Passing Down Pasta: Inspiring a Love of Food in the Next Generation

There’s something powerful about cooking alongside your kids — not just teaching them a recipe, but passing down curiosity, confidence, and a love for gathering around the table. That’s exactly what we experienced at Aunt Jake’s, and it became much more than a pasta class in New York City.

From the start, Carmine brought an infectious energy to the room. Great personality, natural teacher, and someone who genuinely loves the craft. When he saw our 13-year-old leaning in, he pulled him right next to him and kept him there the entire time (see center photo above). He didn’t just demonstrate; he coached. Step by step, Carmine explained the why behind the technique. He corrected gently. He encouraged constantly.

That’s mentorship.

As parents and as professionals in the foodservice world, we know that exposure matters. When a young person is invited into the process — not just to watch, but to participate — something shifts. Confidence grows. Curiosity deepens. A spark is lit.

And that spark can lead anywhere.

For some, it leads to culinary school. For others, it might evolve into pastry training in France, restaurant ownership, food media, operations, or hospitality leadership. And for many — the path we see every day — it leads behind the scenes: into kitchen design, foodservice consulting, equipment innovation, and the creation of spaces that make experiences like this possible.

At elite|studio e, we talk a lot about concept to completion. But at its core, what we really do is design environments that foster connection, education, and craft. Teaching kitchens. Collaboration hubs. Interactive culinary spaces. The kinds of places where the next generation can step up to the counter and be taken seriously.

Sitting down to dinner afterward — fresh pasta, simply sauced, reminiscent of Rome — I kept thinking about how the experience started. One chef taking time to teach a teenager. That simple act represents the future of our industry.

Because inspiring a love of food isn’t just about what’s on the plate. It’s about the doors it opens to careers, to creativity, to community. And when we design spaces that encourage that mentorship and hands-on learning, we’re not just building kitchens. We’re helping build what comes next.

Check out this Instagram reel by @twoforksnewyork to get a glimpse of the experience.