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Michelle Estades Santiago

@michellestades

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Finally made it to Darwin’s famous bbq @daddyddd

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A little over a year at Casa Mono here in NYC, my first Michelin starred kitchen, a time I’ll never forget. Long hours, constant learning, and being surrounded by some incredible chefs. Sharing a few snapshots of the food, the people, and everything in between. 🐒 🏠 #itsmonotime

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👩‍🍳 Chef @michellestades

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Been a year, here’s a post

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My thirties are looking pretty good so far. Thank you to everyone who helped me ring in my #nerdythirty 🤓

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Un año más, un corazón más agradecido 🧁✨🫶🏼

Recordando esta semana tan especial.

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Today for cooking, the children made meat pies! 🧑🏽‍🍳🥟

Meat pies are a savory treat enjoyed in many parts of the world—especially in places like Jamaica, England, Nigeria, and Australia. While each country has its own flavorful twist, most meat pies include a pastry crust and a tasty filling made from seasoned ground meat, sometimes mixed with veggies or gravy.

Today, we made our own kid-friendly version in class!
Beyond being delicious, this activity was full of hands-on learning:
• Strengthened fine motor skills through rolling, filling, and folding dough
• Encouraged early math concepts like measuring and sequencing
• Exposed children to cultural foods and global traditions
• Boosted confidence, independence, and teamwork in the kitchen

There’s nothing like the joy of creating (and tasting!) something from scratch. Proud of our little chefs! 👩🏽‍🍳👨🏾‍🍳✨

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Today in cooking class, our young chefs took a flavorful trip to the islands with a dish we’re calling Rainbow Island Rice!

This vibrant, savory rice was packed with goodness—red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, green onions, garlic, cilantro, and just the right touch of seasoning, including chicken bouillon and a special blend of Caribbean spices. The aroma alone had us all excited!

Before the chopping began, we kicked things off with a quick review of knife safety. The children practiced how to hold and use child-safe knives properly, learning the importance of focus, patience, and proper hand placement. Then they jumped right into action—carefully slicing the peppers, scallions, and tomatoes with confidence and care. They even got to use the slap chop to help Chef Michelle dice onions (lots of giggles and teamwork there!).

As we cooked, each child had a turn to add ingredients to the pot, stir gently, and observe how everything blended together. We talked about the colors, textures, and smells—building their vocabulary and sensory awareness.

This hands-on experience wasn’t just about cooking—it supported fine motor skills, encouraged teamwork, boosted self-confidence, and introduced early math and science concepts (hello, measuring, mixing, and heat reactions!).

Now the rice is simmering, soaking in all those rich flavors—and we can’t wait to taste the final result. Cooking with kids is always an adventure, and today’s was as delicious as it was educational!

Bon appétit from our budding chefs and their big island flavors!
#KidsInTheKitchen
#LittleChefs
#CookingWithKids
#PreschoolCooking
#HandsOnLearning
#CookingIsLearning
#TinyChefBigFlavors
#EarlyChildhoodEducation
#LearningThroughPlay
#PreschoolFun
#CreativeCurriculum
#TeacherLife
#MissShamzClass
#InstaReels
#ReelsThatInspire
#ReelLearning
#ExplorePage
#ReelsForTeachers

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Today’s enrichment class was a flavor-packed culinary adventure with the incredible Chef Michelle! Our young chefs explored the world of Italian cooking by making gnocchi from scratch—a traditional, soft, pillowy pasta that originated in Italy and is made with just a few simple ingredients: potatoes, flour, and eggs.

With a sprinkle of salt and some colorful diced tomatoes added to the mix, the children were ready to turn everyday ingredients into something amazing. They began by using mixing wands from a hand mixer to gently mash the cooked potatoes into smaller pieces—a fun and safe way to explore texture and preparation. Once mashed, the potatoes were added to the flour, followed by eggs, and the children watched the dough come to life.

Next came the hands-on fun: they kneaded the dough, then rolled it into small balls, stretched those into rope-like strands, and carefully cut them into tiny cubes. To give each piece the traditional gnocchi look, the children used a special groove tool to press ridges into the dough—just like real Italian chefs!

As the kids wrapped up their part, Chef Michelle brought it all together, preparing a delicious, homemade sauce and then gently cooking the gnocchi down in it to perfection. The smells, the colors, and the transformation were nothing short of magical.

This experience gave our campers more than just a recipe—they learned patience, teamwork, fine motor skills, and the pride of creating something from start to finish. And best of all? They had an absolute blast doing it.

Bravo, little chefs! Buon appetito! 🍝👩🏽‍🍳✨

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Today in Cooking Class with Chef Michelle
The children had a deliciously hands-on experience learning how to make empanadas—a popular pastry that originated in Spain and is now enjoyed throughout Latin America and beyond!

Empanadas are tasty turnovers made with dough and filled with a variety of ingredients. During today’s class, Chef Michelle guided the children through the entire process—from mixing the dough to shaping and filling their own empanadas.

Using a food processor, they combined flour, water, egg, and butter to create the dough. Once ready, they used round cookie cutters to form perfect circles. These were later folded in half to create the traditional moon-shaped empanada wrap.

One of the most exciting parts of the lesson was that each child got to choose their own unique filling combination. Ingredients available included:
• Cheddar cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Ham
• Bacon
• Pizza sauce
• Cream cheese

Some children kept it simple with just pizza sauce, while others mixed and matched ingredients like mozzarella and bacon or cheddar with ham—it was all up to them!

Each child crafted two empanadas—one to enjoy as a warm snack and one to take home and share.

It was a flavorful and creative class, and we can’t wait to see what we’ll be making with Chef Michelle next week!
#CookingWithKids
#MiniChefs
#Empanadas
#KidsInTheKitchen
#PreschoolCooking
#LearningThroughCooking
#FoodExploration
#HandsOnLearning
#CookingClassJoy
#EarlyChildhoodEducation
#CreativeKids
#TastyTuesday
#CulturalCooking
#LittleLearnersBigFun

Which empanada filling would you choose?

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Our first day of cooking class at camp was a huge success—and what a delicious start it was! The children had an unforgettable experience with the ever-talented Chef Michelle, who introduced them to the exciting world of breakfast-making. On the menu: fluffy scrambled eggs, golden potato hash, crispy bacon, and rich, buttery brioche French toast!

Before diving into the cooking, Chef Michelle walked the children through essential kitchen rules and safety tips. With clear guidance and child-friendly demonstrations, she showed them how to properly hold and use a knife—focusing on safe slicing techniques. They practiced cutting potatoes and onions, and quickly discovered that onions release a special gas that can make your eyes water (a memorable moment for many!).

The children also learned how to whisk eggs and found out that the more you whisk, the fluffier the eggs become. With encouragement and support, each child had the opportunity to crack, whisk, and scramble their own eggs, dip and toast their own slice of brioche, and chop veggies like seasoned little sous chefs. They worked together to prep potatoes, onions, and peppers for the hash—and yes, they were very proud!

This hands-on experience blended learning with fun and gave the children a true taste of teamwork, independence, and creativity in the kitchen. Take a peek at this wonderful clip of our budding chefs in action—and stay tuned to see what’s cooking next week!

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¡Spring Additions!

Crispy Pork Belly, Spring Onion Crema, Sweet Pea

Burrata, Baby Artichokes, Yuzu Vinaigrette
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#spring #springadditions #michelin #michelinguide #gramercypark #newyorkcity #springseason

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