Jr. Chef Central was founded in 2004 by Bermudian Karla Lacey-Minors, a former corporate executive with a passion for food and a desire to share her passion in a meaningful way. Its goals are to teach kids to make healthier lifestyle choices for themselves and, by extension, their families; and to focus on the common denominator of food to bridge cultural, social and economic divides among young people.

Based in California, it is a not-for-profit culinary programme which builds bridges "one plate at a time". More than 800 young people have been trained over the past four years. Jr. Chef cooking camps are the door through which all children enter the programme. Participants start with the Beginner's Session, work their way up to Advance Sessions, and complete the programme with the six-day Master Session.

Based in a commercial kitchen in South Sacramento, Jr. Chef classes are also part of a ground-breaking on-site elementary after-school programme focusing on improving the health of overweight students, as a way of increasing their below-average performance in the core subjects of English and math. Plans are underway to roll out a similar programme in Bermuda either late this year or early next year, with the endorsement of the Department of Health.

All children are welcome in the Jr. Chef cooking camps regardless of ability, and financial assistance is available for those who otherwise could not afford to attend. The programme has been featured on TV and in magazines throughout the California and Nevada. In April 2007, a team of Jr. Chefs travelled to Bermuda to film a television pilot: 'Jr. Chef Central, Your Window to the World', and in October 2007, Jr. Chef Central hosted 250 children in America's first ever Kids Culinary Convention. The second Kids Culinary Convention takes place this September in Sacramento, California.

For further information see website www.karlaskitchentable.com The mailing address is: Jr. Chef Central P.O. Box 580614, Elk Grove, California 95758. Telephone: (916) 691-4323.