A warm, spicy scent wafted from the new stateof- the-art culinary kitchen at Edna High School, the scent of blackened fish tacos accented with guacamole cream sauce made for the benefactors of the facility by the culinary level three class last week.
Bill and Loma Hobson visited the class to take a tour of the sparkling new digs, and taste-tested what the chefs made for them. The result was a thumbsup.
“This is the best breakfast I’ve ever had,” said Loma with a smile. The visit occurred in the morning.
Culinary Arts teacher Jennifer Burns (no pun intended), has been teaching the subject for 15 years, and has experienced the kitchen in all of its forms, from the current most glorious state, to its more not-so fabulous beginnings.
When Burns began she said the old kitchen was very large, and every student took care of their own station.
“After it was bulldozed, I had a portable with a little demonstration table, and then a classroom with one stove and one sink,” she recalled. “The following year they got me another sink, so I had two sinks, four stoves and four refrigerators. Now with this new kitchen, we can actually do stuff.”
Although the new kitchen took a year to build, Burns said it’s now paying off because last year her culinary level one and two classes took advantage by getting their certifications needed to get into the kitchen.
“I enjoy hands-on learning and have been cooking all my life,” Burns said. “I get excited for the kids to be in the kitchen, because they’re super proud of what they make. My culinary one students recently made snickerdoodle cookies and they were over the moon. My culinary two students ate some pig’s ears and feet I cooked for them and they were so excited about them; it made me happy because they’re starting to think about an entire animal from tip to tail, and it’s something they didn’t care about before.”
Culinary level one is about working towards their American Meat Science and Food Safety certification, level two is working towards their meat certification, and level three allows the students to use their skills in the kitchen. Burns said later this year a culinary level four will be offered, and will center around the science of food, like baking, candy-making, and fermenting, just to name a few.
While some students are already using their skills working in restaurants, others are still finding their path. Take senior Dylan Ugalde and junior Chandler McVay, two who are taking different paths despite the class.
“It’s fun,” McVay said. “Honestly, with this pathway I’m thinking I could
see CULINARY ARTS on page A7
Top chefs join a culinary field in the military. I like to cook.”
Ugalde didn’t feel the same, but shared how much he likes cooking in the kitchen and trying what he makes. “I want to get my certification in HVAC, but I like to cook and go into the lab to try out new things.”
As Bill and Loma ate and spoke to the students, they shared why their extra resources should be shared. As for Bill, he grew up in Edna and keeps up with people here, due to the love he has for this town.
“If you have resources you don’t think you’re going to need, and you leave it in your will to give it to somebody, give it early; whether it’s to your siblings, or your aunts and uncles,” he said. “Before you die, put it somewhere where you can see what the money does. Once we heard that, we looked at each other and said, ‘that’s us.’ So we’ve been doing this for 10 to 12 years.
“And maybe 40 years from now,” Bill looked at the class, “maybe one of them will do the same thing.”
How EISD got there According to EISD, the idea to expand began as a conversation to address Career and Technical Education facilities, specifically with culinary arts and wood shop/construction in mind.
Bill Hobson wanted to take on the culinary side, while Preston Atkinson took on the wood shop.
Although the project’s goal was going to be both services in a new building, the cost came in over budget and the ideas had to change. EISD decided to add a large shop for bigger projects behind the existing wood shop, which Robert O’Connor states Atkinson was the main force in completing that goal. Meanwhile, the current culinary center was remodeled and renovated, with Hobson being the main benefactor.
The school board finished off the remaining budget for both projects in order to achieve their original plans. “Both are designed to have real world equipment and experiences that lead our students into CTE possible occupations or additional training interests post high school,” O’Connor said. “The kitchen is set up with commercial appliances and experiences to help put our students who are interested in this for an occupation on the right track with some real world experiences.”
Burns said in addition to high-end refrigerators and freezers, the culinary kitchen contains a three-compartment sink, dishwasher, pantry, steamers, fryers, slicers, coolers, stainless steel workplaces, and ovens with several ranges. It’s clear the kitchen rivals most restaurant’s capabilities in the area.
So there’s no telling what sort of sweet and savory aromas the culinary classes will concoct next, just waiting to take over another appetite.
