I was pleasantly surprised this Tuesday at the Coronado Farmers Market. There was a new set up in a corner and lots of people in chef’s coats walking around buying various market ingredients. Upon closer examination (and a chit chat with the market manager), I realized that all of these chefs were students at the Art Institute of California Culinary School. *mouth drop!*

Yes, these people are living my high school (and perhaps current) dream! So fun to watch them in action. Their teacher, Axel (in red) told me this class they’re participating in is called “From Farm to Table” which is, really, music to my ears.

Their goal at the market? They got 20 bucks to spend on market ingredients and then 20 minutes to prepare a dish with those ingredients. Yes, Bravo TV lovers and Padma-admirers alike, this was what we Top Chef’s call a “Quickfire”

Mose of the dishes were impressive. Some of them looked like something the 10 year old I used to nanny for could assemble—when she was 5—as evidenced here:

yawn. They somehow managed to make the strawberry look unappetizing.

Anyhow, it was cool to see the chefs in action and compare them to actual Top Chefs who participate in actual Quickfire Challenges. They weren’t allowed to let us try the food, but they made an exception for me right before they left. I got to try a strawberry macaroon from the pastry chef—AMAZING!

I’m now going to start a culinary school fund. I will take all monetary donations and moral support. But mostly just monetary donations. E-mail me for my paypal information.