Students create appetizers for Lefty’s Alley & Eats menu

Middle school students in a master chef class at Lefty’s Alley & Eats performed so well, their creations are set to appear on the restaurant menu.

Lefty’s Chef Bethany Wade led the six-week enrichment course that combined skills training and entertainment in an experience she said was equally rewarding for her.

“The creativity they showed was great,” she said. “It was like watching light bulbs go on over their heads as they worked toward their goals. It was nice seeing how proud they were and being able to spend six weeks with them. I even bowled with them! It was a bonding experience for all of us.”  

Students learned the basics of gourmet cooking through lectures, demonstrations and hands-on activities that allowed them to explore international cuisine and generational recipes so they could create their own masterpieces.

Lefty’s co-owner D.J. Hill said the course provided a break for parents with homeschooled or remote-learning students in a safe environment. With eight students in the class, each novice chef received individualized attention, Hill said. 

“They learned you eat with your eyes first and your taste buds second,” Hill said. 

Each session included two hours of instruction and two hours of supervised activity such as bowling and game play, or a socially distanced study hall.

Wade said students were motivated to experiment and try new things. One week they made stuffed mushrooms, she said, and the following week, student Jacob Gabbard suggested they make them again, with sausage this time.

“It was better than the basic recipe!” Wade said.

Jacob said he got the idea from his grandmother, who makes the favorite family recipe for Thanksgiving. He used sweet Italian sausage, cream cheese, parmesan cheese and spices in his creation, which will appear as an appetizer on Lefty’s winter menu.

Erichson McMahon said he tweaked Lefty’s alley fries appetizer by breading potato logs and serving them with a side of sour cream, another appetizer patrons will soon be able to order.

Siblings Elizabeth and Christian Hill wanted to make a healthy option, so they concocted a recipe for fried zucchini spears with marinara dipping sauce, which will appear on Lefty’s summer menu when the restaurant can source fresh local zucchini.

Wade said she’ll miss her students, but she may soon see some of them and a new class of students. Hill said plans call for another six-week program, one for novice chefs and one for advanced students, to begin mid-January. 

Go to iloveleftys.com or call 302-217-3417 for details.