Inspired by his own fictional protagonist, Neil Flambé – a child chef who solves mysteries – author, illustrator and broadcaster Kevin Sylvester is bringing a workshop for kids to Maple Valley in February.
On Sunday, February 16, Sylvester will work with kids ages 7 to 13 to create stories and drawings at Mad Maple Inn, with food provided by owners Miriam Streimen and Neil Epstein.
“Food is central to [Sylvester’s] writing,” said Streimen. “And Mad Maple is not just a boutique inn and a food studio, but also a hub for community arts and culture for people of all ages.”
According to Sylvester, kids love writing, drawing and cooking because all three are rooted in creativity.
“Authors and chefs are kind of similar,” he said. “You have the exact same ingredients as anybody else, but what makes you be a writer or a cook is how differently and critically you combine them.”
Children will play games based on words and participate in a “lightning” story session. Then they will eat (freshly and locally, of course) before moving on to the drawing portion of the day.
The activities will be food-themed, explained Sylvester, who aims to encourage kids to think more critically about food.
The main character of his four award-winning children’s books, Neil Flambé, is a 14-year-old chef who thinks he can cook anything better than anyone else. Using his knowledge of cooking – especially his incredible sense of smell – Neil starts helping the local Police Inspector solve crimes.
In his own house, Sylvester said he is the cook in the family. And yes, he does enjoy a good flambé: steak Diane, fig and brandy liqueur or even a traditional plum pudding.
But don’t worry, parents. When he comes to Mad Maple on February 16, Sylvester says he’ll leave the matches behind.