Earlier this month, one of our middle-school cooking classes on the Lower East Side had a pretty exciting visitor: Jamie Oliver. Jamie joined students from The Sylvia Center, alongside educators Carson and Addy, at Cornelia Connelly Center—rolling up his sleeves and jumping straight into the cooking.
The visit marked the New York City launch of Jamie Oliver’s 10 Skills Food Education Program, which The Sylvia Center began implementing this fall as a local partner. Together, students made a plant-based stir-fry while practicing everyday cooking skills—from knife work and flavor-building to teamwork and confidence in the kitchen.
Jamie In Action
Rather than a professional demo from the sidelines, the class unfolded the way TSC classes always do: students cooking hands-on, asking questions, tasting as they went, and making decisions together. Jamie moved through the room chatting with the girls, responding to their ideas, and cooking right alongside them.
“The girls were really proud to show Jamie their skills,” says TSC Chef Educator Carson Stehling. “He complimented Kaylina’s Thai basil chiffonade, and she was so excited. They were all motivated to show what they could do—some even took on extra responsibility as kitchen assistants. We cooked with Chinese broccoli from a market on Grand Street, which many of them loved even more than regular broccoli, and Jamie showed them how to finely chop Napa cabbage. They were completely entranced.”
Hands-On Food Education at The Sylvia Center
The 10 Skills program focuses on the core building blocks young people need to cook for themselves and their families—practical skills like budgeting, nutrition, and adaptability. It also happens to closely mirror The Sylvia Center’s own approach: hands-on, culturally responsive food education that helps students build lifelong habits for health and well-being.
“I believe that every child, no matter their background, deserves to learn about food—where it comes from, how to cook it, and how it affects their bodies,” said Jamie. “These are life skills and are as important as reading and writing. I’m delighted to be in the classroom with The Sylvia Center, who share this belief and are equipping students with the cooking, budget, and nutrition knowledge to take care of themselves.”
For the students, the visit was a rare and exciting opportunity—but also a real affirmation of their skills. They weren’t watching someone else cook; they were leading, problem-solving, and cooking with confidence, just as they do every week.
“Having Jamie in our classroom was incredibly meaningful for our students,” says Barbara Glassman, The Sylvia Center’s Chief Executive Officer. “He’s spent decades championing food as a force for health, equity, and dignity—values that sit at the heart of The Sylvia Center’s work. Getting to cook together with Jamie was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when people who believe in hands-on food education collaborate.”
