In the culinary arts classes, students learn how to create new foods and learn new techniques for preparing the foods they love.   

“I’m mostly working on frying foods, mostly because I can barely tell when it’s done and I need to work on that,” Culinary Student Kyla Dent said.

Students are constantly learning new things.

“Sauteing. Sauteing is something I never learned how to do before this class,” Dent said.

Culinary arts teacher Melia Curry teaches her students multiple aspects of the food industry.

“When it comes to my level one students, we learn workplace safety, first aid, CPR, food safety, sanitation, kitchen essentials, different cooking methods and techniques.” Curry said. “Then we learn about the different cooking methods and techniques.”

After learning the basics, students learn to prepare stock sauces and soups.  In level one students only get an introduction to baking.

At the end of the first year, students also learn about the business side of culinary arts specifically communication and customer service. In addition students focus on resumes and interviewing skills.

“Level two is pretty much a continuation of level one.” Curry said. “We talked about breakfast foods briefly in level one, but in level two we go more into depth.”

Culinary students and teachers have goals for their classes.

“They all have that challenge on wanting to learn how to cook” Ms. Curry said.

“For me, the main goal is to get them comfortable and hopefully find them a career choice in our umbrella,” Curry said.

Several of the culinary students have pursued cooking after high school and one current student is working as an intern.

Curry has a love of cooking herself and sees her current position as a way to continue that passion and earn a living.

“I feel as though I’m successful. I am doing something that I like. I can’t explain how I got here, or why I’m here. But definitely I am glad that I am.