Berkeley summer camp really cooks

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Aug 29, 2007 | by Jackie Burrell

THE SMELL OF GARLICKY hummus and sweet, spiced baklava wafted across La Mediterranee on a recent Monday morning, immediately followed by a youthful chorus of "mmmms."

But the young foodies gathered around the venerable Berkeley restaurant's tasting table weren't just sampling the fare. The youngsters were there for a crash course in Mediterranean cooking -- hand-wrapped dolmas as well as the classic mashed chickpea spread and flaky, honey-drenched dessert -- taught by masters in the art.

Welcome to summer camp, Berkeley-style, where the "cafeterias" are award-winning restaurants and the "counselors" professional chefs at the top of their game. The camp director? A UC Berkeley junior with a passion for food.

Karen Rogers has spent most of this summer shepherding young campers, ages 8 to 13, in and out of Berkeley's finest restaurants and kitchens.

They've invented cookie batter with pastry interns from Chez Panisse and learned the ins and outs of butternut squash ravioli from Venezia chef Cindy Deetz. They've tossed tortillas with Mexican chef and former Olympic athlete Jorge Ivan Martinez Renteria and whipped out smoothies and crepes with chef James Moisey of San Francisco's Firefly. And did we mention the Tibetan Momos?

"It's a real-life peek into the world of culinary arts and into the restaurant business," says Rogers. "No books, no classrooms. Real-life, hands-on learning."

Rogers has spent the past two years juggling her international business degree courses with culinary pursuits. In the process, she founded the Cal Cooking Club, launched an Iron Chef