Published: Wednesday, March 9, 2011
LHS culinary students to cater foundation’s fundraiser
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Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW
Lynnwood High School junior Terran Madsen (from left) and senior Aaron Wong squeeze lemons as they make lemon bars while junior Keyana Fields cooks shrimp for a gumbo during their culinary class at Lynnwood High School.
BOTHELL — Lynnwood High School’s culinary arts students will hone their skills by taking on their largest catering project yet.
Students from the school’s top “Chefs” class are catering the Edmonds Public Schools Foundation’s spring event, “A Recipe for Success.” They will be assisted by their peers in the intermediate class as well.
The event serves as the foundation’s primary fundraiser for the year. Proceeds go toward students, teachers and classrooms in the Edmonds School District.
The community is invited to attend the lunch slated from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 18 at Lynnwood High School, 18218 North Road, Bothell. Tickets are $40, or $400 for a table.
This is the first year Lynnwood High School students were chosen to cater the foundation’s spring event.
Rhonda Hampson, family and consumer science instructor, said her students can be goofy in class, but in the kitchen, they shine.
“It’s a diverse group of students and when they do an event they make me so proud because they turn it on,” Hampson said.
“The cool thing about our chefs school is every type of kid is represented here,” she said. “Watching them all work together, that’s my favorite part.”
Catering events on school grounds however is nothing new. The students have prepared meals for dignitaries, school officials and their peers for sports banquets.
This will be the first time students are preparing a meal for 200 to 300 guests, though.
Angelique Ruiz, 17, said those past events have helped them prepare for the large-scale debut.
“We have a lot of people helping us,” Ruiz said. “It’s no big deal.”
Following a Northwest theme, the students’ menu features recipes from, but not limited to, Chef Greg Atkinson’s cookbook “Northwest Essentials.” They will be serving salad and salmon from Atkinson’s cookbook and apple crisp, from another cookbook.
Atkinson, a Seattle-area chef, will be on hand before the luncheon to help students put the finishing touches on their meal. He guided their menu choices after collaborating with Hampson and foundation members to prepare a healthy meal that could be served chilled.
Atkinson said he feels honored the students chose his recipes to influence their meal. A former instructor at the Seattle Culinary Academy, Atkinson is familiar with teaching young people the art of cooking.
“I think it’s so important for kids in high school to get exposure to cooking,” he said. “It really stays with kids at that age.”
Tyler Ogle, 17, admitted he was initially critical of the task but is becoming more comfortable.
“Being a perfectionist messes with the culinary aspect,” Ogle said.
But he hasn’t completely let go.
“I said I’d take charge of the salmon because I don’t want anyone to ruin it,” Ogle said.
Ogle has been enrolled in the “Chefs” classes for three years. He plans to serve in the Air Force and is considering culinary school afterward.
“The class has been a good way to knit with other people,” he said.
Ruiz agreed, pointing out the class gives students the chance to mix with people in different grade levels.
“I’d never cooked anything until this class,” she said. “It’s beneficial for life experience. I can make something besides ramen.”
Students from the school’s top “Chefs” class are catering the Edmonds Public Schools Foundation’s spring event, “A Recipe for Success.” They will be assisted by their peers in the intermediate class as well.
The event serves as the foundation’s primary fundraiser for the year. Proceeds go toward students, teachers and classrooms in the Edmonds School District.
The community is invited to attend the lunch slated from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 18 at Lynnwood High School, 18218 North Road, Bothell. Tickets are $40, or $400 for a table.
This is the first year Lynnwood High School students were chosen to cater the foundation’s spring event.
Rhonda Hampson, family and consumer science instructor, said her students can be goofy in class, but in the kitchen, they shine.
“It’s a diverse group of students and when they do an event they make me so proud because they turn it on,” Hampson said.
“The cool thing about our chefs school is every type of kid is represented here,” she said. “Watching them all work together, that’s my favorite part.”
Catering events on school grounds however is nothing new. The students have prepared meals for dignitaries, school officials and their peers for sports banquets.
This will be the first time students are preparing a meal for 200 to 300 guests, though.
Angelique Ruiz, 17, said those past events have helped them prepare for the large-scale debut.
“We have a lot of people helping us,” Ruiz said. “It’s no big deal.”
Following a Northwest theme, the students’ menu features recipes from, but not limited to, Chef Greg Atkinson’s cookbook “Northwest Essentials.” They will be serving salad and salmon from Atkinson’s cookbook and apple crisp, from another cookbook.
Atkinson, a Seattle-area chef, will be on hand before the luncheon to help students put the finishing touches on their meal. He guided their menu choices after collaborating with Hampson and foundation members to prepare a healthy meal that could be served chilled.
Atkinson said he feels honored the students chose his recipes to influence their meal. A former instructor at the Seattle Culinary Academy, Atkinson is familiar with teaching young people the art of cooking.
“I think it’s so important for kids in high school to get exposure to cooking,” he said. “It really stays with kids at that age.”
Tyler Ogle, 17, admitted he was initially critical of the task but is becoming more comfortable.
“Being a perfectionist messes with the culinary aspect,” Ogle said.
But he hasn’t completely let go.
“I said I’d take charge of the salmon because I don’t want anyone to ruin it,” Ogle said.
Ogle has been enrolled in the “Chefs” classes for three years. He plans to serve in the Air Force and is considering culinary school afterward.
“The class has been a good way to knit with other people,” he said.
Ruiz agreed, pointing out the class gives students the chance to mix with people in different grade levels.
“I’d never cooked anything until this class,” she said. “It’s beneficial for life experience. I can make something besides ramen.”