This chef won Chopped. Now he is in Richmond teaching the next generation.

RICHMOND, Va. -- The first class of the RVA C.O.O.K.S. program celebrated its graduation Tuesday afternoon. Designed to teach Richmond teens culinary and interpersonal skills, students and chefs called the inaugural program a success.

“I was not expecting like getting into the kitchen and having a better experience into cooking,” student Jaleel Bradshaw said. “[I enjoyed] the experience of me cooking and understanding how the kitchen works.”

C.O.O.K.S. stands for Culinary Occupation and Other Keystone Skills and was created by the Richmond Police Department (RPD). Students take the free classes over eight weeks.

RPD said the program is “focused on addressing the root causes of youth violence and is intended to spark culinary interest, creativity, and principles that lead to success beyond the kitchen for Richmond’s at-risk youth.”

“If one of us don’t do it right, it’s all messed up. So, we got to do teamwork,” student Devonti Pettaway said. “I feel like I need that in life. You need teamwork and communication skills in life to make it through.”

The graduation ceremony Tuesday was attended by parents, program leaders, RPD Chief Gerald Smith, and City Council President Cynthia Newbille.

Celebrity chef Sammy Davis Jr., who won the Food Network show “Chopped: Redemption,” led the class.

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Davis Jr. experienced a tough upbringing in both Richmond and Atlanta, an experience he said helped him connect with the students.

“This has been the most surprising cooking class with kids I’ve ever done in my life,” he told the crowd. “[RPD officials] said it was going to be with some real rough kids, and I said okay we can handle that. But we haven’t found the rough kids yet.”

While handing each student their graduation certificate, the connection between Davis Jr., the other program leaders, and the students was clear through their emotional responses. A reason, they said, the first cohort of the program was successful.

“Somebody asked me how do we get these kids to behave the way they behave, and I think it's because we meet them right where they’re at. I don’t demand they be as successful as I am. We just ask for respect, and these kids have given nothing but respect,” Davis Jr. said.

The next cohort of RVA C.O.O.K.S. began classes Tuesday afternoon, and RPD leadership said they hope to continue the program.

For more information on RVA C.O.O.K.S call RPD’s Community Youth and Intervention 804-625-0461 and speak to program manager Dee Anderson at dargenaba.anderson@rva.gov.