The sizzling sound of the frying pan reaches all ears, and the strong scent of bacon and sausage fills the air. Students hunch over countertops to add bechamel to their baked flatbread and proceed to add toppings like cheese, broccoli, peppers, etc. Miss Randy diligently moves from station to station to ensure each group’s success in making the dish.

Miss Randy has been teaching culinary for nearly 19 years and loves sharing her passion with her students. She discusses how she’s always loved to cook, having started the hobby with her mother at the age of seven and eventually making it a part of her profession.

Miss Randy states, “You don’t find your path, your path finds you.”

With various combinations of complex tasks, Miss Randy offers her strong passion towards her students and makes sure to maintain a controlled environment, often referring to the class as “Organized Chaos.”

Senior James Foley states, “Ms. Randy’s class is one of the best I have ever taken. She brings a lot of cooking advice that helps many of us succeed.”

This cooking advice has actually helped students outside of the classroom as well. Miss Randy’s culinary classes not only teach students how to cook but also provide them with life skills that go hand-in-hand with cooking.

Sophomore Natalie Purcell states, “It [culinary] gives you a lot of skills, I’ve done things differently since cooking.” Purcell then went on to add that culinary has had a positive impact on her independence, teaching her important skills such as patience and organization, emphasizing the importance of the skill in culinary and how it’s not just about cooking.

In each class, students split up into groups to collaborate on their respective dishes. Achieving the perfect dish requires the students to work on collaboration skills and work as a team. 

Senior Cooper Fitzpatrick states, “We evenly split up the roles so that everyone has an even workload and we can manage our time.”

When working together, students in the class enjoy combining their individual skills rather than working alone; it’s a time away from core subjects to relax and have a good time. 

Senior Chase Rumford says, “I took the class because I like making memories with my friends, and I get to eat the food after. Everyone has a great time learning to embrace all cultures through food.”

The overall accumulation of teamwork and excitement helps contribute to a successful and inclusive environment.