These delicious desserts are examples of food created by Croatan High School students for the grand opening of the school’s new culinary labs and kitchen, officially named the Cougar Café. The school held a grand opening to showcase the facilities March 8. (Cheryl Burke photo)
Visitors to the grand opening of the Cougar Café at Croatan High School help themselves to delectable foods created by the school’s culinary students. The Cougar Café is part of the new culinary kitchen and labs included in a $12.3 million classroom addition that opened at the school in August. (Cheryl Burke photo)
These delicious desserts are examples of food created by Croatan High School students for the grand opening of the school’s new culinary labs and kitchen, officially named the Cougar Café. The school held a grand opening to showcase the facilities March 8. (Cheryl Burke photo)
Visitors to the grand opening of the Cougar Café at Croatan High School help themselves to delectable foods created by the school’s culinary students. The Cougar Café is part of the new culinary kitchen and labs included in a $12.3 million classroom addition that opened at the school in August. (Cheryl Burke photo)
OCEAN — Parents and school officials were able to get their fill of top-notch cuisine March 8 during the grand opening of the Croatan High School (CHS) culinary lab, now named the Cougar Café.
The state-of-the-art culinary lab actually opened at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year, but more commercial kitchen equipment and sprucing up has occurred since the beginning of the year.
The kitchen and culinary lab are part of a $12.3 million classroom addition that opened at the school in August. The project was funded thanks to a $42 million school bond referendum that passed in November 2020.
It’s among several classroom additions and renovation projects taking place at county schools. A classroom addition and cafeteria expansion is currently underway at Broad Creek Middle School, and West Carteret High School will soon see the start of a classroom addition and renovations as well.
As for the CHS addition, it’s 23,000 square feet and contains 14 classrooms, including the culinary kitchen with labs, a chemistry classroom and lab, space for a special needs life skills space, traditional classrooms, storage areas and restrooms.
CHS culinary instructor and chef Kevin Reese said the new facilities have helped the culinary program gain in popularity, with classes filled for this year and quickly filling up for the 2024-25 academic year.
Reese said he operates his classes as close to a traditional restaurant or food business as possible. That includes catering numerous events, with money raised going back into the program.
“Every dollar we make goes back to the program,” he said. “We can buy food for classes and take care of other needs.”
Culinary programs at East Carteret and West Carteret high schools also cater various events in the county.
Reese said he wanted to hold a grand opening to showcase the facilities and the amazing foods being created by students.
“We wanted to introduce this to the public and let the public see what we serve,” he said. “We wanted our parents to see what the students are creating.”
Croatan senior Grace Blair, who Reese said serves as a sous chef in the program, said she is enjoying the new facility.
“I love the class,” she said. “There’s a lot of freedom and creativity.”
Blair said she plans to major in business management at Elon University after she graduates from CHS, with hopes of doing something in the culinary industry.
Culinary programs in the county’s public schools are part of Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes. CTE Director Allison Dees said what is happening at Croatan and the other high schools is an example of what CTE classes are all about.
“We’re very fortunate to have these classes,” she said. “Children are leaving with real world skills that are so important to our local industry.”
As well as teaching food preparation, including professional certifications, Reese said he teaches food safety, sanitation, management and communications.
“These are all skills needed in the food industry,” he said.
Carteret County Schools Superintendent Richie Paylor said he was excited to see what is happening with culinary programs at CHS and the other high schools.
“This is a great addition to this school, and we’re glad we can train kids to hit the workforce prepared with the skills they need,” Paylor said. “We will eventually open the same additions at West Carteret and East Carteret.”
Contact Cheryl Burke at 252-726-7081, ext. 255; email Cheryl@thenewstimes.com; or follow on Twitter @cherylccnt.
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