Apex- The peak of good cooking

Meenakshi Sathish
Staff Writer

      Apex High School is a blend of arts. There are visual artists, the musically talented, the vocally impressive, and so on. What most people forget is that the culinary arts are also included among the art forms. The use of sauces add an array of appealing colors to the blank canvas of a plate. It is a masterpiece, and the cook is the master. But with art comes practice. The state has installed an Honors Culinary class to Apex High School. Students who want more of a challenge than the current culinary classes offer can sign up for a more in-depth curriculum, which will prepare students for the competitive culinary field. With the class, chefs-in-the-making are trained with more projects and independent work. They will visit food industries to observe first-hand and get an idea of how today’s food industries operate. Students will also have a co-operative job in place of their fourth period .The class’s focus will be training students to become hardworking, strong, and confident leaders. These are traits that are required in a busy kitchen environment where chefs are not only cooking but are also running a business.
      Culinary is a very competitive field; hence the classes are held with the same rigorous speed. Ms. Erica Hoskins refers to the popular show Iron Chef and says how there are ongoing competitions in class. Also, the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a club where students put their best food forward and compete in skill competitions that promote Family and Consumer Science. 
      Aside from the expectations, the Honors Culinary class shows students how fun the culinary field can be. As students become familiar with the busy environment, Hoskins says they, “learn to hustle” and end up coming together as a “tight-knit family” with their classmates.  As Hoskins talked about the class, shouting can be heard between students and see students approaching Hoskins with questions. “A lot of shouting happening,” Hoskins says as the uproar in the back of the room continues, which brings up the point of communication. Honors Culinary, or any culinary class of that matter, prepares students to develop proper life skills like communication, working within a group, etc. Even if students do not plan to become chefs in the future, they are introduced to experiences that will help them be successful in everyday life. 
      Hoskins states, “Every single person can cook”, in response to the question whether being able to cook is a learned or inherent talent. Culinary students live by the Julia Child quote that is imprinted on their shirts, “No one is born a great cook; one learns by doing.” Any Apex High student, who has any interest in culinary arts, is encouraged to join the Honors Culinary class. One never knows what they might learn about themselves.”