COMPREHENSIVE AND POPULAR CULINARY ARTS IN HIGH SCHOOL
What's New, Nov/Dec 2002 by Scott, Janet
About three years ago, Josh's mother came to the classroom to say that she wasn't sure she wanted her son enrolled in the Introduction to Foods class. She and her husband wanted Josh to take classes that they felt would prepare him for college and they were concerned that the foods class might be a waste of his time. When she met with the Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, Josh's mother quickly learned that these classes not only prepare students for careers in culinary arts, but can also provide important work and life skills.
Juniors and seniors at the Meade County High School in Brandenburg, KY, take three classes that provide a variety of work skills: Introduction to Foods, Culinary Skills and Special Services, and Hospitality.
In the Introduction to Foods class, students learn about the foods they need to eat to stay healthy and how to shop for them, The class also covers food safety - storage and sanitation. In this entry-level class, students are divided into four "families" of six students each. The students start out baking basic biscuits.
Two students from each group bake in the classroom's four kitchens while the other groups do book work. When the biscuits are ready, all the students sit together as a "family" and enjoy the food. After they have made the basic biscuits, students go on to make pizza sticks and cinnamon rolls.
The students also learn to make cookies, yeast breads, fruit cobblers and pies and steamed and baked vegetables. When making vegetables, the different groups choose different colors of vegetables. Then at the end of the class, they all gather around and the different groups sample each other's vegetables.
After each class completes the Introduction to Foods class, they are ready to tackle more advanced recipes and cooking techniques. This is taught in the intermediate class, called Culinary Skills. The students have ten service hours every week. During the service hours, they prepare meals for guests, teacher meetings and other events. Students work on more complicated projects, such as fancy breads and pretzels. In these classes, the students have to work together as a family to decide on menus and get the kitchens cleaned up.
Once students have completed the Culinary Skills class, they are ready to move on to the Special Services and Hospitality course. In this class, students actually operate a small model restaurant. They prepare and serve lunch to the teachers every Wednesday in February and May. Students try out some different dishes, like egg drop soup, sweet and sour chicken and cheesecake. Teachers appreciate being treated special and tip well.
A number of students have been inspired by the school's course offerings to go on to study at culinary colleges. One of them is Josh, whose parents voiced their concerns at the beginning. Josh went on to compete in a culinary competition, where he won at the state level. Josh now works as a professional chef and competes internationally in culinary competitions.
CULINARY & HOSPITALITY PROGRAMS
THE ART INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK CITY
75 Varick St.
New York, NY 10013
800/654-2433
THE ART INSTITUTE OF PHOENIX
2233 W. Dunlap Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85021
800/474-2479
BALTIMORE INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
17 Commerce St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
800/624-9926
BETHUNE COOKMAN COLLEGE
640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
386/255-1401
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AH & LA
2113 N. High St.
Lansing, MI 48906
800/349-0299, ext. 507
HENNEPIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE
9000 Brooklyn Blvd.
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
800/345-4655
INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
101 Wykeham Rd.
Washington, CT 06793
800/955-0809
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
NAU Box 5638
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
923/523-9050
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
1801 E. Fourth St.
Okmuigee, OK 74447
800/722-4471
PAUL SMITH'S COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCE
Routes 86 & 30
Paul Smiths, NY 12970
800/421-2605
THE RESTAURANT SCHOOL AT WALNUT HILL COLLEGE
4207 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215/222-4200
SULLIVAN UNIVERSITY
3101 Bardstown Rd.
Louisville, KY 40205
502/456-0020
Janet Scott has been Family and Consumer Sciences teacher for 34 years and was name the 2001 Kentucky Teacher of the Year for Family and Consumer Sciences. She teaches in the Meade County School District in Brandenburg, Kentucky.
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