The Triangle

Issue date: 7/25/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Dave Hernandez Renowned Chef Perrier talked with "Teens 4 Good" about how to grow, eat and cook healthy foods at home.

Local teens who are growing and cooking with their own vegetables through the Teens 4 Good program received a visit July 21 from Georges Perrier, a renowned French chef, at Drexel's 11th Street Family Health Services.

Drexel's 11th Street Family Health Services has been connected with Teens 4 Good for over two years, but this is the first summer harvest at this garden, according to Jennifer Andia, health educator and outreach coordinator at 11th Street.

11th Street Family Health Services partnered with Diane Cornman-Levy, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Federation of Settlements and founder of Teens 4 Good, and Jamie McKnight, director of Teens 4 Good, to make it all happen.

"We really felt that they had the gardening expertise and we had the nutrition expertise and the cooking, so we just thought it was a great partnership to really join forces and share our resources," Andia said.

Another Teens 4 Good garden is located at Eighth and Poplar streets.

"[The Teens 4 Good program] teaches them a lot of skills. It helps them manage the finances of the garden when they do the markets, the marketing, the farming … it teaches them a lot," Sait Lopez, a sophomore majoring in psychology and co-op student for 11th Street Family Health Services, said.

Perrier toured the 11th Street garden and explained to the teens how to care for the garden. He also demonstrated techniques for preparing and cooking some of the freshly-picked vegetables.

"I always say when you cook you have to have fun," Perrier said.

Andia added that Teens 4 Good is working on showing kids that they can eat healthy and cook at home.

"With kids and their diet our goal on a health standpoint is to have them be more mindful about eating better and cooking at home so that they are not only growing these, they are actually going to be using them in their own lives," she said.

During his tour of the grounds, Perrier commented on how impressed he was to see the garden.

"It's [the Teens 4 Good program and partnership with Drexel] wonderful. I think it's very special," Perrier said.

There is a scholarship in Perrier's name in the Culinary Arts department at Drexel, according to Chef Charles Ziccardi, program manager for Culinary Arts.

Perrier is the co-owner of the new Table 31 restaurant in the Comcast Center, as well as LeBec-Fin, Brasserie Perrier, Georges' in Wayne, Pa. and Mia in Atlantic City. He has taught classes for the Culinary Arts program and received an honorary doctorate degree at Drexel in 1991, according to a press release.

"Work, work, work and work harder," Perrier advised for those aspiring to become professional chefs.

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