In late July, the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) hosted a cooking demonstration for young people involved in the program as culinary aides in public school kitchens. The program teaches young people skills that benefit them both in and out of the kitchen. 

SYEP matches New Yorkers between the ages of 14 and 24 with jobs in a variety of fields. It has 100,000 spots per year and offers paid employment opportunities that can also benefit young people’s resumes and college applications. 

From Sunset Park to Canarsie, several Brooklyn culinary aides spoke about their experiences with the program and the opportunities it presented.