Best Teen Chef 2008 Local Finalists - Fort Lauderdale
Jonathan White
Jupiter High School
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale’s Best Teen Chef 2008
Jonathan Stephen White is a 19-year-old senior at Jupiter High School in Jupiter, Florida, who has always had a passion for the culinary world. He has been part of a unique culinary arts magnet curriculum at his high school that goes beyond regular high school studies and takes interested students into industry-related studies.
"The things I love about cooking are being able to have the satisfaction of knowing you just satisfied someone's appetite and that they enjoyed every bite of what you prepared," says the enthusiastic teenager who is preparing to begin classes at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. He was the Gold Medal winner in the local Best Teen Chef Competition and is preparing to compete at the Final Round Competition in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 17.
White says he loves learning about different cultures, lifestyles and how people prepare food. He hopes his experience and future education will enable him to open his own restaurant either in the Florida Keys or on some tropical island where his Hawaiian shirt and sandal clad customers will dine on delectable seafood dishes that he specially prepared.
White would also like to be a private chef for a celebrity or in a private residence in exclusive Palm Beach and travel for several years gaining experience along the way.
"My advice to other teens who have an interest in the culinary field is never give up and stay passionate about what you believe in and strive to be the best no matter what."