Intro to Culinary Arts
Grades 6–8
Discover kitchen safety, basic techniques, and the joy of preparing food.
ARTS & ELECTIVES
Culinary Arts
Learn by doing. Create with purpose. Students develop culinary skills, confidence, and career readiness while serving the Jackson Day community.
Culinary at Jackson Day
From the Classroom to the Kitchen
Creativity, practical skills, and opportunities to serve.
Led by Chef Tatiana Thomas, whose experience includes the hospitality industry, the Culinary Arts program guides students from kitchen fundamentals to advanced techniques, foodservice operations, and leadership. Students learn through hands-on labs, creative projects, and real service experiences.
A Pathway to Grow
Explore the Culinary Pathway
Students can begin exploring culinary arts in middle school and continue building skills through high school.
Culinary Arts I
Grades 9–11
Build foundational cooking, baking, sanitation, and kitchen skills.
Culinary Arts II
Grades 10–11
Expand techniques and apply learning through more advanced kitchen experiences.
Culinary Arts III
Grades 11–12
Strengthen advanced skills, professionalism, leadership, and career preparation.
What Students Learn
Skills for the Kitchen and Beyond
Cooking and baking bring math, science, literacy, nutrition, and culture to life. Students practice food safety and sanitation, kitchen fundamentals, culinary math, cooking and baking, food culture, hospitality, business, and professional skills.
Students build confidence, creativity, teamwork, responsibility, and leadership that can serve them in any career and in everyday life.
Learning by Doing
- Cooking and baking labs, including Cupcake Wars
- Cultural projects and tastings
- Food safety investigations
- Kitchen leadership and career exploration
- Preparing food for school events and concessions
Real Experiences, Real Purpose
Serving Our Community
Students see their learning make a difference as they prepare food for events, teachers, athletic teams, and concessions. Mariner Bay Cuisine, the student enterprise launched in 2023, showcases how students plan, prepare, and serve.
Experiences include the Fall Festival, Veterans Day, holiday catering, teacher and team meals, Black History Month events, culinary competitions, and ProStart community events.
More Ways to Explore
Opportunities Beyond Class
Students may participate in Culinary Club during fall and spring, field trips, guest chef talks, community events, paid catering opportunities, and college and career experiences.
An instructional kitchen and classroom, cooking and refrigeration equipment, professional tools, safety resources, ingredients, technology, and service supplies support hands-on learning.
The Culinary Gallery
Students at Work
A look inside the kitchen as Jackson Day students prepare and create together.
Career & College
Preparing for What’s Next
Students explore pathways through Johnson & Wales and connections with CPCC, including opportunities to explore scholarships, certifications, portfolios, and education after high school. ProStart and ServSafe learning connect classroom experiences with professional expectations.
ProStart’s Certificate of Achievement includes 400 hours of work experience over the pathway. Recognition or credit from a culinary school depends on that institution’s requirements.
Certification Opportunities
ServSafe ManagerServSafe Food HandlerProStart Certificate of Achievement
At the Black History Month celebration, seniors are recognized for their time in the program and receive personalized chef coats as they begin their next chapter.
Discover Your Place in the Kitchen.
From a first recipe to serving the community, culinary students learn to create, lead, and grow together.
Explore Arts & Electives →