In the Culinary Arts 2 class, I asked Peyton why she took this course. She really likes to cook and enjoys learning different cooking techniques, like sautéing or braising. Previously, she mostly baked and loved that, but now finds cooking to be more interesting and challenging. Using different knives for different cuts was a whole new concept for her.

A “Chef knife” is an all-purpose knife used for slicing, chopping, mincing and crushing. “Paring knives” are used primarily for fruits and vegetables. To hold meat steady while cutting, especially large cuts of meat, a chef may use a “meat hook knife.” To remove scales, bone and skin from fish, a “filet knife” would be the appropriate tool. There is even an “adaptive knife” for those who may have difficulty holding a standard knife.

Shaelyn admits that, until this class, her cooking was “pretty bad.” Her best friend is in the class, which makes it even more fun. Chef Zach introduced a lot of new ideas and tools, and she thinks that she may consider a career in culinary arts. Kinsey signed up for the class mainly because she likes to eat, and she is enjoying the process of making things. Kai’s reasons were a little different initially. A boy she liked signed up for Culinary Arts 1 class and, after that, she was hooked on the course.

Starla puts together her own cookbooks at home with recipes she has tried and liked. She is making a cookbook of all the recipes they have made in this class. When I asked her what her fave recipes are, she had a list. She likes shrimp and grits, gnocchi, truffle mac and cheese, stir fry (with homemade teriyaki sauce) and ribs. A different recipe was escabeche. It is a dish of marinated meat, fish or vegetables that is cooked or pickled in an acidic sauce. (The word escabeche originated in Spain, and the dish is common in many cuisines, including Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Filipino and Latin American). This class made escabeche from vegetables (see photo).

Shaqueal (Shaq) absolutely loves cooking. His mom went to a college for culinary arts and her creativity has been passed down to him. He is intrigued about creating his own recipes and his all-time favorite in this class was the chicken alfredo. He is planning to take Culinary Arts 3 next year. When I asked him what he would like to do in life, he immediately answered that he wants to become a professional soccer player. When I asked Dayton what he liked about the class he promptly replied “cupcakes”! (He was waiting for them to come out of the oven.)

Scarlett seems to be very career-oriented. She has always loved to cook and has been doing so more and more. She works now as a waitress, which is an excellent starting place for anyone wanting to understand the dynamics of how a restaurant functions. She plans to earn a four-year business degree, including entrepreneurship courses—the process of starting, managing, and growing a business, often involving innovation, risk-taking and the ability to solve problems. Afterward, ideally, she’d like to (someday) have her own restaurant.

The students obviously admire Chef Zach and enjoy learning from him. He trained at the Lonesome Dove under Chef Jason Scott. Chef Jason really pushed Chef Zach to get better and better. “I was a decent cook before I met him, but I owe most of what I can do and teach to him. He was to me what I want to be for the kids.”

In this class, there are dishes to be washed, tables to clean and kitchen laundry to be done. This is the sole responsibility of these students. When I entered the class, I thought “pandemonium.” But when I left the class, I thought “Impressive.” The students? Impressive. The facilities? Small, a little crowded, but impressive. The instructor? Impressive. Congratulations, Union County High School and Chef Zach. And thank you, Mayor Bailey.