San Pedro resident Shelley Arceo Huber has launched a free, hands-on cooking program for island youth. The two-day registration period was held on January 26th and 27th at El Torito Restaurant. The program targets students aged 13 to 17, with plans to introduce sessions for children ages 10 to 12. Organized under Mama Vilma’s Family Home NGO, the 12-week course will begin on February 9, 2026, and be held at Huber’s The Barge Hut Restaurant location.
Classes will run three days a week, with one group meeting on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and a second group on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Sessions will last two hours. Enrollment has already reached its limit, with 25 participants divided into two groups. Students are required to bring their own basic tools, including aprons and chef hats.
Shelley, a self-taught chef with over 50 years of experience, closed her restaurant in July 2025, citing rising food costs and inconsistent revenue. She said increased demand for private chef services and resort-based cooking classes prompted her to pivot toward teaching. After discussions with community members over the Christmas period, she decided to convert her two-kitchen facility into a youth training space.
She stated that the program focuses on discipline and practical kitchen skills, with no compensation for participants. “It’s beautiful and sad to see the level of need,” Huber said, noting strong interest from both parents and children. She added that some children as young as ten expressed a desire to participate, prompting plans for a separate baking program designed for younger students that will not involve knives or stoves.
Huber said she opened San Pedro’s first no-reservation restaurant and bar in 1979 and has catered major events, weddings, and film productions. As president of Mama Vilma’s Family Home, named in honor of her adoptive mother, this marks her first free youth-focused initiative.
At the end of the course, participants will take part in a ticketed showcase event, with proceeds going toward food costs and allowing students to experience the business side of culinary work. Donations to support the program can be made by calling 671-3533.
Huber encouraged community members to support youth development efforts, urging those with trade skills to mentor young people on the island.
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