High School Students Cooking Like Pros

Ten students from San Marcos High School will learn to cook like pros with guidance from Jolly Brothers Caterers chef Ian Trenwith. In his role as instructor for Healthy Options for Teens (H.O.T.), he offers hands-on cooking classes that go beyond technique.

Trenwith advises the students on how to cook authentic recipes, and teaches them as well about local ingredients and the origins of the food. Students in the 17-week culinary arts program learn how to plan menus. They discover how their personal food decisions may affect their health and well-being. And they get a well-rounded perspective on the many different aspects of the food industry.

“It feels good to be giving back,” said Trenwith, who has been in the food industry for 32 years. “It is so great to see the students learning something new everyday.” Teens learn valuable nutrition information, kitchen safety, knife-cutting skills, table settings, cake decorating, catering methods, and much more. Each student is given a binder containing the curriculum for the course, filled with lessons that will help them develop abilities that they can continue to use way beyond the classroom.