Welcome to our blog!

Hi Readers!

Welcome to the very first Teen Iron Chef (TIC) blog! We are a group of teens from all around NYC who come from very different backgrounds, but come together by our love of cooking and healthy living! We are all participants in Teen Iron Chef programs at our high schools -- most of which are in HealthCorps schools. We were selected for a summer internship program where we are paid to conduct cooking classes and demos or otherwise cook with farm-fresh food at: Youthmarkets; summer camps for youngsters, gardens or CSAs, or restaurants. Through the skills we have acquired from TIC and our internships this summer, we hope to share the knowledge we gain with our friends, family, and YOU! We hope to use this blog as a space to share our experiences, fun facts about healthy living and eating, great recipes we've learned, get the word about how to make change for those around you!

We want to thank our program sponsors, Family Cook Production, HealthCorps, and Circulon. We really want to thank our summer partners who are employing us this summer!

My name is Henfry Alvarez. I’m 17 and go to George Washington High School. I am learning new things about health and meeting tons of new people through my TIC summer internship, and I want to learn everything I can about how to run a restaurant so I can fulfill this as my dream in the future (and make it the best in the world!)

Hey! I’m Jessica Gubankova. I’m a rising junior at Riverdale Kinsbridge Academy 141 in the Bronx. I love to sing—I taught myself the piano not too long ago, I dance, and I love to cook! I try to explore as many foods as I canand my favorite things to cook are: chicken, pasta, veggies, and other foods.

My name is Ayerine Corona. I’m 16 and a rising senior at University Heights High School in the Bronx. This summer I am interning at Murray Hill Youth Market in Manhattan, helping this community and others to bring locally grown produce into their reach. My goal is to spread awareness of healthy eating habits by providing fresh fruits and vegetables as well as cooking demonstrations.

Hey I'm Janeil, and I am a sophomore at Abraham Lincoln High School. WIth TIC I am able to spread the word about health. This is an amazing opportunity that I'm so excited about. I get to teach kids at local summer camps about healthy eating. GO TIC!

Hi, my name is Daniel Vladimirsky. I’m 16 and going to be a junior at the Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy in the Bronx. I come from a cooking background and I am eager to raise awareness about eating habits and how to make my community healthier.

Hi, I am Kristie Polanco! I have always had an interest in food but only learned to cook when I joined Teen Iron Chef. I am now proud to be a TIC and am learning more than I could have imagined. I love working with food!

Hi! Im Sira Faizi. I’m 16 years old and I go to New Utrecht High School. My favorite hobbies are writing, poetry and dancing. I got involved in Teen Iron Chef internship program because I’ve been cooking since I was young and I like to bring new recipes to the table!

How do you do? My name is Eddy Diamantis. I am 16, live in the Bronx, and will be a junior at Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy. I have an interest in writing, cooking, debating and the arts. I like to cook because it provides me a chance to experience and explore new foods.

Hello, my name is Fatimah. My summer internship is teaching young kids how to cook and raising awareness about healthy snacks. I am showing young kids the importance of working in the kitchen. Come join my journey, wear comfortable sneakers, it’s going to get interesting.

Hey I'm Molly and I just finished my freshman year at MCSM. I love trying new things and meeting new people. Some say I'm a bit loud and crazy but hey, you can't change me! I love to eat, but who doesn't? Harry Potter is awesome. Oh and I almost forgot to mention, I'm a great cook!