Best Teen Chef 2008 Local Finalists
Jonathan Grant
Coronado High School, Henderson, Nevada
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Las Vegas’Best Teen Chef 2008
Cooking is in the genes, it seems, for Jonathan Grant, the Best Teen Chef 2008 for The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Las Vegas. This culinary competitor has been cooking in the kitchen since the age of two, and is now getting ready to further his culinary education and get into the family business.
“Food has always had a family connection for me,” says Grant. “From an early age, my family’s bonding time was spent cooking in our little kitchen. Whether it is my favorite carnitas dish or the tenderloin and prosciutto recipe I submitted for the Best Teen Chef Competition, food is a central theme in our house.” That love of food is apparent in the family’s choice of careers. Grant’s family includes his father, a chef in Southern California, mother who works in culinary management and his brother who works front-of-the-house at an up and coming Las Vegas restaurant.
Grant, a Pro Start competitor at his high school, plans on combining his love of food with his love of outdoor sports when it comes to his future career. After he reaches his goal of earning a bachelor’s degree in culinary management and eventually becoming an executive chef, he plans on opening his own skateboard shop with an arcade and a restaurant inside. “I grew up on the wrong side of town and cooking was a great way for me to keep busy and stay out of trouble,” he says. “I want to bring my love of food and extreme sports to other kids - giving them somewhere to hang out and stay safe after school.”
When it comes to school for himself, Grant says he is excited to attend The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Las Vegas. “The Art Institute of Las Vegas is where I want to be - alongside people who share my same passion for cooking. It’s my opportunity to learn my craft in small classes, make connections in the industry and lay the groundwork for future opportunities for myself…and the scholarship definitely helps get me there.”