You know it’s a Brainfood summer when…

1. there's a dance party in the kitchen that involves wigs and sequined sunglasses.

Brainfood grads often have creative streak, and our Box Project class was no exception. After a summer of impromptu singing and some spontaneous kitchen dance routines, we challenged them to channel their talents into a last day music video. Armed with props supplied by Garden Manager Aimee, they created a music video mashup that's still got us laughing.

2. there are groups of students surrounding a plant looking utterly confused.

During the first week at Box Project students went out into the garden for a garden scavenger hunt which proved more challenging than students anticipated. However, with some time and a little help from garden manager Aimee, students became familiar with each of the herbs, fruits, and vegetables over the course of the summer.
 
 
 
 
 

3. working with a guest chef is the best day ever.

Granville Moore’s executive chef, Teddy Folkman paid a visit to the Summer Institute class in Chinatown and led them through some of his favorite recipes. The gnocchi was a big hit, as was Teddy’s knowledge and sense of fun!

4. teamwork is basically second nature.

Unlike our after-school programs which only meet twice a week, Summer Institute and Box Project students meet every day of the week for program! That means our students get to know each other, the kitchen space and Brainfood kitchen skills very quickly. These students really understood the value of great teamwork!

5. teams of DC students and executive chefs throw elbows in a fight for grilling supplies.

At the 2014 Brainfood Grilloff, six teams competed in a fierce competition to create the most delicious, summer-sizzling, eye-popping meal. Each team of corporate sponsors was paired with one of our Brainfood students and led by a DC-area executive chef. This year's Brainfood Skillet Award went to the Union Market team, led by Chef Susan Holt – cofounder of DC-based cooking school CulinAerie. Congratulations, team!  
 
 
 
 
 

6. everybody's getting crafty!

Our students painted labels for the Youth Garden, made from scraps of wood we found at Community Forklift. For one afternoon, our students got to shift their focus from culinary artistry to visual painted artistry. We’re excited for the extra color and pizazz these signs will bring to our garden. Thanks for the help, guys!
 
 
 
 
 

7. students actually enjoy doing the dishes together.

The group of 11 - 14-year-olds particpating in the Rising Tigers summer camp in Takoma Park, MD loved doing dishes. No, your eyes don't deceive you; they're actually singing and laughing through what some of our high school students consider a torturous chore.
 
 
 
 
 

8.your class makes 250 spanakopitas in one day!

​Box Project students rose to the challenge of producing mass quantities of food for our awesome subscribers this summer. For our first box, some of the stalwart ladies powered through a seemingly endless bowl of spinach and feta cheese filling. When they finally finished the task of folding the delicate filo dough pastries, the huge empty bowl was a fitting trophy and testament to the power of kitchen teamwork.