BROOKINGS – When you are fortunate enough to combine your passion with a career choice, it is like never going to work. Students enrolled in the Hospitality and Tourism cluster at Brookings High School have the opportunity to explore that passion.
Megan Jaquet, culinary arts instructor, says all students gain skills in this cluster area, but not all end up in the same careers.
“These are classes that have something to offer every student, no matter their previous experience or their career choice. A few students enter the program with some skills and know a lot about what they like to do in the kitchen while others have a basic knowledge of nutrition. Regardless, each student leaves with life skills and the ability to prepare almost any type of food nutritiously and safely,” Jaquet said.
Many previous hospitality and tourism cluster students have embarked on successful careers. Since the program was started in 2008, BHS graduates have become everything from nutritionists and dieticians to executive chefs and entrepreneurs, while many have just become very good at preparing food, experimenting with new flavors, and practicing culinary skills for their own pleasure.
For those who aren’t choosing this as their career, they still leave class with skills they will use for the rest of their lives. They learn beyond the basics to becoming confident in the kitchen. In today’s fast-paced world of ready-to-eat foods, mastering the art of cooking is something to take pride in.
Nutrition and Wellness students get an in-depth look at nutrients and what their bodies need to stay healthy. Students pursuing degrees in any medical or sports related fields are required to take a post secondary nutrition class. This nutrition class is necessary preparation for that.
The Basic Foods Principles course covers food prep skills while ProStart/Culinary Arts students work with professional chefs, receive industry certification in ServSafe, and participate in competition. Brookings ProStart students have had a great deal of success at the state and national level competitions, taking 16 culinary and management teams to nationals over the past 11 years of competing and placing as high as fourth in the nation.
Students can explore a career in hospitality by completing an entrepreneurship experience or an internship.
Brooklyn Hoftizer is learning what it takes to run a business by managing the Bobcat Bistro. She trains ProStart One students as staff and offers coffees and other specialty drinks along with the occasional pastries to staff every Friday.
Cassie Whitaker is participating in an internship, working as part of the staff at the Pheasant Restaurant and Lounge since early last fall. According to Michael Johnson, manager at the Pheasant, their first experience of having a high school intern has been rewarding for everyone involved.
“We feel that we have learned as much through the teaching and coaching process as Cassie. She has really grown into a valuable player. We try to teach the basics of professional kitchen mechanics and operations, but also show the fun and creative side of the job,” Johnson said. “We’ve had her follow recipes for consistency, hone technical skills, cook by taste and inspiration, learn about ordering and the menu process, and experiment with flavor innovation. Daily, she gets to see how much time is spent in a busy, working kitchen on prep and quality checking. Cassie has also had some time to learn about hospitality standards, setting up guest areas, and our general approach to service.”
Whitaker will use this experience to launch herself into the next step in her career, culinary school. She has been accepted into Johnson and Wales and has been awarded an $18,000 scholarship toward her studies.
“We’re so proud of Cassie for earning her scholarship to Johnson and Wales and wish her all the best of what this high demand, high reward industry has to offer. She is sure to succeed. Wherever her journey takes her, she will always have cheerleaders in her ‘Pheasant fam,’” Johnson added.
