Madera High students learn skills for life, business in CTE Culinary Arts courses

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- The sweet smell of freshly baked snickerdoodles filled the air inside the Culinary Arts class at Madera High.

The sugary snacks were being scooped, tossed and baked to perfection by students.

Across the room, Itzel Rodriguez was adding fresh fruit to the strawberry cake cups before carefully topping them with buttercream.

"This is something I want to do every single day," Itzel said.

This is her third year in the class.

The skills she's built in that time have helped prepare her to create and sell her own desserts.

"I kind of implemented the skills I got in this class into the small business I have," Itzel said.

Career Technical Education Teacher and Chef Martin Sanchez says the course is meant to build confidence and skills.

"Regardless of if you guys want to be a chef -- or if they want to be a chef -- they're always going to cook. Everybody cooks," Sanchez said.

The beginner's class teaches basic safety and knife skills.

Intermediate works on plating food, advertising and marketing.

The advanced class learns about the commercial food industry.

Students also practice running their own business on campus.

"Overall, it's just fun," Sanchez said.

Each student receives their food handlers certification and the advanced class must pass the ServSafe manager course.

Most importantly, they're working as a team and learning skills they'll need in the food industry.

"You have to communicate. Vendors, customers, customer service, suppliers, you're going to use those soft skills," Sanchez said.

Students cater events.

That includes appetizers, dinners and dessert.

They also test their skills in competition.

Itzel recently took home third place in a cake decorating contest.

She says everything she's learned has solidified what she wants for her future.

"I just know that I'm going to be in the food industry," Itzel said.

Sanchez says he wants every student to walk away with skills they can use for life.

"I hope they take that safety home. They're able to cook for themselves, they don't have to go out to eat, they can make it home, they can make it for the parents, family, whoever it may be," Sanchez said.

For their final, students will be tested on mass production.

They'll have to make 80 cookies and they'll be judged on ordering the correct amount of ingredients and cookie uniformity.

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