CPS Students Prepare International Foods; ‘Passport On A Plate’ Exhibition

Students prepared dishes from Egypt, Cuba, Belgium and more at the 10th Annual Career and Technical Education Culinary Capstone event on Friday.

“Passport on a Plate” brought together groups from 18 different high schools, who set up tables with foods, beverages and desserts to be sampled. The event took place at Kennedy-King College in Englewood. Students, some dressed in cultural attire from the country their dish originated from, showcased their culinary skills. There was cuisine from Ghana, Japan, Italy, Israel, and more. The event was organized and co-sponsored through the CPS Office of Language & Cultural Education, the Washburne Culinary Institute and Kennedy-King College.

Airion Richard, a Simeon High School senior Simeon, said that the capstone project was a lot of fun. Her group selected Mexico she said because their teacher is from there and they wanted to learn more about her native home.

Airion said she loves being in the program.

“This gives me real world experience and culinary is just a great experience because I’m learning new things and new foods,” she said. “Aside from the capstone dishes, we’re learning how to make all types of bread from yeast. So far I’ve made baguettes, pizza bread, and naan bread, which is an Indian bread.”

Tara Lewis, a John Marshall HS senior, helped prepare Indian foods such as Indian rice, cornbread and butter chicken.

Being in the program has had its challenges, but it’s been beneficial too, Tara said.

“It’s kind of hard sometimes because you have to have time management and you have to work fast, but it’s cool. It’s really fun and I plan on coming to Kennedy-King for culinary arts.”

David Blackmon, the CPS CTE program coordinator for Culinary Arts said that the three year program gives students options.

“If they decide they want to go to college and major in something else, fine, but you may work in the local restaurant in your college town,” he said. “If you decide you want to go to a culinary arts school, great, we got you there.”

“We’re building students, that’s what this is all about,” Blackmon said. “This is another opportunity for the students to say, ‘I’m good at this’ and this builds up their self esteem.”

In the program the students also get their food sanitation certification. Scholarships are awarded each year, as well. Ten students were awarded $4,000 college scholarships each through the 2018 Denzel Thornton Culinary Scholarship Award.