Students in the culinary program, especially those in the advanced courses, are getting real-world experience, said Matthew Denman, Walnut Grove High School’s culinary arts teacher. Along with experience cooking dishes, they also learn how to prep the kitchen and perform closing duties.
Prosper ISD has three culinary programs for students at each of its high schools. Students in the program earn ServSafe Managers certification, which is required to run restaurants.
“When they step into a kitchen, they are not something who needs to be trained,” Denman said. “They’re not a liability, they’re an asset.”
What’s on the menu?
Walnut Grove’s Hardy’s Cafe has a set menu, Denman said, but will feature rotating specials to ensure the students get experience with different types of food and dishes.
A popular menu item is the smoked brisket burger, which features a brisket and chuck burger patty with bacon, apricot jam, havarti cheese and chipotle aioli.
At Rock Hill High School’s Hilltop Cafe, culinary teacher Sherry Grissom said the menu at the Hilltop Cafe changes every couple of weeks, but the restaurant’s first menu consists of baked potatoes in several different flavor options. Each potato is served with a choice of a cookie or or watermelon slices.
Prosper High School does not have a cafe like the other high schools, however, students in the culinary program still have the opportunity to provide food to the community and their teachers.
Culinary arts teacher Lindsay Swanson said students offer teacher lunch days every Tuesday and Friday. Every week, a different student plans the teacher lunch that will be offered, including how much the meal will cost. The students in the program also cater for community events as well. Swanson said anyone looking to cater an event can email her for prices.
What they’re saying
Rock Hill High School senior Katie Terry said she plans to take what she has learned from the class to pursue a career as a pastry chef.
Katie said she picked up her passion for baking from her mother, adding that it gives her joy when she bakes something she can share with a friend or family member.
Walnut Grove senior Reid Fisher, who is also captain of the school’s barbecue team, said he enjoys working at Hardy’s because it gives him the experience he needs should he choose to continue “going down the culinary path.”
Reid said he appreciates the skills he has learned and would encourage students, especially incoming freshmen to consider the culinary program, calling his time in the program a life-enhancing experience.
“It’s cool that we have the opportunity to have this in high school,” Reid said. “I know a lot of districts don’t.”
