Olivia Campbell, a 17-year-old senior at London High School in London, Ohio was recently named the Best Teen Chef 2009 at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Cincinnati – Ohio. Olivia has been cooking with her mother and grandmother since she was nine or ten, but began getting serious about honing her culinary skills when she was about 15. Olivia began experimenting with all kinds of cuisine, with a particular interest in combining ingredients that seemingly do not fit well together. “I’ve always had a passion for making the eating process fun and delicious,” she says.
When she’s not in the kitchen dreaming up new dishes to delight her family and friends, Olivia stays busy at school as Senior Class president, a cast member of her school play, an active member of BOLD (Building Our Lives Drug Free) and with several art classes. She also has a part-time job babysitting and volunteers at her school and with hospice. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies, running, shopping and playing with her dog, Wednesday.
After she earns her culinary degree, Olivia says she hopes to open her own restaurant or bakery, but she’s open to other possibilities as well: “I don’t think I’d complain about having a cooking show!”
Choosing her favorite dish would be impossible, she says, because she likes trying new foods every chance she gets: “I cook anything and everything – at least once, anyway!”