Cooking Class at Preds Development Camp Just One Element of Well-Rounded Hockey Players

Following a successful day of positively impacting the community, the Preds’ prospects took to the kitchen to learn some valuable life skills.

Nutrition is a major factor in on-ice performance. For prospects who will do whatever it takes to be the best, all the attention was on the chefs at Rose & Plum Living as they shared their expertise in cooking.

Taught by Chef David Guttierez, Preds prospects enjoyed Mediterranean chicken bowls and steak bowls at the end of their lesson, a worthy reward to finish the day.

The valuable experience was shared amongst all prospects, but especially those who were learning these techniques for the first time.

Forward Miguel Marques, a 2024 Preds draft pick who is scheduled to play at the University of Maine this fall, expressed how valuable the class was for him.

“It’s the first time I've ever been a part of something like that,” Marques said. “My dad cooks my meals. He's pretty good at that, so I trust him. But going off to school next year, I'm going to have to learn to cook on my own. So, just taking pieces from what the chefs had to say.”

This experience, while new to some, is still important to those who already possess some of the skills learned. The prospects who have already experienced a Development Camp in the past are not at a loss for how important the class is.

Goaltender T.J. Semptimphelter accredited the skills taught at Development Camp - both on and off the ice - as a leading factor of what sets the prospects apart from one another.

“Everybody's very, very talented, right?” Semptimphelter, who inked a contract with the Milwaukee Admirals on Wednesday, said. “As you move up the pyramid, it's the little things that separate guys. Nutrition, sleep, off-ice habits, discipline in the gym, those things are where you really get an edge over competitors, over opponents, over other organizations.”

For prospects like Semptimphelter, who serves as a mentor to prospects experiencing Development Camp for the first time, expressed how learning how to take care of your body is especially important for the younger players.

“It was great for the young guys and everybody there just to see easy recipes that you can make,” Semptimphelter said as he recounted the night. “They're super convenient, with different ingredients that you can find anywhere you are.”

It wouldn’t be Development Camp without some friendly competition. Aside from learning important eating habits and cooking techniques, the prospects faced-off not just on the ice but in the kitchen as well.

With the tasks of frying an egg, dicing an onion, julienning a carrot and plating a picture-perfect meal, prospects were split into teams and set off to compete.

Semptimphelter, who shared that he learned basic cooking skills when he was 14 and in boarding school was excited to be named champion for best julienne carrot.

“It was great to win the best carrot cutter,” Semptimphelter smiled while remembering his win the previous night. “I wear that badge with pride. I guess it was thinly cut, kind of rectangular. I’m just trying to learn a thing or two and then implement it.”

Erik Pahlsson took home best diced onion, and Brady Martin came out on top with the best fried egg. Viggo Gustafsson perfected his presentation skills and created a plate anyone would eat, winning best plating skills.

While some competition is always good fun, Semptimphelter shared that these classes hold a deeper meaning for him after attending last year’s Development Camp where he received a medal with the letters MTMOED.

“Make the most of each day,” Semptimphelter shared. “That's really stuck with me throughout kind of the past couple years. You have such limited time to play this sport. You never want to look back and regret anything. So just take it one at a time and put your heart into it.”