I was thrilled to welcome Vanessa Yeung back to work with the boys this week. She has come to teach the boys twelve times before (she’s a legend!) and is known in Petits Chefs circles for her amazing dumplings (actually she’s known all around Toronto for those – her stands at food events consistently sell out) and she is one of the boys’ favourite guest chefs.
We only had a small crew of boys this week so it was a calm session with everyone working on their respective tasks quietly and industriously.
Peeling and chopping shrimp…
Chopping Chinese mushrooms…
And chopping cilantro..
(plus other jobs, grating ginger and garlic, mixing the meat fillings – though there were so few boys in the session, I’m not entirely sure why there are hardly any photos…!)
Then we got to making the dumplings…
The boys did a GREAT job (it’s tricky filling and folding dumplings!)
Bonus? ALL of our dumplings held together when we cooked them, both the potstickers and the steamed dumplings.
No “beauty shot” this week but I think you get the idea…
(plus, there are tons of other posts to read through – linked below – where you can see pretty finished plate shots!).
Watching the boys work with Vanessa (and pretty much every chef they work with) always amazes me. I think because they often are working on complicated (to many people) dishes that they manage to produce perfectly (or nearly!). Kids have no sense of something being difficult in the kitchen because they have no experience of it so, it makes tackling items that many adults wouldn’t think of making at home easier and achievable. That “can do” attitude I see in the boys is something I’d love to have a little bit more of myself – I mean wouldn’t we all love to approach life believing that everything is do-able? In any case, kids CAN cook. You just have to give them a go!
Vanessa, we can’t thank you enough for your generosity and patience and for sharing your knowledge with the boys every year. My programme could not exist without people like you and we’re so grateful. Read more about the classes Vanessa offers at Aphrodite Cooks.
Read more about Vanessa’s work with the Petits Chefs here:
Vanessa Yeung makes Soi Gau and Ginger Chicken Potstickers with Les Petits Chefs
Vanessa Yeung makes Siu Mi and Mango Salad with Les Petits Chefs
Vanessa Yeung makes Bison and Pork dumplings and Coconut Tarts with Les Petits Chefs
Vanessa Yeung makes Cold Rolls and BBQ pork and chicken crisps with Les Petits Chefs
Vanessa Yeung makes potstickers and steamed dumplings with Les Petits Chefs
Vanessa Yeung makes steamed buns with Les Petits Chefs
Vanessa Yeung makes chicken and shrimp potstickers with Les Petits Chefs
Vanessa Yeung makes potstickers and mango salad with Les Petits Chefs
Vanessa Yeung makes classic dumplings with Les Petits Chefs
Vanessa Yeung makes basic tomato sauce (and pizzas!) with Les Petits Chefs
Les Petits Chefs make potstickers and scallion pancakes with Vanessa Yeung
Vanessa, MR. NEIL can’t thank you enough either: whenever it’s dumpling time, the LPC crew are always so generous with their cooking, and send lunch portions home for me.
So for two days this week, I was fed beautiful, always-staying-together, dumpling and pot stickers.
Thanks boys for the tasty lunch, as always! :-)))
You’re lucky there were so many boys away – the only reason you got so many 😉
The dumplings did look very good and the pics made it possible to smell them cooking.
The boys are lucky to work with such smart people (I include you in this, Mardi)
The boys did do a great job and we are lucky to have people like Vanessa to work with!
The dumplings were delicious and a very welcome addition to our dinner table that night. Thank you!
You are so welcome – glad you enjoyed 🙂