BEEVILLE, Texas — The Beeville Independent School District offers a dozen career and technical-based education programs for students at A.C. Jones High School. One of those programs is the culinary arts program.
In the culinary arts program, students get hands-on experience working in the kitchen, learning how to make food, and they also learn other aspects of the food service industry.
“I’ve always loved cooking and baking, and here we cook a lot,” said Mikenna Willow, a senior in the culinary arts program. “But it’s not only cooking, we do learn aspects of managing food services and how to be successful in the food industry.”
The students can take the skills they learn in class, and bring it to everyday life.
“My grandma loves to bake, and I like to help her out,” said senior Carrah Davis. “I need to know what I’m doing to help her out.”
“I enjoy cooking at home with my friends and family, and I’ve learned a lot,” Willow said.
In the last few weeks, the culinary arts program has catered food for two local events: the Women of Distinction and Beeville Sports Hall Of Fame.
“It was pretty fun, it was good to see that they enjoyed our food,” said sophomore Gabriella Estrada.
The program allows the students to get certifications while in school, so they have the option to enter the industry when they graduate.
“I cook a lot at home for my family, because I want to be a chef one day,” said junior Dasani Alvarado. “When I finish high school, I want to go to college for it, and hopefully one day I can open my own restaurant.”
Not only does the program set the students up to succeed, it has inspired some to pursue a career in the culinary field.
“I want to go to culinary school, probably go to college first, for my bachelor’s, then go to culinary school,” Estrada said. “I think when I first came here, that’s when I changed my mind, that’s when I wanted to do it.”
The culinary program will be catering the BISD Veterans Day breakfast in November, hosted at A.C. Jones High School.
