About 200 members of the Santa Monica Boys & Girls Clubs – along with their families – enjoyed a two-hour cooking lesson and delicious meal as part of their Spring Break.
From noon to 2 p.m., head chef Neno Mladenovic, of the historic Hollywood restaurant Dan Tana’s, taught the cooking class for Club members and their families.
Members also got to try out new cooking techniques and learn about healthful and delicious food preparation.
Among other things, the lesson included a talk on food handling hygiene and how to make the perfect marinara sauce with meatballs.
Chef Mladenovic has always had a great relationship with SMBGC staff and the Santa Monica community – and that’s why he and Dan Tana’s Restaurant took the opportunity to give back to the City’s youth by imparting his culinary skills and knowledge to the eager young chefs.
Chef Mladenovic used the Club’s kitchen with the members helping out by harvesting food from its edible garden. He also taught the members about nutrition and food preparation skills and showed them how enjoying a healthy, delicious homemade meal can be fun.
The afternoon was topped off with the members enjoying a delectable meal of pasta, bread, and salad – and a lot of laughs.
This event was a part of the Club’s Healthy Habits program, which seeks to teach youth strategies to live a healthier lifestyle – including a healthy diet, exercise, and more.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica Main Branch is located at 1238 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica.
For more information about the club, visit smbgc.org.
