Academy to share grant funding. As a result, many of the Redmond camps are discounted, Wolcott said.

There are a number of baking and culinary camps, as well as coding, dance and mock trial among others. The Prineville campus can accommodate 12 culinary students due its smaller kitchen, while the Bend campus holds 16 students at a time.

The program has rolling enrollment. Summer camps will run until Labor Day weekend. Wolcott has plans to start fall and winter youth programs as well.

From breakfast to Mediterranean food

Shorthouse learned to cook from his parents at the age of 11 or 12, and wants kids to have a chance to learn a new skill they can use throughout their lives.

“I’m not suggesting that every student that comes through is going to become a professional chef. I hope they don’t; it’s a hard job,” said Shorthouse. “But I mean, just to have that as something you can do. If nothing else it can help you make friends.”

The camp on Western European cuisine took place in the middle of July and was fun but tiring, said Shorthouse. There were four tables for campers, and after a demonstration of an action, students would perform it, such as measuring out flour for pasta.

“Pasta’s a good one because the act of making the pasta is really interactive. You’re rolling it … takes a lot of hands-on work,” he said.

Shorthouse instituted breaks to make sure everyone stayed on task.

“The older kids are fine, but the younger kids, if you don’t keep them busy, they get distracted. They start messing around, so you’ve always got, while this is resting, they’re doing this. That was a real lesson we learned,” he said.

Throughout the week, the schedule is breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert for the final day.

“To be able to offer something where they’re walking away with real world skills. They walk away with food every day, everything we cook they would get to take home and show their parents, and it could change their lives,” he said.

Shorthouse is looking forward to the rest of the summer camp sessions, especially Mediterranean food, because it was common in Melbourne, Australia, as he grew up. Overall, he wants to get to know his students.

“Any job I’ve ever done, what I want to do is get to know people and go, what are your goals and dreams? How can I help you get there?” he said.