What's Cooking?
by Judy Le Jeune
photography by Heather Smith
3651 Peachtree Parkway Suite 425 - Suwanee, GA 30024
What's cooking at South Forsyth High School? A unique, state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Program. With a waiting list of over 200, this is not only a valuable, but much sought after opportunity for students. Family and Consumer Science Department teacher, Dawn Martin, has been the head of this program since 2003. She says, "This program is very special to me. As a graduate of Forsyth County High School, it is wonderful to come back to a school system that continues to strive for excellence in the classroom. Students who participate in the Culinary Arts Program have the opportunity to utilize their math and science knowledge as we cost recipes, bake yeast bread or discuss pathogens that cause food-borne illnesses." Dawn Martin is excited to have the opportunity as an educator to provide such a unique and valuable educational experience to students and the Culinary Arts Program is fortunate to have such a highly qualified teacher. How did this program start at South Forsyth High School (SFHS) and why is it such a phenomenal training experience for students?
In 2001, Genise Tworek, Workforce Development Director, for Forsyth County Schools heard about Culinary Arts Programs that were available at a few high schools throughout the state. Genise set her goal on establishing the program as part of the curriculum offered to students at SFHS and succeeded. "I am pleased to have been a part of this program that began as an idea of 'Let's create a top-notch Culinary Arts Program in Forsyth County' and, through the efforts of many, it happened," said Genise. "The 'icing on the cake' is having an outstanding instructor that sets new expectations and standards for this program and works with the students to achieve these goals."
A $70,000 Grant from the State enabled classes to start, but they were conducted in the Family and Consumer Science classroom which was too small for the two classes at a time that shared the use of the small kitchen. In addition to this limitation, there were constant complaints from neighboring classes about the noise of clanging pots and pans, and students just having a great time cooking. In 2004, Dawn and Genise sought the professional advice of restaurateurs Brian Tam (Tam's Backstage) and Bill Norman (Norman's Landing) for the construction of a new classroom kitchen. Today, the Culinary Arts Program conducts their classes in a state-of-the-art professional kitchen that even has a dining room for serving meals especially catered for school functions and business meetings of local companies.
What could possibly make this program any better? The instruction voluntarily given by Malcolm B. Orser, Certified Executive Chef and instructor at the Culinary Institute at Chattahoochee College. Chef Malcolm visits classes three to four times a month to instruct and assist students with recipes from soups and sauces to pasta and international dishes. He also contributes his talent and expertise to the students from the Program who participate on the Competition Team that represents SFHS. This spring will be the sixth year that the SFHS Competition Team will compete in the Hospitality, Education Foundation Culinary Competition. It will be held in March at Gwinnett Tech. The team is comprised of four students and one alternate. This all day - from 6am to 6pm - extremely rigorous competition will be open this year to competitors from the entire state. The students on the team are required to create their own menu which includes: an appetizer, an entree, two sides, and dessert. They then must prepare the menu without using an oven or any electric equipment. They are judged on the following: professionalism, safety and sanitation, plating, waste/efficiency, clean-up and team work. There is also a 30 minute knife-skill portion of the competition. Both Dawn Martin and Chef Malcolm Orser work intensely with the team in training, preparation and planning for months prior to the day of the competition.
To offset the cost of operating the Culinary Arts Program and sending a team to the competitions, Dawn and the students are constantly coming up with creative ideas for fundraising. Using the Program's dining facility, students cater meals for the school's staff and local businesses' meetings. Last year, the students in the Program catered at Concert in the Quarry(TM) and, in conjunction with this event, Applebee's and Up The Creek donated a $1,000 scholarship to help students in the Program go to the national competition in Anaheim and another $1,000 to be awarded to a student from the Program who continues their education in Culinary Arts.
Dawn Martin was raised in Forsyth County, moved away for college and jobs, and she and her husband and children moved back in 2001. Dawn wanted a job that would enable her to give back to the community that she felt had given her so much while growing up in Forsyth County and she went to work at SFHS teaching Nutrition and Wellness. A Registered Dietitian, while Dawn lived in Savannah, she worked as a Certified Diabetes Educator at a local hospital. She initiated a Diabetes Management Center at the hospital and started a Diabetes Camp for children. Dawn's education and experience enables her to include healthy recipes and methods of cooking in her instruction. She says, "As a dietician, I enjoy helping students understand the relationship of food and their health. Recipe modifications and learning various cooking methods demonstrates to students first-hand how to cook healthy and, hopefully, empowers them to make better food choices." Dawn was the 2006 Georgia Pro Start Teacher of the Year for Forsyth County Schools.
Hospitality is the second leading industry in Georgia, which makes this program even more valuable to students at SFHS who plan to continue their education and eventually have a career in this field. Dawn Martin is especially proud that students from the Program have gone on to continue their education at top-notch culinary institutes and have become Chefs in the hospitality industry. For other students, the Program is an opportunity to learn: how to plan and prepare meals, safety in both cooking and storing food, how to serve and garnish delectable plates, and many other aspects of food preparation.
From class instruction to the opportunity to be a part of a competitive cooking team, the Culinary Arts Program has valuable training opportunities for students from those planning a career in culinary arts to those who want to make toast without burning it. As Culinary Arts Program student Tara Travieso said, "I came into this class burning ramen noodles and now I can saute, braise, bake, glaze, garnish, poach and even make a killer puree." What's cooking at South Forsyth High School? Ask any of the 72 students in the Culinary Arts Program; they know what's cooking!
