Cooking. You truly couldn’t live without it. Cooks are all around us and some are old. Some are young. Some make cherry pies and some make cheddar cheese omelets. They walk among us and they go unnoticed but, they do a lot more than walk by you in the halls.

There are many cooks in Bedford, and you’d be surprised to know who they are. Sixth graders, 7th graders, 8th graders and some teachers are pretty amazing cooks.

Daphne Baker, an 8th grader, was on “Chopped Junior” on Jan. 7, and she cooked, baked and mixed and stirred and did every other form of making food she knew. “I don’t have to have a recipe to make a cake or anything. I just get how I make it from my brain.”

But she’s not the only cook Bedford has. Lucy Andrews of 6th grade loves to cook anything. Without a recipe, she can make a risotto and make it “fluffy and delicious.” She likes to cook because ever since her mom taught her to cook, she has loved to bake and give the rest of the food to teachers.

Sam Paris cooks chicken and pasta. “I think that it’s really fun, but it can be stressful”, she says. She cooks for her family and for parties. She thinks “it’s really fun to do,” and she loves to cook pasta.
Ellery Bodell of 7th grade loves to cook with her mom. She makes all sorts of things such as cupcakes. She loves to cook because it increases bonding time with her mom.

Claire Hanley of 8th grade cooks mainly Latin-American cuisine. She also loves to bake. She admires cooking because it’s creative but structured. There is not much room for error. Nate Kolek, also of 8th grade, loves to cook stir-fry made of rice, chicken, and vegetables. He enjoys cooking because he finds it fun to be in the kitchen with his family. “I like food,” he said.

Teachers are chefs as well.

Mr. Mark De Rosa loves to cook Italian cuisine, as he was born and raised with an Italian kitchen. His favorite things to cook are his homemade pasta sauce, his lasagna, and his broccoli rabe. He finds cooking very relaxing, as it takes his mind out of other things, and he believe homemade food is “made with love.”

Mr. Brian Kurtz started cooking when he moved away from home, when no one else could cook for him. He wanted to make his own food. His favorite thing to cook is grilled salmon and a ginger miso sauce. He loves to cook because he wants to eat good food and improve on what his is, and get his family to enjoy the food as well.

Mrs. Christie Cardinale loves Italian food as well. She grew up with her mom who also loves cooking as much as she does. She finds it a healthier option than eating out. Her favorite meal is spaghetti and homemade meatballs. “It’s important to have each of the food groups on a plate, and you should eat like a rainbow.”

Mr. Don Savage says that he cooks because he likes food. His favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs, and he has a special way of making it. He finds cooking very relaxing and can practice mindfulness by focusing on one thing.

“I find it very therapeutic,” he said. Ms. Elizabeth Gonzalez loves to cook chicken because she likes to eat chicken. She likes cooking because she likes to eat different foods and it relaxes her as well.

So the next time you look around Bedford, realize that some of the people you walk around in the halls with may have some hidden culinary talents.