About Us
Finding Inspiration at Every Turn
Our mission is to provide a supportive and enriching environment where kids of all abilities can joyfully embrace the world of cooking, while building confidence and essential culinary skills that last a lifetime.
​
Questions? Drop us a note at
Meet the Team
Camp Director
Paula Santos
I am Paula Santos, a Speech Language Pathologist, with a fulfilling career in elementary and middle school settings. Prior to this, I dedicated 22 years as a stay-at-home mom
to my three wonderful children; Erica, 30; Steven, 26 and Michael, 23.
My passion for cooking and baking, deeply
rooted in childhood memories of my mother’s delicious meals, led me to view the kitchen as a canvas for creativity and a channel to share love through food. Currently, I serve as a
teaching artist at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center, in Hartford, Connecticut. In this role, I impart my joy for cooking to adults and
parents and their children through healthy cooking classes. Additionally, I share my skills in sewing to middle and high school
students.
Prioritizing a healthy body and mind, I embrace yoga and meditation practices as core principles in my life. Beyond my professional pursuits, I find joy in reading, crafting, traveling and playing the piano.
Head Chef
Andrew Esposito
My inspiration came from my mom who, with no formal training and oftentimes no
recipes, would transform random ingredients
into amazing, memorable meals. My dream was to become an actor until landing in NYC and working for the legendary Warner LeRoy at
Maxwells Plum and Tavern on the Green.
Between Warner and my mom, I learned that food is so much more than a meal. Food is to
feed the soul, to feed the spirit, to bring us together, and to appreciate other cultures. For
the past 20 years I have owned several restaurants including Local Hero Deli and have
done extensive catering including Our Kosher
division Catering to Tradition.
My goal for the camp is to teach not only how to cook but more importantly how to create, also to learn where
the ingredients come from and how to treat them with respect. Finally, I want everyone to
learn to become a leader and to do that you not only need to be passionate, but also
compassionate.
Assistant Director
Bryana Boucher
My name is Bryana Boucher (Bry), I am a special education pre-kindergarten teacher. I have taught in early childhood and elementary education for the past decade. I am passionate about social emotional education in my personal and professional life. I believe that choosing joy is the best thing that you can do for yourself and the world around you.
One of my favorite things to do is to make and enjoy meals with my family. Growing up it was a daily occurrence to sit down at the table and eat together. Now, my husband and I make it a point to try making new recipes to share with each other and our extended family. I especially like making breakfast and sweets!
Other passions are creating art, snuggling with my pets, catching sunsets/sunrises, spending time outside, exploring greenhouses/botanical gardens, all things Harry Potter and quality time with my family!