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Local 9-year-old cook uses wisdom in kitchen

Budding chef LaRashia Edwards of Dayton appreciates gardening and uses healthy ingredients.

LaRashia Edwards is a 9-year-old cook. She learned to enjoy cooking after being taught by her mother, but she likes to change up recipes. She also focuses on healthy recipes and organic ingredients. Contributed photo

Submitted LaRashia Edwards is a 9-year-old cook. She learned to enjoy cooking after being taught by her mother, but she likes to change up recipes. She also focuses on healthy recipes and organic ingredients. Contributed photo

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By Kim Margolis, Staff Writer 4:17 PM Thursday, August 20, 2009

It makes sense that LaRashia Edwards would have an affinity for food.

Her mother, Culpatrice Foster, was raised in a Dayton household where her mother and father used gardening to keep the family of three children strong and connected.

Foster said having her mother introduce her to such things helped her, so she’s passing that on.

At age 9, LaRashia is a budding chef.

When she was 3, LaRashia used to help her mom crack eggs, put bacon on the platter, mix ingredients and pour drinks.

“She liked to help me in the kitchen,” she said. “She took a liking to it.”

So she went on to teach her a bit more over the years. And a chef was born.

“I’m just thankful God gave me a mother,” LaRashia said simply.

LaRashia has been a contestant in a national youth cooking contest, has given a cooking demonstration to kids at Second Street Public Market and hopes to design her own aprons and have a cable-access cooking show.

LaRashia entered The Next Great Chef Contest baking a brownie recipe she created from scratch. It went through five different lists of ingredients and adjustments before it was just perfect.

“I just make my own,” she said. “I don’t get there with a recipe.”

Another hallmark of LaRashia’s cooking is health. She uses Florida crystals instead of refined white sugar. She cooks with organic brown eggs and unsalted butter.

“I want my food to be healthy,” LaRashia said. “I don’t want them to say there is too much fat or too much carbs.”

She’s serious and careful. While making pizza, she put on gloves.

“If you don’t cook with gloves on, you’re touching someone else’s food,” she said.

She spooned tomato sauce onto dough, asked her guest if a pepperoni or plain pizza was requested. She also offered extra pepperoni.

She went back and forth, checking on her dish. And because she’s only 9, mom still helps her with the stove.

After a delicious pizza is eaten, “Then you clean up your mess,” she said.

LaRashia watches all the cooking shows from Rachael Ray to Ming Tsai. She doesn’t get so much from the celebrity cooks as far as technique, but she likes learning about new ingredients. Recently, she learned about cognac and fennel.

Cognac and fennel will have to wait. She plans to get some simpler ingredients soon when she plants a garden, just like her mother did when she was a child.

“I think that the gardens are fun,” she said.

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